How to pick a random item from a list
✓ Verified in LibreOffice 25.8.7.3Random winner, random assignment, random sample of one.
The formula
| App | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excel | =INDEX(A2:A100,RANDBETWEEN(1,COUNTA(A2:A100))) | Re-rolls on every recalculation — copy → Paste Values to freeze the winner. |
| Google Sheets | =INDEX(A2:A100,RANDBETWEEN(1,COUNTA(A2:A100))) | Identical. |
| LibreOffice Calc | =INDEX(A2:A100,RANDBETWEEN(1,COUNTA(A2:A100))) | Identical. |
How it works
RANDBETWEEN rolls a row number from 1 to the list's length (COUNTA keeps it sized to the data) and INDEX fetches that entry. (The verification asserts the deterministic property — whatever gets picked is genuinely from the list — since the pick itself changes every run.) It re-rolls on every edit, so freeze results with Paste Special → Values. For several picks WITHOUT repeats, modern versions can use =TAKE(SORTBY(A2:A100,RANDARRAY(COUNTA(A2:A100))),3) — shuffle, then take three.
Verified, not just documented
We ran =COUNTIF(A2:A4,INDEX(A2:A4,RANDBETWEEN(1,3)))>0 in LibreOffice 25.8.7.3 (headless, with forced recalculation) and it returned True — exactly the expected result. Every formula here is confirmed by actually executing it.