Who Goes First

Spin for a quick way to decide who starts, or type your players' names and spin those.

Who Goes First

On the wheel

    Sample list of 93 ways to decide. Type or paste your own to replace it.

    Up to 100 lines. Your list stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.

    Click the button or the wheel, or press Space or Enter. Press again to skip.Tap the button or the wheel. Tap again to skip.

    SwamFed a petKiteTrain rideMade a bedSunriseTent nightLast b-dayNear b-dayLow dayName A-ZLast hereMost townsCoin tossLow rollFrom a hatPoint on 3Spin namesPass leftI spyBig speechOdd objectForgot whyToy boat

    Sample result

    Everyone rolls two dice: the lowest total goes first

    Tie: only the tied players roll again.

    More options

    The wheel shows a new part of the list on every spin.

    The wheel shows 24 of 93 ways to decide. Every spin picks from all 93.

    Results

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      How it works

      Who goes first? Spin, and the wheel lands on one quick way to decide, with its rule or tie-break underneath. Or type the players in the box under the wheel, one on each line, and the wheel picks a name.

      Read the full guide

      Fun ways to decide who goes first

      The wheel holds five groups: who most recently, birthdays, names and today, classic ways such as a coin toss or drawing straws, ways for young children, and funny ways to decide who goes first, settled by a vote of the table. Show only narrows the wheel to one group.

      Spin the players' names

      Typing a name in the box under the wheel takes the ways off and puts your players on. Under More options, Take winners off removes each winner, so the spins read first, second, third: a full turn order.

      Tips
      • A way that fits nobody at the table? Spin again: every way on the wheel has the same chance.
      • With two names typed in, the wheel does the job of a coin.

      Questions and answers

      Who goes first when the rules do not say?

      Whoever the table agrees on. Any way that leaves it to chance works: a coin toss for two players, rock paper scissors, the highest roll of a die, or a spin of this wheel with every player's name on it.

      What is the best way to decide who goes first?

      One that nobody at the table can influence. A coin toss, a die roll, drawing straws and a wheel of names all leave it to chance. The "most recently" ways are quicker, and they rely on everyone's word.

      Is there a who goes first app?

      This page works like one in a phone browser, with nothing to install. It does not read fingers on the screen, as some apps do: it spins a wheel of ways to decide, or of the names you type.

      Can it be a who goes first generator for a whole turn order?

      Yes. Type the players' names, choose Take winners off under More options and spin once for each player. Every winner leaves the wheel, and the results list them in the order they came off.

      More tools

      Browse Party & Decision Wheels

      All 93 ways to decide

      For young children 17

      • A grown-up hides a button under one of three cups: guess the cup to go first Guess in a circle. Nobody right? Shuffle and hide it again.
      • A grown-up thinks of a color: the first to guess it goes first Take guesses in a circle so everyone gets a turn.
      • A grown-up thinks of an animal: the first to guess it goes first One clue after each round of guesses.
      • First to spot something in the room beginning with a chosen letter A grown-up picks the letter. Tie: a second letter.
      • Number the players and roll one die: that number goes first Rolled a number nobody has? Roll again.
      • Whoever brought the game to the table A grown-up brought it? They pick a child to start.
      • Whoever had the most colors on their plate at the last meal Tie: whoever ate something green.
      • Whoever has socks with the most colors Bare feet count as zero. Tie: the brightest pair, by a vote.
      • Whoever is sitting closest to the window No window? The door.
      • Whoever is wearing the most stripes No stripes at the table? Most spots.
      • Whoever most recently drew a picture Tie: the picture with more colors.
      Show all 93 ways to decide (82 more)

      For young children, continued

      • Whoever most recently heard a bedtime story Tie: whoever can say what happened in it.
      • Whoever most recently jumped in a puddle Tie: the bigger splash.
      • Whoever most recently went to a playground Tie: whoever went down the slide.
      • Whoever names the biggest animal One animal each. Tie: the animal with more legs.
      • Whoever touches something blue first Stay in your seats: ready, set, go. Tie: now something round.
      • Whoever went first last time picks the player on their left Going first then moves around the table from game to game.

      Birthdays, names and today 18

      • Whoever arrived last today Everyone lives here? Whoever sat down last.
      • Whoever blew out birthday candles most recently Tie on the same date: coin toss.
      • Whoever came the longest way to this table Tie: whoever took longer to arrive.
      • Whoever got out of bed first today Tie: whoever went to bed later.
      • Whoever has lived in the most towns Tie: the town farthest from here.
      • Whoever has the lowest birthday total: day plus month number March 9 is 9 + 3 = 12. Tie: the lower day.
      • Whoever has the most vowels in their name First name only: count A, E, I, O and U. Tie: add the last name.
      • Whoever has the next birthday Tie on the same date: coin toss.
      • Whoever needs the most letters to spell their name First name only. Tie: add the last name.
      • Whoever sat down at the table first Nobody noticed? Spin again.
      • Whoever was born on the highest day of a month The 31st beats the 12th. Tie: the later month.
      • Whoever was born on the lowest day of a month The 3rd beats the 14th. Tie: the earlier month.
      • Whoever's birthday is closest to January 1 Count the days either side. Tie: coin toss.
      • Whoever's birthday is closest to today, before or after Tie: the birthday still to come.
      • Whoever's birthday month comes first in the alphabet April beats August. Tie: the lower day.
      • Whoever's first name comes first in the alphabet Tie: go to the second letter, then the third.
      • Whoever's first name comes last in the alphabet Tie: go to the second letter, then the third.
      • Whoever's middle name comes first in the alphabet No middle name sorts ahead of every letter.

      Funny 18

      • Everyone stares in silence: the last one not to laugh goes first Smiling is allowed; laughing is out.
      • Whoever does the best evil-villain laugh The table votes. Tie: add a cape swish.
      • Whoever does the best impression of a chicken laying an egg The table votes. Tie: now a rooster.
      • Whoever does the best robot voice, by a vote of the table Nobody votes for themselves. Tie: a robot dance-off, same judges.
      • Whoever does the slowest slow-motion victory dance The table votes. Tie: slower still.
      • Whoever draws the best cat with their eyes closed Ten seconds, one sheet each. The table votes.
      • Whoever gives the most dramatic speech on why they should go first Ten seconds each. The table votes.
      • Whoever had the strangest dream last night One sentence each. The table votes.
      • Whoever has the oddest thing in their pockets or bag right now Show it. The table votes.
      • Whoever invents the best name for a pet dragon The table votes. Nobody votes for their own.
      • Whoever makes the most convincing whale sound The table votes. Tie: a dolphin.
      • Whoever most recently lost a sock to the washing machine Tie: whoever is wearing odd socks now.
      • Whoever most recently talked to a plant as if it would answer Tie: whoever got an answer.
      • Whoever most recently walked into a room and forgot why Honesty counts. Tie: the better story.
      • Whoever names the most kinds of cheese in ten seconds Someone else keeps count. Tie: kinds of bread.
      • Whoever says toy boat five times fast with the fewest slips Someone else counts the slips. Tie: ten times.
      • Whoever tells the best knock-knock joke The table votes. Groans count as votes.
      • Whoever was the last to notice the game was starting If that is you, you may have missed this spin too.

      Who most recently 20

      • Whoever most recently baked something Tie: whoever shared more of it.
      • Whoever most recently built something with blocks or bricks Tie: the taller build.
      • Whoever most recently fed an animal Pets, ducks and fish all count. Tie: the larger animal.
      • Whoever most recently finished a jigsaw puzzle Tie: the puzzle with more pieces.
      • Whoever most recently finished reading a book Tie: the book with more pages.
      • Whoever most recently flew a kite Nobody ever has? Whoever most recently saw one.
      • Whoever most recently learned a new word Say the word and what it means. Tie: the longer word.
      • Whoever most recently made their own bed This morning counts. Tie: whoever did it earlier.
      • Whoever most recently mailed a letter or a postcard Tie: the one that traveled farther.
      • Whoever most recently rode a bicycle Tie: whoever rode farther.
      • Whoever most recently rode a train Tie: the longer ride.
      • Whoever most recently saw a rainbow Tie: first to name its colors in order.
      • Whoever most recently slept in a tent A blanket fort counts for children. Tie: more nights.
      • Whoever most recently took the trash or recycling out Tie: whoever needed no reminder.
      • Whoever most recently visited a library Tie: whoever borrowed more books.
      • Whoever most recently visited a museum Tie: whoever stayed longer.
      • Whoever most recently washed the dishes Loading a dishwasher counts. Tie: coin toss.
      • Whoever most recently watched the sun rise Tie: whoever got up earlier today.
      • Whoever most recently watered a plant Tie: whoever looks after more plants.
      • Whoever most recently went swimming Sea, lake or pool all count. Tie: rock paper scissors.

      Classic ways 20

      • Cut a deck of cards: the highest card goes first Agree first whether an ace is high or low. Tie: cut again.
      • Deal one card each, face up: the lowest card goes first Tie: deal the tied players one more card.
      • Draw straws: the short straw goes first One player holds the straws in a fist so that all look the same length. One is shorter than the rest.
      • Draw the players' names from a hat The first name out goes first, and the rest of the draw sets the turn order.
      • Each player tosses a button toward a cup: the closest goes first Tie: the tied players toss again from one step back.
      • Everyone rolls one die: the highest roll goes first Tie: only the tied players roll again.
      • Everyone rolls two dice: the lowest total goes first Tie: only the tied players roll again.
      • Flip a coin: heads or tails For two players: one calls it in the air. More players? Flip in pairs and the winners flip again.
      • On the count of three, everyone points at a player: most fingers goes first Tie: everyone points again, at the tied players only.
      • One player thinks of a number from 1 to 20: the closest guess goes first The thinker cannot go first. Tie: guess again from 1 to 10.
      • Pass a bag of counters with one marked: whoever draws the marked one goes first As many counters as players, and no peeking.
      • Play odds and evens: the winner goes first Two players. One is odds, one is evens; both show fingers at once, and the total decides.
      • Play rock paper scissors: the winner goes first Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock. Same shape: throw again.
      • The player to the left of the dealer goes first No dealer yet? Cut the deck: the highest card deals.
      • The previous winner names the starting player The winner may not name themselves. First game today? Spin again.
      • Put every player's name on this wheel and spin Type the names in the box under the wheel, one on each line. Take winners off gives the whole turn order.
      • Say a counting-out rhyme around the circle: the last player pointed at goes first One word of the rhyme for each player pointed at.
      • Spin a pencil on the table: whoever the point faces goes first Pointing between two players? Spin again.
      • Take turns rolling one die: the first to roll a six goes first Roll in seating order, starting with the host.
      • Which hand? One player hides a small object in a fist: guess right to go first Two players. A wrong guess means the hider goes first.

      How this list was compiled: 93 ways to choose a first player, in five groups, written for this site on 2026-10-02. Each has its rule or a tie-break in the line under it. All are meant for a family table: none needs running around, and no boxed game is named. The classic ways were checked on 2026-10-02 against English Wikipedia: how rock paper scissors is decided and that a tie is usually replayed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_paper_scissors); a coin flip as a choice between two alternatives (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin_flipping); drawing straws, with one straw shorter than the others held so that all appear the same length (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_lots_(decision_making)); odds and evens as two people showing fingers at once (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odds_and_evens_(hand_game)); a counting-out rhyme as a way of selecting one person from a group (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counting-out_game). Licence: own work