Let’s say you are participating in an online ticket lottery, a sneaker drop, a fantasy sports draft, a dice game - or even an Algoland prize drawing! How do you know the process is truly fair, that the winner isn’t chosen behind closed doors in a less-than-random fashion?
Algorand tackles this trust gap head-on with its Verifiable Random Function (VRF), a cryptographic way to generate provably fair randomness, baked directly into the blockchain. The grand finale of Algoland gave us the perfect time to show you how it works. On Tuesday, January 13, at 11:00 AM EST / 17:00 CET, we hosted a live stream featuring the biggest VRF draw in history, over 79,000 wallets participating in a truly epic conclusion, powered by Algorand’s VRF.
With VRF on Algorand, you get a random value (in this case, winner) plus a proof that anyone can verify, but nobody can predict or bias ahead of time.
Algorand wires this into both Pure Proof of Stake (PPoS) consensus and an on-chain randomness beacon, so builders can tap native, verifiable randomness directly from smart contracts.
Web2 use cases of VRF for fair and transparent draws
VRF is relevant to many current situations, such as online lotteries, sports drafts, or ticket waitlists. In almost any situation where people worry, “Was that drawing really random?”, your answer can be “Yes!” - and you can show the proof transparently on the Algorand blockchain.
The bottom line is that when a Web2 app says “picked at random” (raffles, prize wheels, early access lists), it can be rebuilt on Algorand with verifiable draws instead of black-box servers.
How Algorand’s VRF is superior
Algorand has VRF baked into the core protocol and exposes it through a chain-level randomness beacon, so dApps get cheap, native random numbers instead of paying for an external oracle every time.
Many chains either rely on weak workarounds or expensive third-party services. Algorand VRF randomness and results are truly unpredictable, and no one can tamper with the outcome. Other approaches, such as block hashes, may open the door to result manipulation. For example, changing the block content would change the hash and, consequently, the result of the randomness, favoring specific users.
Algorand pairs efficient VRF with low-cost, on-chain computation, making large-scale, provably fair randomness practical.
Algorand offers the verification of the VRF cryptographic primitive, also as an Algorand Machine Opcode, enabling programmatic usage and on-chain randomness as well as fully trustless random dApps.
Learn more about Alogrand’s VRF with our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below.
VRF FAQs
- What is VRF?
A Verifiable Random Function (VRF) turns a secret key + input into a random-looking number plus a proof that it was generated without tampering.
What does this mean? Anyone can check the proof with the public key, but nobody can guess or bias the number in advance, which is exactly what you want for on-chain random functions. - How does Algorand use VRF?
Algorand uses VRF inside its Pure Proof-of-Stake consensus to run a ‘lottery’ every block: accounts self-check if they’re selected to propose or vote, then reveal a VRF proof so the network can verify it.
What does this mean? The same VRF algorithm is also called by Algorand’s “randomness beacon”, which writes verifiable pseudorandom values on-chain for any dApp to consume. - What makes Algorand’s randomness special?
Algorand’s randomness is credible because it is both fair and provable, not just “trust us, it’s random.” That makes it easy for normal users to see that lotteries, games, and airdrops on Algorand were fairly executed.
When you join a lottery, mint, or game built on Algorand, you do not have to trust a hidden server; the randomness comes from the blockchain itself, via VRF. - Does VRF matter for builders?
VRF is important for builders because it helps them build trust with their users by removing any question around the integrity of picks or draws. Teams can focus on product and game design instead of running their own random servers or defending against “this was rigged” accusations.
VRF makes launches safer and more credible; builders can execute lotteries, mints, and rewards transparently and fairly from day one, leading to a valuable trust boost for Web3 founders and stakeholders. - How can dApps use VRF randomness?
dApps on Algorand can just let the blockchain execute the random function and use that result. They don’t need to run their own hidden random server because Algorand already enables a built‑in, fair random pick.
Learn more
Watch the livestream playback of the biggest VRF draw in Algorand history on X or YouTube.
Learn more about VRF on Algorand with these posts on our DevPortal: