How it works
Pick a number between 1 and 17 with one tap. Each of the seventeen numbers has the same 1 in 17 chance, including 17 itself, the number people are said to reach for when asked to be random.
Read the full guide
A random number 1-17 for a class or a list
For a group of 17 or a list numbered 1 to 17, press once to choose who goes first. To put everyone in order, set how many to 17 and tick No repeats: each number comes up once.
Why 17 is called the least random number
The Jargon File records that 17 was described at MIT as "the least random number", supposedly because it was the most common answer when people were asked for a random number from 1 to 20. Here 17 gets exactly its share, no more.
Tips
- Seventeen is prime, so 17 people never split into equal groups: one group always gets an extra person.
Questions and answers
Is 17 really the least random number?
It is an MIT joke recorded in the Jargon File, said to come from studies where people picked 17 most often from 1 to 20. The claim is widely repeated but thinly sourced. Here every number has a 1 in 17 chance.
Can I pick several numbers between 1 and 17?
Yes. Set how many you want and tick No repeats to get different numbers. Set it to 17 to shuffle the whole range.
Is the number random?
Yes. A fresh number is drawn in your browser as the page opens and on every tap. It is fine for games, class draws and quick decisions, not for prize draws with money at stake.