| name | raffle-winner-picker |
| description | Picks random winners from lists, spreadsheets, or Google Sheets for giveaways, raffles, and contests. Ensures fair, unbiased selection with transparency. |
Raffle Winner Picker
This skill randomly selects winners from lists, spreadsheets, or Google Sheets for giveaways and contests.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.7+: Required for random selection scripts
- pandas: For CSV/Excel file reading (install via
pip install pandas)
- Optional: Google Sheets API access via gspread library
When to Use This Skill
- Running social media giveaways
- Picking raffle winners at events
- Randomly selecting participants for surveys or tests
- Choosing winners from contest submissions
- Fair distribution of limited spots or resources
- Random team assignments
What This Skill Does
- Random Selection: Uses cryptographically random selection
- Multiple Sources: Works with CSV, Excel, Google Sheets, or plain lists
- Multiple Winners: Can pick one or multiple winners
- Duplicate Prevention: Ensures the same person can't win twice
- Transparent Results: Shows the selection process clearly
- Winner Details: Displays all relevant information about winners
How to Use
From Google Sheets
Pick a random row from this Google Sheet to select a winner
for a giveaway: [Sheet URL]
From Local File
Pick 3 random winners from entries.csv
From List
Pick a random winner from this list:
- Alice (alice@email.com)
- Bob (bob@email.com)
- Carol (carol@email.com)
...
Multiple Winners
Pick 5 random winners from contest-entries.xlsx,
make sure no duplicates
Example
User: "Pick a random row from this Google Sheet to select a winner for a giveaway."
Output:
Accessing Google Sheet...
Total entries found: 247
Randomly selecting winner...
🎉 WINNER SELECTED! 🎉
Row #142
Name: Sarah Johnson
Email: sarah.j@email.com
Entry Date: March 10, 2024
Comment: "Love your newsletter!"
Selection method: Cryptographically random
Timestamp: 2024-03-15 14:32:18 UTC
Would you like to:
- Pick another winner (excluding Sarah)?
- Export winner details?
- Pick runner-ups?
Inspired by: Lenny's use case - picking a Sora 2 giveaway winner from his subscriber Slack community
Features
Fair Selection
- Uses secure random number generation
- No bias or patterns
- Transparent process
- Repeatable with seed (for verification)
Exclusions
Pick a random winner excluding previous winners:
Alice, Bob, Carol
Weighted Selection
Pick a winner with weighted probability based on
the "entries" column (1 entry = 1 ticket)
Runner-ups
Pick 1 winner and 3 runner-ups from the list
Example Workflows
Social Media Giveaway
- Export entries from Google Form to Sheets
- "Pick a random winner from [Sheet URL]"
- Verify winner details
- Announce publicly with timestamp
Event Raffle
- Create CSV of attendee names and emails
- "Pick 10 random winners from attendees.csv"
- Export winner list
- Email winners directly
Team Assignment
- Have list of participants
- "Randomly split this list into 4 equal teams"
- Review assignments
- Share team rosters
Tips
- Document the process: Save the timestamp and method
- Public announcement: Share selection details for transparency
- Check eligibility: Verify winner meets contest rules
- Have backups: Pick runner-ups in case winner is ineligible
- Export results: Save winner list for records
Privacy & Fairness
✓ Uses cryptographically secure randomness
✓ No manipulation possible
✓ Timestamp recorded for verification
✓ Can provide seed for third-party verification
✓ Respects data privacy
Common Use Cases
- Newsletter subscriber giveaways
- Product launch raffles
- Conference ticket drawings
- Beta tester selection
- Focus group participant selection
- Random prize distribution at events
