How can I implement weighted random selection in MySQL with a 'Multiplier' column and avoid division by zero errors?

MySQL: Weighted Random Selection with Multiplier

A user encountered a scenario where selecting a random entry from a MySQL table needed to be weighted based on a "Multiplier" column. While the typical approach involves utilizing SELECT and RAND(), the question arose on how to achieve the weighting aspect.

To address this, a previous solution proposed ordering by the value of -LOG(1.0 - RAND()) divided by the Multiplier. This approach successfully produced accurate weightings. However, a potential drawback emerged: setting the Multiplier to 0 to disable an option would result in dividing by zero.

As an alternative, filtering out entries with a Multiplier of 0 by employing a WHERE Multiplier > 0 condition could be considered. This ensures that disabled entries are not included in the random selection process.

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