Roll until you win

The problem...

You've used random. You've used while. Separately, they're useful.

Together — they become something different. A loop that runs until luck decides to stop it.

You don't control how many iterations. You don't know when it ends. That's exactly the point.

The idea!

Generate a random value on every iteration. Check it against a condition. Keep going until the condition is met.

The loop runs as long as the target hasn't been hit. Random decides when that happens.

Roll until you hit 6

import random

roll = 0
attempts = 0

while roll != 6:
    roll = random.randint(1, 6)
    attempts += 1
    print(f"Rolled: {roll}")

print(f"Got 6 after {attempts} attempt(s).")

# Rolled: 3
# Rolled: 1
# Rolled: 5
# Rolled: 6
# Got 6 after 4 attempt(s).

Every run is different. Every run ends eventually. Random decides when — you just set the target.

Counting attempts

The counter outside the loop tracks how many times it took. Same pattern as always — define before, update inside, use after.

while True + random

import random

print("Searching for the lucky number...")

while True:
    number = random.randint(1, 100)
    if number == 42:
        print(f"Found it: {number}")
        break
    print(f"Not yet: {number}")

The loop runs until it randomly lands on 42. Could be 3 iterations. Could be 300. You genuinely don't know.

A real example — guessing game setup

import random

secret = random.randint(1, 10)
guess = 0
attempts = 0

while guess != secret:
    guess = int(input("Guess a number (1-10): "))
    attempts += 1
    if guess < secret:
        print("Too low.")
    elif guess > secret:
        print("Too high.")

print(f"Correct! Got it in {attempts} attempt(s).")

Random sets the secret. The user guesses. The loop runs until they're right. Neither you nor the user knows how long that takes.

Heads up!

• Generate the random value inside the loop — not before it
• The counter goes outside — define before, update inside
• while True + break works well when the exit condition is inside the logic
• Every run gives different results — test it multiple times

The mindset shift

Stop thinking: "I need to know how many times the loop runs."

Start thinking: "The loop runs until the condition is met — random decides when."

What you should understand now

• while + random creates loops with unpredictable length
• Generate the random value inside the loop — fresh each iteration
• A counter tracks attempts — define before, update inside, use after
• The guessing game pattern is one of the most common uses of while + random