Group Draw
Split participants into random, balanced groups. You decide the number of groups or the number of people per group.
Participants
One name per line, or separate with commas.
Groups are formed in your browser with cryptographic randomness — fair and balanced.
Other Draw & Raffle Tools
Split participants into random groups
Group Draw splits a list of names into fair, balanced groups. Paste the names, enter either how many groups or how many people per group, and the tool handles the rest. Because the result is produced with cryptographic randomness it is fair, and everyone has an equal chance of landing in any group.
How does balanced distribution work?
When the number of participants doesn’t divide evenly, the tool keeps the groups as equal as possible: the difference between any two groups is at most one person. For example, splitting 10 people into 3 groups gives 4-3-3; no tiny leftover group is created. When you choose “Group size”, it rounds the number of groups to the closest target and still splits evenly.
Where can you use it?
Whenever you need to split a group into fair, balanced teams:
- Five-a-side football teams: Weekly kickabout, work league, university intramurals — fair captain-free splits.
- School project groups: Teachers pair chatty and quiet students without accusations of favouritism.
- Office away-days: Team-building groups, workshop tables, brainstorm clusters mixed across departments.
- Pub quiz teams: Split a big group into equal-strength quiz teams at the local pub or the office Christmas party.
- Fantasy Premier League draft order: Fair pick order for FPL draft leagues and mini-league setups.
- Board and card game teams: Pairs for whist, poker teams, Codenames sides, or Cluedo groups.
A short history of random team selection
Splitting into teams by random lot is as old as sport itself. In the Ancient Greek Olympics, wrestling and boxing pairings are known to have been decided by lot. Roman gladiators learned by lot which arena they would fight in. The modern tournament format was developed for English cricket clubs in the 19th century. Today the same principle powers everything from football draws to office Secret Santa, classroom project groups and board-game teams: trusting the fairness of randomness.
Frequently asked questions
How are the groups balanced?
Even when the count doesn’t divide evenly, groups are kept as equal as possible; the difference between any two groups is at most one person. This avoids overcrowded or single-person groups.
Should I pick the number of groups or the group size?
Either works. If you know how many groups you want, pick “Number of groups”; if you want a set number of people per group, pick “Group size”. When you choose size, the number of groups is set to the closest target.
What happens if it doesn’t divide evenly?
The remaining people are distributed one by one across the groups. For example, 11 people in 3 groups become 4-4-3; no one is left out and the groups stay balanced.
Are the results really random?
Yes. The list is shuffled with your browser’s cryptographic random number generator; no one’s group is known in advance.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. It works smoothly on phones, tablets and computers.
How many people can I split into groups?
From two upwards. Set the total count and the number of groups; the tool distributes people as evenly as possible (e.g. 11 people into 3 groups = 4+4+3).
What if the count doesn’t divide evenly?
The remainder is added to randomly chosen groups. No group is more than 1 person larger than another — the fairest possible distribution.
Can I get different group arrangements from the same list?
Yes. Press "Reshuffle" for a fresh random arrangement each time. Try different splits with the same people.
Are the names and data I enter stored?
No. Everything runs only in your browser; the names and lists you enter are never sent to a server, stored or shared with anyone. When you close the page, this data is gone.
Does it take up storage on my device?
No, it takes up no storage at all. Online Kura is not a downloaded app; it runs entirely in your browser and nothing is installed on your phone or computer. If you like, you can add it to your home screen and use it like an app — with none of the storage.
How do I add Online Kura to my phone’s home screen?
iPhone (Safari): open the page, tap the Share icon and choose “Add to Home Screen”. Android (Chrome): open the three-dot menu at the top right and tap “Add to Home screen” (or “Install app”). Then you can open Online Kura like an app with one tap.