Slack-Integrated Lottery Tools: Alternatives and Best Methods [2025]

"Want to easily conduct lotteries in Slack" "Looking for a fair decision method that the whole team can accept" "Can't automate with Slack bot?"

In IT companies and startups that use Slack daily, there's growing demand to complete role assignment and prize lotteries within Slack.

This article thoroughly compares lottery methods in Slack with 6 approaches and explains the most efficient and fair method.

What Slack Standard Features Can and Cannot Do

What Slack Can Do

1. Reaction Voting

• React to messages with emoji
• Can be used for majority voting
• Casual decision-making

2. Polling Apps (Polly, Simple Poll, etc.)

• Survey/voting functionality
• Automatic aggregation
• Choice visualization

Usage Example:

/poll "Where for lunch?" "Restaurant A" "Restaurant B" "Restaurant C"

What Slack Cannot Do (Standard Features)

Random Lottery/Drawing:

• Prize lottery
• Random determination of presentation order
• Automatic duty assignment
• Automatic team division

Six Slack Lottery Methods: Thorough Comparison

Method 1: Slack Bot (Random User Picker, etc.)

Mechanism: Install lottery bot from Slack App Store

Main Bots:

• Random User Picker: Randomly selects users from channel
• Team Picker: Team division bot
• Dice Roller: Dice bot (indirect lottery)

Usage Example:

/random @channel
→ Randomly select 1 person

/team-picker 5 teams
→ Automatically divide into 5 teams

Advantages:

• Complete within Slack
• Easy with slash commands
• Immediate results

Disadvantages:

• Low transparency (algorithm is black box)
• Question "Is it really random?"
• No support for complex lotteries (1:1 matching, etc.)
• Feature limitations in free plan

Recommendation: 3/5

Recommended for:

• Small groups (5-10 people)
• Casual lotteries
• Teams with trust relationship

Method 2: Slack Workflow Builder + Spreadsheet

Mechanism:

1. Collect participants with Slack workflow
2. Record in Google Sheets
3. Lottery with RAND() function
4. Notify results to Slack

Advantages:

• Only Slack official features
• High customizability
• Can be automated

Disadvantages:

• Complex initial setup
• Need to understand spreadsheets
• Difficult to explain transparency

Recommendation: 2/5

Recommended for:

• Engineering teams
• Emphasis on automation
• Those with technical background

Method 3: External Integration via Zapier/Make

Mechanism:

1. Slack trigger (specific message)
2. Call external lottery tool API
3. Auto-post results to Slack

Advantages:

• Advanced automation possible
• Integration with various tools
• No-code construction

Disadvantages:

• Paid plan required (from $20/month)
• Complex setup
• Need to understand APIs

Recommendation: 2/5

Recommended for:

• Large organizations
• Budget available
• Frequent lottery implementation

Method 4: Custom Slack Bot Development (In-house)

Mechanism: Develop bot with proprietary lottery logic

Tech Stack Example:

• Bolt for JavaScript/Python
• Slack API
• Hosting (AWS Lambda, etc.)

Advantages:

• Fully customizable
• Complete support for company requirements
• Can ensure transparency

Disadvantages:

• High development cost
• Maintenance required
• Technical resources needed

Recommendation: 2/5 (depends on scale)

Recommended for:

• Large IT companies
• Many unique requirements
• Abundant engineering resources

Method 5: Slack Message + URL Sharing (Amidasan)

Mechanism:

1. Create event on Amidasan
2. Post URL to Slack channel
3. Participants access individually
4. Execute lottery
5. Share results as screenshot to Slack

Actual Slack Post Example:

:tada: Deciding this month's duty!

Please participate from the URL below (Deadline: 5PM today)
https://amida-san.com/events/xxxxx

Once everyone adds horizontal bars, we'll start the lottery :muscle:

Advantages:

• No Slack App approval needed
• All participants involved in lottery process
• Mathematically guaranteed fairness
• URL allows storage for 180 days and verification
• Supports up to 299 people
• Completely free

Disadvantages:

• Not complete within Slack (external URL)
• Need to explain usage initially

Recommendation: 5/5

Recommended for:

• Prioritize transparency most
• IT companies/startups
• Medium to large groups
• When fair role assignment is needed

Method 6: "Ready, Set, Go" Number Posting in Slack

Mechanism:

1. "Think of a number from 1-10"
2. Everyone posts to channel on "Ready, set, go!"
3. Person with highest/lowest number wins

Advantages:

• No tools needed
• Can be done instantly
• Everyone participates

Disadvantages:

• Possibility of same numbers
• Difficult to prove fairness
• Not professional

Recommendation: 1/5

Recommended for:

• Very small groups (3-5 people)
• Emergency decisions needed

Comparison Table of 6 Methods

Method	Transparency	Cost	Preparation Time	Slack Complete	Large Group Support	Recommendation
Slack bot	2/5	Free~	5 min		2/5	3/5
Workflow+Sheet	2/5	Free	30 min		3/5	2/5
Zapier integration	3/5	Paid	60 min		4/5	2/5
Custom bot	4/5	High	Days		5/5	2/5
Amidasan	5/5	Free	5 min		5/5	5/5
Number posting	1/5	Free	1 min		1/5	1/5

Practical Example: Duty Decision in Slack Channel

Scene: Weekly Presentation Order in #engineering Channel

Slack Post (Monday 9AM):

@channel Good morning!

Deciding presentation order for this week's tech sharing session :books:

【Procedure】
1. Access URL below
   https://amida-san.com/events/tech-share-week47
2. Join with your name
3. Add 1 horizontal bar
4. Will start lottery after everyone completes

Deadline: Today at noon
Questions to #engineering-help!

Participant Reactions:

:raised_hand: Taro "Added!"
:+1: Hanako "Done!"
:white_check_mark: Jiro "OK!"

After Lottery Execution (12:15):

:tada: Presentation order decided!

1. Taro
2. Hanako
3. Jiro
4. Shiro
5. Goro

Results can be checked here:
https://amida-san.com/events/tech-share-week47

Thank you :rocket:

Slack Use Cases

1. Daily Duty Assignment

Morning Meeting Facilitator

/remind #team "This week's facilitator decision
https://amida-san.com/events/facilitator-w47"
at 9am every Monday

Code Review Assignment

• Automatic reviewer decision for new PRs
• Load-balanced rotation

2. Events/Gatherings

Prize Lottery

• Online drinking party lottery
• Company event prize distribution

Group Division

• Hackathon team formation
• Training group work assignment

3. Project Management

Task Assignment

• Assignment of tasks no one volunteers for
• Fair customer assignment (sales team)

Pair Programming Partner Decision

• Random pairs for knowledge sharing
• Prevent fixation

4. Casual Decisions

Choosing Lunch Restaurant

• Random selection from candidates

Tech Talk Topic Decision

• Lottery from multiple proposed topics

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is Slack App approval required?

A: If using Amidasan (URL sharing method), no Slack App approval needed. Since you just paste URLs, no IT department approval needed either.

Q2: Can mobile app users participate?

A: Yes, tapping URLs in Slack app opens in mobile browser.

Q3: Can results be auto-posted to Slack?

A: Currently manual screenshot sharing, but automation possible by combining with Slack Incoming Webhook (technical knowledge required).

Q4: Are there security concerns using external URLs?

A: No problem if you don't enter confidential information (real names, employee numbers, etc.). Recommend participation using nicknames or Slack display names.

Q5: Isn't Slack bot more convenient?

A: Bots are advantageous in ease of use, but inferior in transparency. When the reliability of "no one can manipulate results" is important, everyone-participates ladder lottery is optimal.

Slack Workflow Integration Examples (Advanced)

Slack Workflow Automation Ideas

Step 1: Regular Reminder

/remind #team "Please participate in duty decision
https://amida-san.com/events/weekly-duty"
at 9am every Monday

Step 2: Participation Confirmation with Reaction

Add :white_check_mark: when participation complete

Step 3: Start Lottery After Everyone Completes

@channel Everyone completed! Starting lottery

Step 4: Share Results

This week's duty:
1. Taro - Monday
2. Hanako - Tuesday
...

Details: https://amida-san.com/events/weekly-duty

Summary: Achieving Transparent Lottery in Slack

Slack standard features don't have lottery functionality, but easy and fair lottery is possible by utilizing external tools.

Key Points for Choosing Slack Lottery Method:

1. Transparency: Can everyone accept it?
2. Ease: Is Slack App approval needed?
3. Cost: Are there additional fees?
4. Participation: Can everyone be involved?

Especially, Amidasan:

• No Slack App approval needed (just paste URL)
• All participants involved in lottery process
• Mathematically guaranteed fairness
• Completely free, supports up to 299 people
• URL allows storage for 180 days and verification

Please utilize it in your IT company/startup Slack team.

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• What is Amidakuji? Explanation of Mechanism