How to Schedule a Draft Lottery | Plan Your Lottery Reveal Event

Learn how to schedule your lottery for a future date and time, then share it with your league for a live reveal experience.

Why Schedule a Lottery?

Running a lottery immediately is convenient, but scheduling it for later creates an event your entire league can participate in together. Benefits include:

Build anticipation: Give your league something to look forward to
Watch together: Everyone sees the results reveal at the same time
Transparency: No one can claim the lottery was manipulated
Create memories: Make draft order day an annual tradition

How Scheduled Lotteries Work

When you schedule a lottery:

The lottery configuration is locked in (teams, weights, settings)
A unique shareable link is generated
Results are pre-determined but hidden until the scheduled time
At the scheduled time, anyone with the link can watch the reveal
Results can be revealed pick-by-pick for maximum drama

Step-by-Step: Scheduling Your Lottery

Step 1: Configure Your Lottery

Load your league (Sleeper or manual entry), set lottery weights for each team, configure fall protection if desired, and lock any specific picks. Make sure everything is exactly how you want it—configuration cannot be changed after scheduling.

Step 2: Click "Schedule for Later"

Instead of running the lottery immediately, click the "Schedule for Later" button. This opens the scheduling options.

Step 3: Choose Date and Time

Select when you want the lottery results to be revealed. Consider when most league members can watch—evenings or weekends often work best. The time is based on your local timezone.

Step 4: Share the Link

After scheduling, you'll receive a unique link. Share this with your league via group chat, Sleeper message, or email. Anyone with the link can view the lottery page and watch the reveal when the time comes.

Step 5: Watch the Reveal Together

At the scheduled time, everyone opens the link. A countdown timer shows when results will be revealed. Once unlocked, reveal picks one at a time from last to first for maximum suspense!

The Countdown Experience

Before the scheduled time, visitors to your lottery link will see:

League name and season
All participating teams and their lottery odds
A live countdown timer to the reveal
Fall protection settings (if enabled)
Any locked picks that are already determined

Results remain hidden until the countdown reaches zero, ensuring everyone experiences the reveal at the same moment.

Tips for a Great Lottery Event

📅 Pick the Right Time

Schedule for when most league members are available. Sunday evenings before the draft work well.

📣 Announce Early

Share the link at least a few days ahead so everyone can plan to watch live.

🎙️ Add Commentary

Screen share on Discord/Zoom while revealing picks. Add your own commentary for extra fun.

🎬 Record It

Record the reveal for league members who couldn't make it. Great for league history!

Revealing Results: Pick by Pick

Once the scheduled time arrives, you have two options for revealing results:

🎭 Dramatic Reveal

Reveal picks one at a time, starting from the last pick and working up to #1. Maximum suspense!

⚡ Instant Reveal

Show all results at once. Quick and efficient if you don't need the drama.

After the Lottery

Once revealed, your scheduled lottery results are:

Permanently saved: Access results anytime via the same link
Exportable: Download as image, PDF, or share link
In your history: Find it in your lottery history with your username

Important Notes

Configuration is locked once scheduled—double-check everything before scheduling
Results are pre-determined at scheduling time, not at reveal time
Links don't expire—you can reference results forever
Anyone with the link can view, so only share with your league

Scheduling Your Draft Lottery: Create an Event Your League Will Love