Help & FAQ
Learn how to use the Dynasty Lottery system and find answers to common questions.
How the Lottery System Works
The Dynasty Lottery uses a weighted random draw system similar to the NBA Draft Lottery. Teams are assigned "lottery balls" based on their performance, with worse-performing teams receiving more balls and thus better odds of winning higher draft picks.
Step 1: Load Your League
Enter your Sleeper username or league ID to load your league. The system will automatically fetch all teams and their records from the Sleeper API.
Step 2: Configure Lottery Settings
For each team, you can:
- Include or exclude them from the lottery
- Set the number of lottery balls (more balls = better odds)
- Lock specific picks (e.g., for trades or penalties)
The system automatically calculates each team's percentage chance based on their ball count.
Step 3: Run the Lottery
Once you're satisfied with the configuration, click "Finalize Lottery" to lock the settings and proceed to the lottery page. Click "Run Final Lottery" to execute the official draw.
Step 4: Reveal Results
Each pick is hidden by default. Click on a pick to reveal which team won it. The system shows the pre-lottery odds for each pick, so you can see how likely each outcome was.
Glossary
- Lottery Balls
- The number of chances a team has in the lottery draw. More balls = better odds of winning higher picks. Similar to the NBA draft lottery system.
- Pre-Lottery Odds
- The calculated probability that a team will land a specific pick before the lottery is run. This accounts for all possible outcomes and locked picks.
- Locked Pick
- A pick that is manually assigned to a specific team, bypassing the lottery. Useful for trades, penalties, or other league-specific rules.
- Permutation Analysis
- A simulation that shows all possible draft order outcomes and their probabilities. Helps you understand the full range of possible results before running the final lottery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are lottery balls assigned?
By default, the system uses an NBA-style distribution where worse teams get more balls. You can manually adjust the number of balls for each team to match your league's specific rules.
Can I exclude playoff teams from the lottery?
Yes! Simply uncheck "Include in Lottery" for any teams you want to exclude. Excluded teams will be assigned picks in reverse order of their record after all lottery picks are drawn.
What happens if I lock multiple picks?
Locked picks are assigned first, then the remaining picks are drawn from eligible teams. The lottery only draws picks that aren't locked, ensuring fair distribution of the remaining slots.
How accurate are the probability calculations?
The pre-lottery odds use conditional probability calculations that account for all possible outcomes, locked picks, and team eligibility. The permutation analysis uses Monte Carlo simulation (10,000+ iterations) to approximate probabilities for complex scenarios.
Can I save my lottery configuration?
Yes! Your configuration is automatically saved to your browser's local storage. When you return to the "My League" page, your settings will be restored. You can also save final lottery results to view in the History page.
How do I share lottery results?
After running a lottery, click the "Share" button to generate a shareable link. Anyone with the link can view the results without needing to log in or have access to your Sleeper account.
Pro Tips
- •Use the permutation analysis to see all possible outcomes before finalizing your configuration.
- •Lock picks for trades or penalties before running the lottery to ensure fair distribution of remaining picks.
- •Save your lottery results immediately after running to preserve them in your history.
- •Use the visualization charts to quickly see each team's most likely picks at a glance.
- •Export results to CSV or JSON for record-keeping or further analysis.