Who goes first? 12 fair ways to decide

Updated 4 November 2026 · 3 minute read

From a coin toss to a full random order, here are twelve ways to decide who goes first, which ones are really fair, and how to keep it fair all evening.

The quick list

Method	Players	Is it fair?
1. Coin toss	2	Yes, 50/50. Call it while the coin is in the air.
2. Highest dice roll	Any	Yes. Roll again to break ties.
3. Rock paper scissors	2	Mostly. People fall into habits; best of three helps.
4. Draw straws	Any	Yes, if the person holding them can't see or arrange the ends.
5. Spin a bottle or pen	Any	Roughly. On a slanted or bumpy table it favours some spots.
6. Spin a name wheel	Any	Yes.
7. Names in a hat	Any	Yes, if the papers are folded the same way and mixed well.
8. Youngest player	Any	Fair once, but it always favours the same person.
9. Most recent birthday	Any	Same problem, plus arguments about dates.
10. Last game's loser starts	Any	A good balancing rule after the first game.
11. Alphabetical order	Any	Predictable: always the same people first.
12. A full random order	Any	Yes, and it settles every turn, not just the first.

Does going first matter?

In many turn-based games the first player has a small edge: an extra move, the first pick or the first chance to score. In others, going first is a disadvantage, because later players see more before they act. Either way it's worth deciding fairly, and over a long evening it's worth spreading the advantage around:

Rotate: the first player moves one seat to the left each game.
Loser starts: after the first game, whoever came last starts the next one.
Balance: if the game allows it, give later players a small bonus.

With two people

A coin toss is hard to beat: genuinely 50/50 and over in seconds. Let one person call while the coin is in the air, and agree before tossing what happens if it rolls under the sofa. No coin? Spin the heads or tails wheel.

Rock paper scissors is fun but not perfectly random. Players tend to repeat a move that just won and switch after a loss, and a sharp opponent can spot it. Between two people who both know the game it's fair enough; for anything that matters, a coin is cleaner.

With a group

For three or more players, everyone rolling a die (with re-rolls for ties) works well at a table. Drawing straws works anywhere: hold them so the ends are level and let everyone draw before anyone looks. In a classroom or on a video call, a name wheel or names in a hat on the screen is fastest, and everyone sees the same result at the same time.

For a bit of drama, try last one standing: in the picker's balloon game, balloons pop one by one until only the starting player's balloon is left. A duck race does the same with a finish line.

Decide the whole order at once

Often you need more than who goes first: the order of presentations, the turn order for six players, the order people choose prizes. Picking one name at a time works, but deciding the full order at once is quicker and avoids "but it was my turn next".

Paste the names into the list randomizer and shuffle. You get a numbered order to copy or download.
In any picker game, open Settings and tick Rank everyone. The game shows the winner and the full random order underneath.

In class

For presentations, decide the order at the start of the unit and post it, so students know when they're on. For who answers first, use the classroom picker with no repeats until everyone has had a turn. Our guide to picking students fairly has more on making that feel safe.

Methods that only look fair

Counting rhymes like "eeny, meeny, miny, moe": the result is fixed by where the counting starts and how many words the rhyme has, so whoever does the counting can choose the winner.
"Pick a number between 1 and 10": people don't choose numbers at random, and the person who thought of the number can quietly change their mind.
"Whoever shouts first": always the loudest person in the room.

If someone is unhappy with how it was decided, switch to a method everyone can see, and agree on it before you pick.