How this works in your browser
An answer is drawn uniformly at random from the traditional set of twenty responses using the browser’s secure random source, with nothing in the selection influenced by the question you typed. Preserving the original response set rather than inventing new ones matters to the experience: the balance of ten affirmative, five non-committal and five negative replies is what gives the toy its recognisable optimistic character, and the non-committal answers are the ones that keep people asking. Everything runs in the page, so questions are never transmitted and no history is kept between sessions.
Who uses Magic 8-Ball
Lighthearted tie-breaking
Let chance weigh in on a trivial choice for the fun of it.
Party and group entertainment
Pass a question around as a shared joke.
A momentary distraction
Take a short break with something deliberately unserious.
Provoking a gut reaction
Notice how you feel about the answer to learn what you were hoping for.
Frequently asked questions
How many possible answers are there?
The traditional set of 20 Magic 8-Ball responses.
Is the question required?
No, the question field is just for your own reference.
Is this meant to be taken seriously?
No, it is purely for entertainment.
What are the twenty answers?
The traditional set splits ten affirmative, five non-committal and five negative. That skew toward yes is original to the toy and is a large part of why people enjoy it: the ball is optimistic, and a non-committal reply invites you to ask again rather than closing the conversation.
Why does the answer sometimes feel right?
Because you supply the meaning. Reading a vague statement as personally relevant is a well-documented effect, and the non-committal answers in particular are broad enough to fit almost any situation. The interesting information is your reaction to the answer, not the answer itself.
Is the question field used at all?
No. It exists purely so you can see what you asked alongside the reply. The answer is drawn at random regardless of what you type, and nothing about the question influences it.
Is my question sent anywhere?
No. It stays in the page, is never transmitted, and disappears when you close the tab.