Magic 8 Ball
Think of a yes-or-no question, type it in and shake the ball. The answer floats up in the little window, picked at random from the 20 classic replies.
Tip: press Enter to ask. On a phone you can shake your device to ask.
Question history
Your questions and answers will appear here.
How to use the Magic 8 Ball
- Think of a yes-or-no question, for example “Will I get the job?”
- Type it into the question box.
- Press Shake & ask, press Enter, click the ball or shake your phone.
- Watch the ball shake and read the answer that floats up in the triangle.
- Check your history to see earlier questions and the tally of answers.
All 20 classic answers
| Positive (10) | Non-committal (5) | Negative (5) |
|---|---|---|
| It is certain. | Reply hazy, try again. | Don't count on it. |
| It is decidedly so. | Ask again later. | My reply is no. |
| Without a doubt. | Better not tell you now. | My sources say no. |
| Yes, definitely. | Cannot predict now. | Outlook not so good. |
| You may rely on it. | Concentrate and ask again. | Very doubtful. |
| As I see it, yes. | ||
| Most likely. | ||
| Outlook good. | ||
| Yes. | ||
| Signs point to yes. |
The odds behind the ball
Every answer has a 1 in 20 (5%) chance. Grouped by tone, that gives 50% positive, 25% non-committal and 25% negative. Ignoring the non-committal replies, a “yes” is twice as likely as a “no”: 10 ÷ 15 ≈ 66.7%.
| Event | Probability |
|---|---|
| A positive answer on one shake | 10 ÷ 20 = 50% |
| A specific answer, such as “Very doubtful” | 1 ÷ 20 = 5% |
| Three positive answers in a row | 0.5³ = 12.5% |
| At least one negative answer in 5 shakes | 1 − 0.75⁵ ≈ 76.3% |
| The same answer twice in a row | 1 ÷ 20 = 5% |
How the toy works
The classic toy is a hollow plastic sphere filled with dark blue liquid. Inside floats an icosahedron, a solid with 20 triangular faces, each printed with one answer. When you turn the ball over, the die drifts up against a small window and one face presses flat against it, which is why the answer always appears inside a triangle. The design grew out of a fortune-telling tube from the 1940s and became one of the best-known novelty toys of the 20th century.
Fun ways to use it
- Party game: take turns asking silly questions and read the answers out loud.
- Tie breaker: can't decide between pizza and tacos? Let the ball settle it.
- Story prompts: ask questions about a character and let the answers shape the plot.
- Classroom warm-up: a quick, light way to practice forming yes-or-no questions in English.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 20 Magic 8 Ball answers?
Positive: It is certain, It is decidedly so, Without a doubt, Yes definitely, You may rely on it, As I see it yes, Most likely, Outlook good, Yes, Signs point to yes. Non-committal: Reply hazy try again, Ask again later, Better not tell you now, Cannot predict now, Concentrate and ask again. Negative: Don't count on it, My reply is no, My sources say no, Outlook not so good, Very doubtful.
What are the odds of getting a yes?
Each of the 20 answers is equally likely, so there is a 50% chance of a positive answer, 25% for a non-committal one and 25% for a negative one on every shake.
Is the Magic 8 Ball random?
Yes. Each answer is picked with the browser's cryptographic random number generator, and earlier questions have no effect on the next answer. Your question itself does not change the result.
How does shake to ask work?
On phones and tablets with a motion sensor, a strong shake is detected through the DeviceMotion API and asks the question you typed. On iPhone and iPad, tap “Enable shake to ask” first to allow motion access. On a computer, use the button or press Enter.
Is my question history private?
Yes. Your questions and answers are stored only in your browser's local storage on this device and are never sent anywhere. Press Clear history to delete them.
Can the Magic 8 Ball predict the future?
No. It is a toy for fun and light-hearted decisions. Don't rely on it for health, money, legal or other important choices.