🎱 Magic 8-Ball
Ask a yes/no question, then shake the ball for one of the 20 classic answers.
The 20 answers are not an even split
This uses the standard answer set moulded onto the die inside a real Magic 8-Ball, and that set is deliberately lopsided. Each answer is drawn with equal probability, but they are not equally distributed by sentiment:
| Type | Answers | Chance per shake |
|---|---|---|
| Positive ("Yes, definitely") | 10 | 50% |
| Non-committal ("Ask again later") | 5 | 25% |
| Negative ("Very doubtful") | 5 | 25% |
So the ball tells you yes twice as often as no, and one shake in four refuses to answer at all. Shake until you get a real verdict and it takes 1.33 shakes on average; keep going and you would need about 72 shakes to see all 20 answers at least once.
What the question box does
It is printed above the answer so you can screenshot the pair, and that is the whole of it. The text is never read, never analysed, and has no effect on which answer comes back - the draw ignores it completely. An answer is already showing when the page loads, before you have asked anything.
Frequently asked questions
How many answers does a Magic 8-Ball have?
20. In the physical toy they are printed on the faces of an icosahedron floating in dark blue alcohol, which is why one face at a time surfaces against the window.
Is a Magic 8-Ball 50/50 yes or no?
No. Ten of the twenty answers are positive and only five are negative, so a yes is twice as likely as a no. The remaining five tell you to ask again.
Why does it keep saying "ask again later"?
Chance - those five dodges are 25% of the set, so two in a row happens 6.25% of the time. Nothing about your question triggers them.