What is Plinko?
Plinko is the game where a ball drops from the top and bounces between a grid of pegs until it lands in one of the slots at the bottom. Popularized by TV game shows, it is a perfect example of visual chance: you never know where the ball will end up because each bounce shifts its path slightly.
Here we use it as a fun, highly visual way to leave a decision or a prize to luck.
When to use Plinko?
- Picking a result among several slots in a spectacular way.
- Draws and prizes where each slot is a reward.
- Group activities and livestreams with a very visual element of chance.
- Passing the time watching the ball drop and bounce between the pegs.
How does our Plinko work?
When you drop the ball, the winning slot is drawn first with the browser’s cryptographic generator, and every slot has exactly the same probability. Then the ball falls with real physics (it truly bounces off every peg and wall) along a path that ends in that slot. That way you get the Plinko spectacle and a fair draw at the same time.
The whole simulation happens in your browser, with nothing sent to a server.
Why does every slot have the same probability here?
In a real Plinko the ball ends up in the center slots far more often: to reach an edge it would have to bounce the same way on almost every row, and there are far more combinations of bounces that end near the center. That pattern is called the normal distribution or “bell curve”, and it is the basis of the Galton board, a classic probability experiment. Since here you use it to choose between people or options, we made it fair: the slot is drawn with the same probability for all of them and then a real physical fall that ends there is shown. You keep the thrill of watching the ball bounce without anyone getting an edge for being in the middle. If you prefer another way to draw, try the wheel or the name draw.
Frequently asked questions
Is where the ball lands decided in advance?
The slot is drawn at random right when you drop the ball, with the same probability for all of them, and nobody can know it beforehand. Then the ball falls with real physics until it reaches it.
Do all slots have the same probability?
Yes. Every slot has exactly the same probability of winning, whether it is in the center or at an edge.
Does it involve money betting?
No. It is a purely recreational game of chance, with no real money involved.
Are results stored?
No. Everything happens in your browser and nothing is sent to our servers.
Can I assign a different prize to each slot?
Yes. A common approach is to mentally assign a reward or a forfeit to each slot (for example, “whoever lands in the center slot pays for dinner”) and drop the ball. Since every slot has the same probability, you can place the prizes however you like and none will come up more than another.
Where does Plinko come from?
It became famous on the US TV game show The Price Is Right, where contestants drop chips down a board of pegs to win prizes. The mechanic, however, is far older: it's the same as the Galton board, used since the 19th century to illustrate probability.
How do you play Plinko?
Type the names or options, which are spread across the slots at the bottom, and drop the ball. It bounces off the pegs until it lands in a slot, and whatever is in that slot is the result.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The board fits your screen and you drop the ball with one tap, on a phone, tablet or computer. Nothing to install and no sign-up.
Related guides
- How to do a fair random draw — Five steps that leave nobody room to complain: clean list, rules set in advance, a truly random method, recorded proof and backup winners.
- Party games that need nothing but your phone — Ideas to liven up any gathering using just your phone: picking who starts, dares, random teams and icebreakers that work in seconds.