How to Reroll Giveaway Winners

Complete guide to picking new winners when the original winner can't claim their prize

Published: October 19, 2025 • Reading time: 9 minutes

What Is a Reroll?

A reroll (short for "re-randomize") is the process of selecting a new winner from the remaining participants after the original winner is deemed ineligible or unresponsive. Think of it as a second drawing using the same entry pool, but excluding anyone who has already won.

In Giveaway-Bot, rerolling is a one-command process that automatically excludes previous winners, picks a new random winner from valid entrants, and announces the result—maintaining complete fairness and transparency throughout.

💡 Key Point: Rerolls use the same entry pool and bonus roles as the original giveaway. If someone had 10 bonus entries before, they still have 10 entries during the reroll—nothing changes except previous winners are excluded.

When Should You Reroll?

Rerolling isn't something you do casually—it should only happen when absolutely necessary. Here are the legitimate reasons:

✅ Winner Doesn't Respond

Scenario: You DM the winner, wait 24-48 hours, and get no response. They may have left the server, have DMs closed, or simply aren't active anymore.

Action: After a reasonable waiting period (24-72 hours, announce this in your rules), reroll to give another member a chance.

✅ Winner Is Ineligible

Scenario: Winner is a bot account, alternate account (violates rules), underage for prize (e.g., 18+ game), or violated giveaway requirements you set.

Action: Verify their status, document the reason, and reroll immediately. Transparency is key—announce why in your giveaway channel.

✅ Winner Left the Server

Scenario: Between giveaway end and winner announcement, the selected user left your Discord server. They can't receive the prize or be contacted.

Action: Reroll immediately. Most server rules state winners must remain in the server to claim prizes.

✅ Winner Can't Accept Prize (Geographic/Technical)

Scenario: Prize is region-locked (e.g., US gift card to EU winner), winner already owns the item, or technical restrictions prevent delivery.

Action: Offer an alternative if possible. If winner declines, reroll with community awareness and their permission.

When NOT to Reroll

❌ You Don't Like Who Won

Personal bias is never a valid reason. If someone entered fairly and won randomly, they deserve the prize even if you're not their biggest fan. Rerolling destroys trust.

❌ Community Requests "Better" Winner

If your community begs you to reroll because they wanted someone else to win, hold firm. Random is random. Giving in sets a dangerous precedent.

❌ Winner Already Won Recently

Unless you explicitly stated "one win per month" in your rules before the giveaway started, winning multiple times is fair. Add the rule for future giveaways, don't retroactively apply it.

How to Use the Reroll Command

Giveaway-Bot makes rerolling simple with a single slash command. Here's the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Get the Giveaway Message ID

You need the unique message ID of the giveaway post to reroll:

  1. 1. Enable Developer Mode in Discord: Settings → Advanced → Developer Mode (toggle ON)
  2. 2. Go to the channel with your giveaway message
  3. 3. Right-click (or long-press on mobile) the giveaway embed
  4. 4. Click "Copy Message ID" at the bottom of the menu
  5. 5. You'll have a long number like 1234567890123456789

💡 Tip: If you can't find "Copy Message ID", make sure Developer Mode is enabled. It's hidden by default for non-developers.

Step 2: Execute the Reroll Command

Type the reroll command with the message ID: 

/reroll message_id:1234567890123456789

Replace 1234567890123456789 with your actual message ID. Press Enter to execute.

Step 3: Bot Selects New Winner

Within seconds, Giveaway-Bot will:

Example Output:

🎉 New Winner Selected!

Congratulations @NewWinner!

Prize: Discord Nitro • React to the original message to enter future rerolls

Multiple Rerolls: When You Need to Try Again

Sometimes the second winner also doesn't respond, or you have multiple prizes to distribute. You can reroll as many times as needed until all prizes are claimed.

How Multiple Rerolls Work

Each reroll excludes ALL previous winners:

Example Scenario:

  • • Original winner: User A (no response after 48 hours)
  • • First reroll: User B (left server before DM)
  • • Second reroll: User C (bot excludes A and B, picks from remaining pool)
  • • User C responds and claims prize ✅

There's no limit to rerolls, but after 3-4, consider if your giveaway had systemic issues (low engagement, unclear rules, inactive community).

💡 Best Practice: After 2-3 failed rerolls, publicly ask if anyone in the entry pool is still interested. Sometimes announcing "last call before we cancel" prompts inactive winners to respond.

Rerolling via Dashboard

If you prefer a visual interface over commands, use the dashboard's reroll feature:

  1. 1. Login to Dashboard: Visit giveaway-bot.de/dashboard and select your server
  2. 2. Navigate to Giveaway History: Click the "History" tab in the sidebar
  3. 3. Find the Giveaway: Locate the ended giveaway you want to reroll (searchable by prize name or date)
  4. 4. Click "Reroll Winner": Button appears on giveaway cards with a refresh icon (🔄)
  5. 5. Confirm Action: Modal appears asking "Are you sure?" → Click "Yes, Reroll"
  6. 6. New Winner Announced: Dashboard shows the new winner immediately, and the bot posts in your Discord channel

Dashboard Advantage: You can see the full list of entrants and previous winners before rerolling, helping you make informed decisions.

Communicating Rerolls to Your Community

Transparency is critical when rerolling. Members need to understand why it happened to maintain trust in your giveaways.

Announcement Template

Good Reroll Announcement:

📢 Giveaway Update

The original winner (@OriginalWinner) did not respond to our DMs within 48 hours. Per our giveaway rules, we're rerolling to select a new winner.

New Winner: Congratulations @NewWinner! 🎉

Please check your DMs to claim your prize within 48 hours.

What to Include

❌ Don't: Shame or call out the original winner publicly. A simple "no response" is enough—don't speculate or drag their name.

Bad: "User X is a fake account and tried to cheat!" → Good: "Winner was ineligible per our rules, rerolling now."

Setting Clear Reroll Rules

Prevent confusion by establishing and communicating reroll policies before running giveaways. Add these to your server's giveaway rules channel:

Example Reroll Policy

  • • Winners must respond to DM within 48 hours or prize will be rerolled
  • • Winners must remain in the server to claim prizes
  • • Alt accounts, bots, and cheaters will be disqualified and rerolled
  • • If a prize is region-locked and winner can't claim, we will reroll once
  • • Rerolls will be announced publicly with reason given
  • • Previous winners are excluded from rerolls of the same giveaway
  • • Server owners have final say on winner eligibility

Pin this policy in your #giveaway-rules channel and reference it in every giveaway description. When members know what to expect, disputes disappear.

Common Reroll Mistakes

❌ Rerolling Too Quickly

Mistake: Rerolling 10 minutes after winner announcement because they haven't responded yet.

Fix: Wait at least 24 hours (48 is standard). Winners have lives and may not see DMs immediately. Patience prevents unfair rerolls.

❌ Not Documenting Reasons

Mistake: Silently rerolling without explaining why to your community.

Fix: Always post a brief explanation: "Original winner did not respond" or "Winner left server." Transparency = trust.

❌ Rerolling to Change Outcome

Mistake: Pretending winner didn't respond when really you just wanted someone else to win.

Fix: Never manipulate results. If caught, your community's trust evaporates permanently. Random must stay random.

❌ Endless Rerolls Without Addressing Root Cause

Mistake: Rerolling 5-6 times without questioning why so many winners are non-responsive.

Fix: After 3 failed rerolls, investigate: Is your server inactive? Prize undesirable? Rules unclear? Fix the core issue.

Alternatives to Rerolling

Sometimes rerolling isn't the best solution. Consider these alternatives:

Option 1: Extend Response Deadline

If winner seems legitimate but hasn't responded yet, publicly give them extra time: "Winner has 24 more hours to claim before reroll."

Option 2: Offer Alternative Prize

If winner can't accept original prize (region lock), ask if they want an equivalent value alternative: "$25 Steam card instead of Nitro?"

Option 3: Split Prize

For high-value prizes with no response after multiple rerolls, split it: "We'll reroll for 2 winners at half value each" (community usually loves this).

Conclusion

Rerolling is a necessary part of managing fair giveaways, but it should always be done with transparency, clear policies, and good faith. The /reroll command makes the technical process instant, but the human side—communicating reasons, respecting rules, and maintaining trust—is what keeps your community engaged.

Set clear expectations upfront (response deadlines, eligibility requirements), document every reroll decision, and never manipulate outcomes. When your community sees consistent, fair treatment of rerolls, they'll trust that every giveaway winner is legitimate.

Remember: rerolls exist to protect fairness, not to give you second chances to pick your preferred winner. Use the power responsibly, and your giveaway reputation will remain spotless.