Random Combination Generator
Draw groups of a fixed size from a list, without repeating a group.
A combination is a group where order does not matter: A-B is the same pair as B-A. That makes this different from drawing two winners in sequence, and it matters when you are forming pairs or teams.
Set the group size and how many groups you want. With no-repeats on, the tool avoids producing the same group twice, which is the usual requirement for pairings and match-ups.
How to use it
- Paste the items to combine.
- Set the group size (2 for pairs, 3 for triples).
- Set how many groups you need and generate.
Combinations, permutations and the difference
With five items and a group size of two there are ten distinct pairs. If order mattered — first place and second place — there would be twenty. Choosing the wrong one is the classic off-by-a-factor-of-two in pairing problems.
With repetition allowed and the same group avoidable, a random draw can produce duplicates; that is why no-repeats exists here. It does not guarantee a uniform sample over all possible groups unless the count is small relative to the number of combinations.
Reviewed 2026-10-21. This tool runs entirely in your browser — no server, no account, and nothing you generate is stored.
Frequently asked questions
Can I generate unique pairs from a list?
Yes — set group size to 2 and turn no-repeats on. For a full round-robin you need every pair exactly once, which is a different algorithm; this page samples rather than enumerating.
Does order inside a group matter?
No. A-B and B-A are treated as the same group, which is what 'combination' means.
How many combinations are possible?
For n items and groups of k, it is n! / (k!(n-k)!). With 10 items and pairs that is 45, so drawing more than 45 unique pairs is impossible and the tool will stop early.
Related tools
More from Random numbers.