To cast lots or draw lots is to make a random selection. A process for drawing lots is described at .
Casting lots or drawing lots may refer to:
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Cleromancy
Cleromancy is a form of sortition (casting of lots) in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered random, such as the rolling of dice, but that are sometimes believed to reveal the will of a deity.
In classical c ...
, a form of divination
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Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree o ...
, a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers for a prize
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Sortition
In governance, sortition (also known as selection by lottery, selection by lot, allotment, demarchy, stochocracy, aleatoric democracy, democratic lottery, and lottocracy) is the selection of political officials as a random sample from a larger ...
, the practice of randomly selecting political officials from a larger pool of candidates
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Drawing lots (cards)
In card games, to cut the cards (also "cut the deck" or "cut the pack") is to split the deck into two packets by lifting one packet from the top and placing it face down beside the remainder; before placing the lower packet on top of it. This is ...
, the practice, in card games, of cutting or drawing a random card to determine seating, partners, or first dealer.
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Drawing straws Drawing straws is a selection method, or a form of sortition, that is used by a group to choose one member of the group to perform a task after none has volunteered for it. The same practice can be used also to choose one of several volunteers, sho ...
, using cut straws to select a random outcome
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