Article

How to build a list of options

28 October 2026 · 4 min read

The wheel picks at random, but the list is yours. If it contains an option you would never accept, that is not a fair draw but theatre. Five rules that remove that distortion.

Rule 1. Options on the same scale

“Pizza” and “a trip to Italy” are not options in one decision. They differ in price, time and effort, so a wheel between them is meaningless: one of them you will never accept. Compare things of the same level — either two dishes or two trips.

Rule 2. No duplicates and no umbrellas

“Sushi” and “rolls” are the same option written twice: it gets double the chance. A general entry like “something from delivery” breaks fairness in the same way if specific dishes sit next to it.

The check is simple: if it lands on A and you say “well, that is B too”, there is a duplicate in the list.

Rule 3. Wording equals action

“Relax” is not an action — it is unclear what to do after the spin. “Go for a 20-minute walk” is an action. The more concrete the wording, the fewer reasons to say “that does not count”: you know in advance exactly what came up.

The wheel accepts up to 60 characters per option, but staying within 15–25 works better — that way the labels stay readable on the slices and on a phone.

Rule 4. Four to eight options

Two is not really a choice, it is “yes or no”. More than eight and the slices get thin, the labels unreadable and attention scatters. If there really are many options, first cut the clearly unsuitable ones and keep eight.

Rule 5. Real options only

The classic mistake is adding, “for a laugh”, something you will definitely not do. It seems harmless, but those are exactly the entries that come up. As a result you either spin again (and the draw is cancelled) or do something silly.

The main test before spinning: go through the list and answer, for each entry, “if this comes up, will I do it?”. If the answer is “no” even once, remove it. After that you can spin for real.

The order of options

Order does not affect the result — the slices are equal. It does affect perception: the first entry reads as the “recommended” one. If you want full neutrality, shuffle the list with the shuffle button before spinning.

When the list is ready

Then it is simple: spin. Once, without nudging. If the result upsets you, that is not a reason to cancel the procedure — it is information about which option you actually needed.

Ready-made lists — for when you do not feel like building your own.

Browse presets