Step-by-step instructions
Confirm the entrants
List one player or team per line. Verify the roster before assigning bracket positions.
Generate the opening round
Select Build bracket. The tool draws random positions and inserts byes when the field does not fill a power-of-two bracket.
Save and track the competition
Copy the bracket and record winners in your own event sheet. The later-round entries are progression placeholders, not live scores.
Worked example
Six entrants fit into an eight-place bracket, leaving two byes.
One valid result is shown below. Your generated outcome will vary.
Example input
Alex Jamie Morgan Taylor Sam Jordan
Example result
Round 1 1. Taylor — BYE (advances) 2. Alex — BYE (advances) 3. Jordan vs Sam 4. Morgan vs Jamie Round 2 1. Winner of match 1 vs winner of match 2 2. Winner of match 3 vs winner of match 4 Final 1. Winner of previous-round match 1 vs winner of previous-round match 2
Two entrants advance without an opening opponent, while the other four play two opening matches.
A bye is not an extra participant
Do not type BYE as though it were a team; the generator creates empty-slot advances automatically. Adding that word as an entrant would turn it into a real text label and distort the field. If your event awards byes to ranked seeds, this unrestricted random tool does not enforce that policy. Record the agreed bye rule before drawing.
Settings and limits to check
The example has 6 retained entries. The generator supports 2–128 entrants and creates a single-elimination layout. Bracket capacity is the next power of two, and empty places become first-round byes. Later rounds show winner placeholders. It does not seed by ranking, protect top teams, manage round-robin play, or update results automatically.
Settings used in this example
Remove duplicate entries: On
Keep a usable copy of the result
Use Copy to place the current result in your own notes, or Download to keep a text file. Keep the eligible input list with the result when you need to explain which entries took part. A new generation replaces the displayed result rather than adding to a saved history.
The tool runs in your browser and does not upload your input. Save the result before refreshing or leaving the page. If other people need to use the same outcome, share your saved copy rather than asking them to generate another independent result.
Frequently asked questions
Should I add placeholder BYE lines to the input?
No. Enter only actual entrants. The bracket generator inserts the required byes.
Is random seeding the same as ranking players?
No. Random seeding assigns positions by chance. Skill-based seeding needs a separate ranking process.
Does the bracket update when someone wins?
No. Save the output and track match results yourself. Later rounds are placeholders showing progression.
What should I check in the worked example?
Two entrants advance without an opening opponent, while the other four play two opening matches.