Generate random integers with probabilities

Here's a useful trick :-)

function randomWithProbability() {
  var notRandomNumbers = [1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4];
  var idx = Math.floor(Math.random() * notRandomNumbers.length);
  return notRandomNumbers[idx];
}

A simple naive approach can be:

function getRandom(){
  var num=Math.random();
  if(num < 0.3) return 1;  //probability 0.3
  else if(num < 0.6) return 2; // probability 0.3
  else if(num < 0.9) return 3; //probability 0.3
  else return 4;  //probability 0.1
}

More flexible solution based on @bhups answer. This uses the array of probability values (weights). The sum of 'weights' elements should equal 1.

var weights = [0.3, 0.3, 0.3, 0.1]; // probabilities
var results = [1, 2, 3, 4]; // values to return

function getRandom () {
    var num = Math.random(),
        s = 0,
        lastIndex = weights.length - 1;

    for (var i = 0; i < lastIndex; ++i) {
        s += weights[i];
        if (num < s) {
            return results[i];
        }
    }

    return results[lastIndex];
};