What does the magic 8 ball say?
Magic 8 ball
Ask a yes or no question. Tap the ball. Read your answer.
Tap the ball to shake it
Example: Will this week be a good one?
The ball says: Very likely Yes
How the magic 8 ball works
Type a yes or no question and tap the ball to shake it. The answer floats up in the window: one of 20, of which 10 say yes, 5 say maybe and 5 say no. Every answer has the same chance. It is a game: the answer is random and predicts nothing.
The real toy is a black plastic ball that looks like the 8 ball of pool. It is full of dark blue liquid, and a die with 20 faces floats inside. Turn the ball over, and one face of the die rises against the round window. This page does the same with a random pick: your browser picks one of the 20 answers, and each one has the same chance.
On many Android phones, a shake of the phone shakes the ball too. On an iPhone, tap the ball: the iPhone asks for permission before a page can read its motion, and we skip that.
All 20 answers
The classic toy has 10 answers that say yes, 5 that say maybe and 5 that say no. This ball keeps that mix, in its own words. So about half of all shakes say yes.
| Yes (10) | Maybe (5) | No (5) |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, for sure | Too foggy. Shake again | Not a chance |
| The ball has no doubt | Ask me after a snack | The ball says no |
| Count on it | The ball is thinking. Try again | I would not bet on it |
| All signs say yes | Not telling yet | Looks like a no |
| Yes. Go for it | Hmm. Ask once more | Doubtful. Very doubtful |
| Looks like a yes | ||
| Very likely | ||
| The odds are on your side | ||
| A big yes | ||
| Yes, and sooner than you think |
Good questions to ask the magic 8 ball
The ball only answers yes, no or maybe, so ask a question that fits one of those. A few to start with:
- Will I get a good grade on my next test?
- Should I text them first?
- Is pizza the right choice tonight?
- Will my team win this weekend?
- Should I dye my hair?
- Will this be the best summer ever?
- Should I start the new series tonight?
- Is my best friend thinking about snacks right now?
Keep it light. The answer is random, so the ball is great for a laugh with friends or to break a tie on pizza night, and useless for big decisions.
Questions
How does a magic 8 ball work?
The toy is a plastic ball shaped like the 8 ball of pool, filled with dark blue liquid. Inside floats a die with 20 faces, each with an answer. When you turn the ball over, one face rises to the window at the bottom. This page picks one of its 20 answers at random in the same way.
What are the answers of the magic 8 ball?
There are 20: 10 that say yes, 5 that say maybe and 5 that say no, the same mix as the classic toy. The wording on this page is our own. All 20 are in the list below the ball.
Is the magic 8 ball more likely to say yes?
Yes. Half of the answers say yes, so about half of all shakes give a yes. A maybe comes up about 1 time in 4, and a no about 1 time in 4.
Can I shake my phone?
On many Android phones, yes: a shake of the phone shakes the ball. iPhones ask for permission to read the motion of the phone, so there you tap the ball instead.
Can I send the answer to a friend?
Yes. After a shake, press Share or Copy link. The link holds your name, if you typed one, your question and the answer, so your friend sees what you asked and what the ball said. The question is cut to 60 characters, and web addresses are taken out.
Is this the official Magic 8 Ball?
No. Magic 8 Ball is a toy made by Mattel. This page is a free online game in the same spirit, not affiliated with Mattel.
Can the magic 8 ball predict the future?
No. The answer is random. Use it to have fun with friends or to break a tie, never to decide something that matters.