How to draw straws
- List everyone who’s drawing, one name per line, or press Load my team.
- Choose how many short straws there are. Usually it’s one.
- Press Hold out the straws. Each person, in order, taps a straw to pull it out.
- Whoever pulls the short straw is it. In a hurry? Press Everyone pull at once.
Why draw straws instead of spinning a wheel?
A wheel spin is over in a few seconds. Drawing straws builds the tension one pull at a time: each person who pulls a long straw is safe, the odds get worse for everyone still waiting, and the whole room watches the last few pulls. It’s the same fair outcome with a lot more drama.
Good jobs to draw straws for
- Taking notes in the next meeting
- Running standup or facilitating the retro
- Doing the dishes or taking out the trash
- Presenting first at demo day
- The first slice of the cake (some straws are lucky)
Want the person who pulls the short straw to be the winner instead? Just announce that before you start.
Frequently asked questions
Is it fair to go first or last?
Yes. Before anyone pulls, every straw’s length is set at random, and nobody can see them. Each person has the same chance of getting the short straw, whether they pull first or last.
How is the short straw chosen?
The straws are shuffled with your browser’s cryptographically secure random number generator when you press Hold out the straws. Each pull simply reveals the straw that person picked.
Can there be more than one short straw?
Yes. Choose up to three short straws, for example when you need two volunteers. The game ends when all the short straws have been drawn.
What can we use it for?
Anything nobody wants to do: taking meeting notes, running the next retro, doing the dishes, going first in a presentation, or picking who buys coffee.