diff --git a/cmd/tripbot/tripbot.go b/cmd/tripbot/tripbot.go
index fccb96d1..5cbdc7d9 100644
--- a/cmd/tripbot/tripbot.go
+++ b/cmd/tripbot/tripbot.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ var client *twitch.Client
 
 // main performs the various steps to get the bot running
 func main() {
-	createRandomSeed()
 	listenForShutdown()
 	initializeErrorLogger()
 	startHttpServer()
@@ -44,12 +42,6 @@ func main() {
 	connectToTwitch()
 }
 
-// createRandomSeed ensures that random numbers will be random
-func createRandomSeed() {
-	// create a brand new random seed
-	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
-}
-
 // listenForShutdown creates a background job that listens for a graceful shutdown request
 func listenForShutdown() {
 	helpers.WritePidFile(c.Conf.TripbotPidFile)
diff --git a/cmd/vlc-server/vlc-server.go b/cmd/vlc-server/vlc-server.go
index 86c2174e..1a73b10e 100644
--- a/cmd/vlc-server/vlc-server.go
+++ b/cmd/vlc-server/vlc-server.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"log"
-	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"syscall"
@@ -24,9 +23,6 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatal("This doesn't yet work on darwin")
 	}
 
-	// create a brand new random seed
-	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
-
 	// write the current pid to a pidfile
 	helpers.WritePidFile(c.Conf.VLCPidFile)
 
diff --git a/pkg/chatbot/chatbot.go b/pkg/chatbot/chatbot.go
index 01a1d311..814ac42c 100644
--- a/pkg/chatbot/chatbot.go
+++ b/pkg/chatbot/chatbot.go
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 package chatbot
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"math/rand"
 	"time"
 
 	mylog "github.com/adanalife/tripbot/pkg/chatbot/log"
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var Uptime time.Time
 
 // used to determine which help message to display
 // randomized so it starts with a new one every restart
-var helpIndex = rand.Intn(len(c.HelpMessages))
+var helpIndex = rand.Int(len(c.HelpMessages))
 
 const followerMsg = "Follow the stream to run unlimited commands :)"
 const subscriberMsg = "You must be a subscriber to run that command :)"
diff --git a/pkg/chatbot/commands.go b/pkg/chatbot/commands.go
index ca32c31f..e32e1f1a 100644
--- a/pkg/chatbot/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/chatbot/commands.go
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 package chatbot
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"math"
-	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ func helloCmd(user *users.User, params []string) {
 	// say a random greeting back, with random punctuation
 	greetings := []string{"Hello", "Hey", "Hi"}
 	punctuation := []string{"!", ".", ".", "."}
-	msg := greetings[rand.Intn(len(greetings))]
-	msg += punctuation[rand.Intn(len(punctuation))]
+	msg := greetings[rand.Int(len(greetings))]
+	msg += punctuation[rand.Int(len(punctuation))]
 
 	// give a little help message if the user is new
 	if user.CurrentMiles() < 2.0 {
diff --git a/pkg/onscreens-server/left-rotator.go b/pkg/onscreens-server/left-rotator.go
index 32e504cc..0b8a474c 100644
--- a/pkg/onscreens-server/left-rotator.go
+++ b/pkg/onscreens-server/left-rotator.go
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package onscreensServer
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"log"
-	"math/rand"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func leftRotatorContent() string {
 	var output string
 
 	// show a special, very rare message
-	if rand.Intn(10000) == 0 {
+	if rand.Int(10000) == 0 {
 		return "You found the rare message! Make a clip for a prize!"
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/onscreens-server/right-rotator.go b/pkg/onscreens-server/right-rotator.go
index 310b166f..5acf30bd 100644
--- a/pkg/onscreens-server/right-rotator.go
+++ b/pkg/onscreens-server/right-rotator.go
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package onscreensServer
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"log"
-	"math/rand"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
diff --git a/pkg/vlc-server/playback.go b/pkg/vlc-server/playback.go
index ff63efec..59a52c2c 100644
--- a/pkg/vlc-server/playback.go
+++ b/pkg/vlc-server/playback.go
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package vlcServer
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"errors"
-	"math/rand"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	terrors "github.com/adanalife/tripbot/pkg/errors"