About this game
Draw Straws has players pull sticks from a cup, one at a time. The tips stay hidden inside the cup, so you only see the color once a stick is pulled. A red tip means you're it, and a green tip means you're safe.
How to play
- Enter 2 to 12 players and choose how many get caught.
- The person shown at the top of the screen picks a stick.
- The stick rises to reveal its tip and the name of whoever drew it.
- The game ends once all the red sticks are out.
When it works best
- Passing a phone around so everyone draws for themselves
- Situations where choosing with your own hand matters
Is drawing first a disadvantage?
People ask this a lot, but drawing order doesn't change the odds. With four sticks and one red, the first and last person each have a 25% chance. Does turn order matter? works it out step by step. Just to remove any doubt, this site also shuffles the order at the start.
Frequently asked questions
How is the number of sticks set?
It matches the number of players. If all the red sticks appear before everyone has drawn, the game ends right away.
Can I spot the red stick by looking closely?
No. All sticks are drawn identically until they are pulled.
Can someone draw twice?
No. There is one stick per player, so each person draws at most once.