Flip 3 coins at once
Flip three coins together and see how they land. Three coins have eight equally likely outcomes, and the results cluster around the middle.
Flip 1 to 100 fair coins at once.
The eight outcomes of three coins
Three fair coins produce eight equally likely results, each with a one in eight chance. Counting how many of those results have zero, one, two, or three heads gives the familiar 1-3-3-1 pattern: the all-heads and all-tails results are rare, while the mixed results in the middle are three times as common.
| Heads | Ways it can happen | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 3 heads | HHH | 1 in 8 (12.5%) |
| 2 heads | HHT, HTH, THH | 3 in 8 (37.5%) |
| 1 head | HTT, THT, TTH | 3 in 8 (37.5%) |
| 0 heads | TTT | 1 in 8 (12.5%) |
Three coins make a built-in majority vote
An odd number of coins can never tie, which makes three coins a neat way to reach a random majority. Assign heads to one option and tails to the other, flip all three, and go with whichever side wins at least two of the three. Because the majority side is decided by a 4-4 split of the eight outcomes, each option still wins exactly half the time, so the shortcut stays perfectly fair.
Seeing the shape of randomness
Three coins are enough to show why streaks and clusters are normal. Three heads in a row looks special, but it turns up once every eight throws on average, about as often as rolling a specific number is rare on a die. Flip a few rounds and the 1-3-3-1 shape appears on its own: you will see far more two-and-one splits than clean sweeps. That same shape, stretched wider, is what governs a hundred coins or a thousand.
Frequently asked questions
What are the odds of flipping 3 heads in a row?
One in eight, or 12.5%. Three heads (HHH) is one of the eight equally likely outcomes of flipping three coins.
What is the most likely result with 3 coins?
Two heads or one head, each at 37.5%. Both can happen three different ways, so together they cover three quarters of all throws.
Can three coins end in a tie?
No. With an odd number of coins one side always has the majority, which is why three coins are handy for a random majority vote.
More coin flips
Want the running tally, streaks, and best-of series? Use the main coin flip tool, or browse all SpinPicker tools.