Wheel of Fortune
Format	Game show
Created by	Merv Griffin
Starring	Pat Sajak, host (1983-present) Vanna White, hostess (1983-present) Charlie O'Donnell, announcer (1989-present) Jack Clark (television), announcer (1983-1988) M. G. Kelly, announcer (1988-1989)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	over 4700
Production
Running time	22 minutes without commercials, 30 minutes with commercials
Broadcast
Original channel	Syndicated
Picture format	NTSC (480i), 720p & 1080i (HDTV)
Original run	September 19, 1983 –
External links
Official website

Wheel of Fortune is an United States television game show devised by Merv Griffin, who also created Jeopardy!. Three contestants compete against each other to solve a word puzzle similar to those seen in the game Hangman (game). The name of the show comes from the large wheel that determines the dollar amounts and prizes won (or lost) by the contestants.

The show debuted as a daytime program on NBC on January 6, 1975; the daytime version left the air in 1991. The nighttime version, syndicated by CBS Television Distribution (previously King World) and produced by Sony Pictures Television, began on September 19, 1983. This version's 25th season began on September 10, 2007.

Since 1984, Wheel of Fortune has had the highest Nielsen Rating of any syndicated program. It is the longest-running syndicated game show in American television history, and the second-longest in either network or syndication (behind the current CBS version of The Price Is Right, which began airing on September 4, 1972). Wheel of Fortune has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season. In 2006, the show began broadcasting in High Definition.

Personnel

Pat Sajak and Vanna White have hosted the syndicated show since its beginning in 1983. Sajak also appeared on the daytime show from 1981 to 1989, as did White from 1982 to 1991. Charlie O'Donnell has been the show's announcer since early 1989. Jack Clark (television) was announcer until his death in 1988. Jeopardy! announcer Johnny Gilbert has substituted for both O'Donnell and Clark, and participated in an episode guest-hosted by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek on April Fool's Day, 1997, when Trebek and Sajak switched jobs. Los Angeles radio personality M.G. Kelly was a substitute announcer between Clark's death and O'Donnell's return, except for two weeks taped in New York City in 1989, when Don Pardo served as announcer.

Gameplay

Before taping begins, the players draw numbered balls out of a container to determine their positions on the contestant podium. The player drawing 1 stands at the host's immediate left, behind a red arrow; number 2 to that player's left, behind a yellow arrow; and number 3 on player 2's left, behind a blue arrow. Each player stands on a platform which may be raised to adjust the height of the player. The white arrow in front of each player determines the value of that player's spins of the wheel. Play proceeds from right to left from the contestants' perspective: from red to yellow to blue, then back to red. Prior to the introduction of the Toss-Up puzzles in 2000 (see below), the red player played first in Round 1, yellow in Round 2, and blue in Round 3. If time permitted, the order repeated itself beginning with the red player in Round 4.

Starting a round

On a turn, a player can choose to spin the wheel, buy a vowel, or attempt to solve the puzzle. The wheel has 24 wedges; each is three peg gaps wide (except the one-gap $10,000 prize space surrounded by two one-gap Bankrupt spaces in Round 1 and a sponsored six-gap $2500 space introduced to celebrate the 25th anniversary season), for a total of 72 possible positions. When a normal round begins, the spaces in a puzzle are shown as blank white spaces on the board. The category for the round is given, and any punctuation marks are revealed (except commas, which are omitted from the puzzle). Apostrophes and hyphens are the most common marks; ampersands and periods (for initials) sometimes occur.

Categories

Main article: Wheel of Fortune (List of puzzle categories)

Spinning the wheel

A player spins the wheel, and the result is determined by which space is in front of that player's white arrow (pointer) when the wheel stops. The wheel may stop on a cash value, a prize (including a Free Spin or Wild card for use later in the game), or penalty spaces marked LOSE A TURN or BANKRUPT. There are also some special spaces which only appear in one round (e.g., Jackpot in Round 2). If the result is anything but a penalty space, the player asks for a consonant (including Y). If the requested letter is in the puzzle, all its instances light up and the hostess touches the screens (turned the trilons until 1997) to reveal them.

Because the Wheel weighs approximately two tons, risers are placed behind the podiums for short contestants to give them enough leverage to get a decent spin of the wheel. However, only contestants with a considerable amount of upper-body strength will get more than one revolution with a single spin. This is in contrast to earlier years on the show, when the wheel would routinely spin several revolutions.

Cash spaces

If a player lands on a dollar value and calls a consonant that is in the puzzle, that player receives the cash value of the space for each instance of that letter in the puzzle. (For example, if the player lands on $700 and calls "D", and there are 4 D's, $2800 is earned). Since 1999, the minimum cash value on the wheel has been $300 (originally $100 from 1983-1986, $150 from 1986-1996, and $250 from 1996-1999). Since 2000, top dollar values that may be multiplied and spent have been $2500 in the first round (originally $750, then $1000 from late 1983 through early 2000), $3500 in the second round (originally $1000, then $2500 from 1987-2000), $3500 in the third round (originally $5000 because there were only three rounds per game during the "shopping era" that ended in 1987), and $5000 in the fourth and any subsequent rounds (for a brief period in late 1987, this value did not appear until Round 5 in fast-paced games, but it has always appeared for the final segment of the maingame). The $10,000 space and Mystery prize (even when it is cash) are prize wedges, and therefore do not multiply; the Big Money space, while spendable, does not multiply.

Prize spaces

A special prize wedge on the wheel may be claimed if a player landing on it requests a consonant that is in the puzzle. That contestant must then solve the puzzle that same round, without hitting Bankrupt, to win the prize. Until 1990, when a contestant landed on a prize, it was immediately picked up and claimed, and then the player would pick a consonant for the dollar value under it (which was usually $150).

Until 1997, prizes were represented by distinctly colored yellow-green wedges with the name of the prize in black letters. The wedges now contain descriptive artwork. These prizes, now placed over the lavender $350 space, are usually trips valued from $5000 to $10,000. In 2000, the show also introduced $1000 gift tags from a sponsor, represented on the wheel by small oval tokens; although multiple tags per game were used for a time, currently a single gift tag is placed over the pink $300 space (see below). When a prize wedge or gift tag is picked up from the wheel, it reveals the cash value of the space it was covering, and the space becomes that normal cash value for the rest of the show. When gift tags are claimed, they are placed on the railing immediately in front of the contestant; full-sized prize wedges are placed horizontally across the red, yellow or blue triangle in front of the player's podium. Prizes and gift tags remain on the wheel through Round 3 if unclaimed, and are not multiplied if the letter called appears more than once.

Free Spin

If the pointer lands on the Free Spin token, a contestant can win it by calling a correct letter (in the same manner as a prize) and may retain it throughout the game. The token is not lost (unlike other prizes) if the player does not win the round. If that player later lands on Bankrupt or Lose a Turn, guesses an incorrect letter, or solves the puzzle incorrectly, the Free Spin can be redeemed to claim an extra turn at any point in the game until the Speed-Up Round; this does not however, recover money or prizes lost to Bankrupt.

Until 1989, FREE SPIN was marked on a full tan wedge that remained on the wheel throughout Round 1 (and later, also Round 2). The tokens were stored in a stack at the host's podium, and were awarded automatically every time a player landed on the wedge, so that players could accumulate multiple free spins without successfully guessing letters in the puzzle. When the show moved production to CBS Television City in 1989, shiny green tokens with the two yellow italic words "Free" above and below the white uppercase word "SPIN" were adopted, and only one Free Spin token, placed over top of the hundreds digit of a dollar amount, could be claimed during the game.

Since late 1990 (the start of Season 8), a contestant has been required to call a consonant that appears in the puzzle in order to claim the Free Spin token. Before 2007, the token was removed from the wheel after Round 2 if no one had claimed it by then. Now, during the first three rounds (if it has not already been picked up), the Free Spin token covers a dollar sign instead of a dollar amount. The contestant landing on it and calling a correct consonant now earns the token plus the multipliable cash value beneath it (currently the green $300 space).

Penalty spaces

• LOSE A TURN: If a player lands on Lose a Turn, the player's turn ends.
• BANKRUPT: If a player lands on Bankrupt, the player's turn ends and any cash and prizes accumulated thus far in the round are lost. Any cash or prize winnings from previous rounds are unaffected.

A player with a Free Spin may redeem it to continue playing after landing on a penalty space.

Speed-up round (final spin)

When time is running short in the game, a bell rings four times, signaling the start of the speed-up round. Usually, this occurs in the beginning or middle of Round 4, but faster-paced games may include five or even six rounds. Prior to the introduction of the Toss-Up puzzles, the speed-up round was sometimes omitted, or Sajak would announce that the speed-up round was to be played at the beginning of Round 4. Sajak gives the wheel a "Final Spin" and the remainder of the game is played using the value of this spin, plus $1000, for all remaining consonants. At the start of Round 4, the wheel is intentionally pre-positioned to increase the odds of Sajak hitting the top dollar space should the speed-up round begin before the first spin. The Final Spin may be worth as much as $6000 per consonant.

The extra $1000 was added to the value of the Final Spin beginning in 1999. This rule change makes it less likely that the round will be anti-climactic, as was often the case when one player had a large lead and Sajak spun a small dollar amount which made it impossible for the others to catch up. Before 1996, there was also a $1500 space on the wheel during this round, which had lessened the possibility of a runaway game.

Beginning with the player whose turn it was when the bell rang, each contestant calls one letter; a consonant which appears in the puzzle is worth the above value, while vowels may be called, at no cost but also no cash value. If the letter appears in the puzzle, the player has three seconds (five seconds until 1998) to solve it. The timer does not begin until the hostess completely moves over to one side of the board. The player is allowed to try several solutions on the same turn within the allotted time. If the player does not solve, control passes to the next player.

If the final spin lands on a non-dollar space (such as Bankrupt or Lose a Turn), it does not count and the host spins again. (In the early seasons, these spins were shown and the "slide" sound effect would play, but they are now edited out of the broadcast.) The record for the most money won in the speed-up round is $54,000 (nine consonants at $6000 apiece), which has occurred three times.

Buying a vowel

A player who has at least $250 in cash may opt to buy a vowel for that amount; $250 is deducted from the player's score as a flat rate, not multiplied by the number of instances that the vowel appears. The amount is even deducted if the vowel called does not appear in the puzzle.

Solving the puzzle

At the beginning of any turn, a player can attempt to read the solution to the incomplete puzzle. If the guess is incorrect, the player's turn ends, and the player may use a Free Spin if available. Only the player who correctly solves the puzzle keeps the earnings from the round.

The puzzle must be read exactly as it appears; no words may be added or omitted. Although alternate dialectal pronunciations are generally accepted (such as "expresso" instead of "espresso"), the pronunciation must also be valid.

If the player solves correctly, and his or her total is less than $1,000 (combined cash and the stated cash value of prizes), the player's score is augmented to a "house minimum", currently $1000. The house minimum for solving a puzzle has increased over time: from $200 (1983-1995), to $500 (1995-2005), and $1000 since 2005. During special weeks featuring two-player teams, the house minimum is $2000, with any scores below that amount being augmented accordingly.

During the earliest years of the series, a round would sometimes be interrupted by a commercial break. The host would instruct the contestants to face away from the board; this ensured that no one could gain an unfair advantage by studying the board during the break. Today, the show does not break except between rounds, but contestants are still required (off-camera) to face away from the board during those breaks while new puzzles are set up and round-specific spaces (such as Jackpot or Mystery wedges) are added or removed.

Shopping

Originally, a contestant who won a round would spend the money shopping for prizes displayed in the studio, generally including cars, furniture, trips, furs, and jewelry. A particular prize could only be bought once per episode. This format was changed to play-for-cash in 1987.

Each round corresponded to a prize showcase with a certain theme (e.g. the "Backyard Patio"). The contestant who solved the puzzle had the opportunity to shop for prizes in that round's showcase. The showcase changed after each of the first two rounds. The showcase prizes were placed on a turntable which was partitioned into three spaces, revolving to show only the prizes available at that particular time in the game. The largest prizes, such as cars, were not limited to a specific showcase, but were available throughout the show.

A player who did not have enough money left to buy the least expensive remaining prize was offered a gift certificate in the remaining amount for merchandise from a particular retailer. A less popular option, which was available at any time while shopping, was to place the money "On Account." With this option, the contestant risked those winnings during subsequent rounds. The player had to avoid Bankrupt spaces and win another round in order to keep the money and use it for shopping. This option was intended to allow the contestant to accumulate winnings to eventually purchase a larger, more desirable prize, such as a car; however, it was not often used. A large prize could also be played for in the bonus round, lessening the incentive to put money "On Account" during the game, though the option was offered until shopping ended in 1987.

Contestants kept any prizes purchased during the shopping portion of the show, regardless of the game's outcome or if they landed on Bankrupt spaces in future rounds. Sajak always reminded contestants (and viewers at home): "Try not to hit Bankrupt, because if you do, you lose your cash, but not your merchandise, because once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep."

Playing for cash

In 1987, the producers of "Wheel" experimented with an all-cash format, and quickly decided to make it permanent. Removing the shopping segments after each round sped up gameplay considerably, making it common to see four and possible to see up to seven puzzles on a given night instead of the three seen during the shopping format. During the cash format, the person who solves the puzzle wins whatever amount he or she has in cash, in addition to prizes earned during a round. The total value of prizes won is added to the contestant's cash score to determine a daily winner. (The daytime version also adopted this format from 1989 to 1991, though with substantially lower cash amounts.)

As with the Shopping era, once a player solves a puzzle, any winnings are theirs to keep, regardless of whether they land on a Bankrupt wedge in a subsequent round, or whether or not they win the game and advance to the bonus round. Players who do not solve any puzzles are given $1000 (parting gifts until 2002, $500 from 2002-2005) at the end of the game as a "house minimum" consolation prize.

Format changes

Toss-up puzzles

The game currently begins with a Toss-Up puzzle worth $1000. Players are given the category of the puzzle and blank spaces representing its letters. White activates the board and letters are randomly revealed until a player buzzes in and solves the puzzle. An incorrect guess in a Toss-Up disqualifies that player for the rest of the puzzle.

The first Toss-Up determines which contestant is introduced first, then a second (worth $2000) is played after all three players have been introduced. The player who correctly solves this Toss-Up begins the first round. The right to start the second and third rounds proceeds in the same order as gameplay. Another Toss-Up, worth $3000, is held for the right to start the fourth round, and the process repeats itself in additional rounds as time permits. When these puzzles were introduced in 2000, there were only two (before Rounds 1 and 4) each worth $1000; the current format was adopted in 2001.

In any Toss-Up, if all of the spaces are filled in or all of the players are incorrect, no cash is won. If one of the first two Toss-Ups is not won, the red player is introduced first or begins the first round. If the third Toss-Up is not won, the person who started the first round starts Round 4.

Sajak explained during one episode that these puzzles are intended to make the game more fair: previously, in a typical four-round game, the red player was the only one to start two rounds. Now, the third toss-up allows a new competition (after each player has already begun a round) to determine who will start round 4, eliminating that advantage. The added time for the Toss-Ups made Round 4 more frequently a complete speed-up round, but the show's pacing has since changed to allow for more main-game play.

Round-specific spaces

Since 2002, at least one special wedge has been present on the wheel exclusively for each of the first three rounds.

Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt Round

Round 1 features a wedge with a $10,000 section (gold) in the middle peg gap and Bankrupt sections (black) in the outer two (each of which function like a full-size Bankrupt). Landing on the $10,000 section allows the player to guess a letter. If the letter is in the puzzle, the player picks up the wedge, turns it over and reveals a full-size gold sequin $10,000 space on the reverse. The cash is treated as a prize and is not multiplied by the number of occurrences of the consonant, nor can it be spent to buy vowels. If the player solves the puzzle without hitting Bankrupt, $10,000 is added to the player's score at the end of the round. This space was introduced for Round 3 in early 1995, moved to Round 2 in 1997, switched back to Round 3 in 2000 and then moved to Round 1 in 2002. Currently, the Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt wedge is placed over the orange $800 space.

This round, for various special weeks (the first was College Road Trip Week) during Season 25, also features a double-sized (six peg) $2500 wedge to celebrate the show's milestone anniversary. Financially supported by one of the show's sponsors, the extra half of this top dollar value wedge covers the lavender $600 space.

Jackpot Round

Round 2 features a silver (red from 1996-2005) sequined space, marked with the word JACKPOT, that represents a progressive jackpot beginning at $5000 and increasing by the value of each cash space hit during the round. If a player lands on the Jackpot space and calls a consonant which appears in the puzzle, he/she has the opportunity to win the jackpot from the round's sponsor for the night by solving the puzzle immediately (without buying a vowel or spinning again). As usual, if the player tries to solve and is wrong, his/her turn ends. The Jackpot Round debuted for Round 2 in 1996, was moved to Round 3 in 1997 and then back to Round 2 in 2000. Originally, a consonant called when this space was hit had no cash value; since 2006, a player who lands on Jackpot and calls a valid consonant is credited with the amount concealed by the wedge for each time the letter appears, and that amount is also added to the jackpot. At that point, the contestant may decide whether to solve for the jackpot or take another turn. Currently, the Jackpot wedge is placed over the green $500 space.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the syndicated debut, a prize wedge marked "25" appears on the wheel exclusively in this round; contestants earning the right to pick up the wedge with a correct consonant could win either twenty-five of something (e.g. twenty-five gift certificates from a sponsor, or even $2500 cash) by solving the puzzle without first hitting Bankrupt. (For the first week of the 25th season, "25" was added to the wheel before Round 1 and remained for the first three rounds until claimed.) The wedge is currently placed over the lavender $550 space.

Big Money Round

Starting with the 25th season premiere in fall 2007, Round 3 features a green space featuring a flat-screen TV monitor initially displaying BIG MONEY. The value shown on the monitor of this wedge (concealed in other rounds beneath the yellow $400 space in the three-space region between Lose a Turn and Bankrupt) randomly changes among $5000, $7500, $25,000, Bankrupt and Lose a Turn. When a contestant lands on the wedge and calls a correct consonant, the amount of money is treated as spendable cash for purposes of buying vowels; however, it is not multiplied by the number of times the called consonant appears. After a contestant claims the Big Money prize, the wedge functions as a regular $1000 space.

This round also features two indigo $1000 (originally black background and gold font $500) spaces with a question mark on each. A player who lands on one of these "Mystery wedges" and guesses a letter in the puzzle may either take $1000 per letter occurrence or forgo that money and turn over the wedge. One wedge is backed with Bankrupt and the other features a prize. Originally, the Mystery prize was always a car worth $10,000 to $15,000, although most often the prize is now a $10,000 cash prize or gift card. If the prize is revealed, it is treated the same as other prizes, and the player must solve the puzzle without hitting one of the two normal Bankrupt wedges to win it. After one Mystery wedge is revealed, the other acts as a regular $1000 cash space for the remainder of the round. This feature debuted in 2002 for the show's 20th Anniversary and Round 3 was called the "Mystery Round" from that point until the "Big Money" wedge debuted. Beginning in 2005, the producers show the home audience the concealed value of the Mystery wedge before a decision is made by the contestant. The Mystery wedges are currently placed over the blue and green $500 spaces and O'Donnell now announces the prize on the reverse as "tonight's Mystery prize".

Special features

Bonus solution

Since Season 8 (1990-91), some puzzle categories occasionally allow the solving player to answer a question for additional money (originally $500 in 1990, then $2000 in 1995, finally $3000 since early 2000). Sometimes, the puzzle was the first part of a phrase or quotation, and the player was asked to give the next line, Other times, a title or slogan was revealed and the player had to identify the author or product. Players were also asked to fill in a blank or identify a number associated with the puzzle. Originally, if the solving player did not win the bonus money, the other players in turn were given a chance. Since 1995, only the player who solves the puzzle is eligible for the bonus. More recently, these puzzles consist of a series of clues about a person, place, thing, or event, which the player who solves the puzzle may identify for an additional bonus money.

Between 1992 and 1994, some puzzles would contain a set of specially designated (red) letters which could be unscrambled to form another word or phrase. These "Red Letter Puzzles" were introduced in 1992 as a basis for home viewers to win cash or prizes by guessing the word and submitting a contest entry, and kept through 1994 to provide studio players with additional winnings.

Returning champions

For the first six seasons in syndication (from 1983-89), players were eligible to make only one appearance. From 1989 through 1996, winning contestants could appear on up to three episodes. From 1996 to 1998, a "Friday Finals" format was adopted. The top three winners from the week's first four shows would return to play on Friday, with a Jackpot beginning at $10,000 instead of $5000. The single-appearance rule returned in 1998.

Surprise

From 1992 to 1998, there was a pink space marked SURPRISE on the wheel in Round 1 (similar to the prize wedge style used from 1983 to 1998). It was earned just like a normal prize, but its identity was not revealed unless it was won. Like other prize spaces, it carried over to later rounds (originally just Round 2, then for the entire show from 1996-1998) if no one claimed it.

Double Play

Exclusively in Season 13 (1995-96), a special lavender token shaped like conjoined twin Free Spins, marked DOUBLE PLAY, was placed on the wheel. A player who landed on the token and called a consonant in the puzzle won possession of it and could redeem it before any later spin. If the wheel landed on a dollar amount, that amount was doubled for that turn (e.g. if $550 was spun, each correct consonant was worth $1100). If the wheel landed on a penalty space, the player forfeited the token but only endured the penalty once. If the wheel landed on a prize, the Double Play was returned for later use.

Prize Puzzle

Starting in 2003, Prize Puzzles are special puzzles that award the winner with a prize, almost always a trip, which is somehow related to the solution (e.g. if the solution is "Fun in the Sun", the prize might be a vacation to a tropical island). At first, these puzzles did not appear every episode, but since 2005, they have become an everyday fixture, appearing randomly in any one of the first three rounds. The last Prize Puzzle prize that was not a trip was an HDTV system. This feature, which guarantees a substantial addition to the score of whoever solves the puzzle without incurring the risk of spinning the wheel, speeds up gameplay by making it advantageous for players to solve as soon as possible instead of taking time trying to rack up additional cash by calling extra consonants after they know the solution.

Since early 2004, home viewers in the U.S. are given a chance to win the same prize as the contestants. Viewers who sign up on the show's website are given a "Special Prize Identification Number" (S.P.I.N.), which consists of two letters and five (occasionally seven) numbers (example: AB1234567). Upon seeing the number, the winning home viewer has 24 hours to log on to the show's website and claim his or her prize. Beginning in 2005, if a contestant wins a car in the Bonus Round, the home viewer with a matching S.P.I.N wins the same type of car. The rules for claiming the car are the same as those for a Prize Puzzle. Also, starting in 2005, if the winning home viewer is a SonyCard holder, he or she wins an additional $50,000.

The two letters are the winning home viewer's first and last initials. It is not known how the digits are computed; they may be designated at random or by a secret method. The S.P.I.N is not announced during the taping of the show, but is inserted in post-production. Reruns during summer hiatus, and even weekend reruns of episodes from previous seasons, are given a new and unique S.P.I.N for each Prize Puzzle appearance.

Wild card

The Wild card was introduced in 2006. Magenta in color and marked simply with the word WILD, it is placed on the wheel (currently over the green $700 space) in the same way as a gift tag or Free Spin token and may be picked up after a contestant lands on it and calls a consonant which appears in the puzzle. A player holding the card, who subsequently lands on a cash space and calls a consonant appearing in the puzzle, may turn it in for the chance to call a second consonant for the same cash value in the same turn, regardless of whether vowels have been called in between. This feature is especially advantageous when a player spins a high dollar amount before typical high-frequency letters have been called.

The Wild card may not be turned in when the wheel sits on a tag, prize wedge or token. It may be used when a player's arrow sits on Jackpot ($500 per letter) or an unturned Mystery wedge ($1000 per letter), but does not allow a second chance to solve for the Jackpot, nor a second chance to flip the Mystery wedge, after calling another consonant. However, beginning with the 25th season premiere in 2007, the Wild card allows a contestant who chooses an incorrect consonant to immediately try again for the same cash value previously spun; in this sense, the contestant gets a Free Spin without incurring the risk of actually spinning the wheel.

As with Free Spins, a contestant does not have to solve the puzzle to retain the Wild card. However, it is lost if the player holding it hits Bankrupt at any time during the remainder of the game. It disappears from the wheel if no one has claimed it before a full speed-up round, and cannot be used in any speed-up round. A winning contestant who keeps the Wild card through the end of the game may use it in the Bonus Round to select a fourth consonant after selecting the standard three consonants and one vowel.

Celebrity weeks

During shows on which contestants are partnered with celebrities (athletes, soap stars, etc.), the celebrity's favorite charity receives either a minimum of $10,000 or the same amount won by the regular contestant, whichever is higher. In the past, some or all celebrities on an episode played alone for charity. Each celebrity would receive a guaranteed $5000 with the top celebrity advancing to the bonus round playing for a flat $25,000. Celebrity weeks were rarer during the shopping era.

Tie games

Rarely, two or more players finish the game with the same score. In syndication, the tied players originally (until 2000) played an extra Speed-Up puzzle for the right to advance to the Bonus Round. Since the early 1997 adoption of the electronic puzzle board allowed for the introduction of Toss-Up puzzles in 2000, ties have been broken by a Toss-Up with no cash value, played exclusively among the tied contestants.

Bonus round

Original rules

The contestant selected any prize with a large gold star attached and then faced the board to solve one final puzzle. Sajak reveals the category and then asked the player to select five consonants and one vowel. Occurrences of these letters were revealed, as was the category, and the contestant was given fifteen seconds to provide as many guesses as necessary to solve the puzzle. This format started on the daytime show in 1981.

Changes to the bonus round

• 1987 – When "Wheel" began its all-cash format in Season 5, much larger bonus prizes were offered. These included a Ferrari; a vacation for six on a private island in Jamaica; a 5-acre plot in Maine; a motor home plus an invitation to tour Alaska with an RV club; a cabin cruiser; tickets to every major local sporting event for the next year; a time-share vacation home at Lake Tahoe; various shopping sprees; and valuable annuities. One of the prizes was always $25,000 in cash. (In special "Wipeout Weeks", once a prize was won, it could not be won again that week.) Nearly all the contestants chose to play for the cash (or occasionally a car), even though the other prizes were often worth over $35,000; the other prizes were usually shunned because of the tax burden they represented.

• 1988 – Since contestants almost always selected R, S, T, L, N, and E for the bonus round, the rules were changed. Early in Season 6, the contestant was automatically given those letters and was then asked for three additional consonants and one additional vowel; the time to solve was reduced to ten seconds. These rules remain to this day.

• 1989-2001 – In Season 7, each of the week's five prizes went into a blind draw, hidden in an envelope and placed behind a letter in the word "WHEEL". Each prize could be won only once per week. By 1998, with contestants still preferring $25,000 (or at least one of the available cars), the cash was once again made available every day; the other prizes could still only be won once per week. For the last two months of this format (from September 3 to October 22, 2001), the large prize packages were no longer offered; three envelopes contained cars, while the other two had the $25,000 cash prize.

• 2001-present – The Bonus Round was revamped in October 2001 with the addition of a Bonus Wheel offering a chance to win up to $100,000 cash. Before the puzzle is displayed, the contestant spins a small 24-section wheel to determine which prize he/she will play for, though the prize is not revealed until after the player attempts to solve the puzzle. Each section of the wheel holds an envelope representing either a cash prize or a car. The distribution of cash amounts and cars on the wheel has varied, but the minimum cash prize has always been $25,000 and one envelope always holds $100,000. Currently, the bonus wheel has ten envelopes for cars (five of each of two cars) and fourteen for cash (six $25,000, three $30,000 and one each of $35,000, $40,000, $45,000, $50,000 and $100,000). Since the introduction of the Wild card in October 2006, a player qualifying for the Bonus Round with it has been allowed to pick one extra consonant after the usual three consonants and one vowel.

Sets

Puzzle boards

The puzzle board which was used until early 1997 had four rows, with 11 trilons each on the top and bottom rows and 13 trilons each in the two middle rows. The board was surrounded by a light border, which underwent a number of style changes over the years.

In early 1997, the original manually-controlled puzzle board, on which letters were revealed by turning trilons clockwise, was replaced with a digital electronic (computerized) board. Letters are revealed automatically during Toss-Up puzzles and when a solution is revealed; during normal rounds, White touches the right side of a border around the letter in order to reveal it. The board now contains 52 spaces, with 12 each on the top and bottom rows and 14 in the two middle rows. As of the 25th Anniversary, the monitors on the puzzle board are now replaced with new flat-screen monitors, giving the board a much brighter and sharper design.

Score displays

The tote boards that showed the totals for each player were originally eggcrate light displays, with room for five digits and a "$" sign; space for a sixth digit was added in fall 1990. In 2002, the displays were updated to video monitors, which display scores as well as LOSE A TURN and BANKRUPT.

In 2007, the scoreboards were revamped again. For the first week of the 25th season, contestants did not wear nametags and the scoreboards displayed dollar amounts in a taller font with the contestants' names above (which flashed to indicate control of a round), but because of the increased height of the displays, the spokes of the wheel sometimes obscured the view of the contestants' scores. The following week, nametags were reinstated and contestant names were replaced by white flashing arrows pointing to each other from the lower edges obscured by the spokes, placing the dollar values (in a slightly different tall font) above the spokes.

Studio layout evolution

• Until 1987: At the center of the show's set was a giant three section turntable, which would revolve after each round to expose a new prize showcase. Each prize section was themed and had one or two trips displayed along with the appropriate prizes. Throughout the shopping era, a big yellow curtain would fall behind the host after he had made his entrance at the beginning of the show.
• 1987: After the end of the shopping era, the bonus prizes are displayed in a section behind the host's podium. One or two of the featured prizes, usually a car or a boat, would be on turntable-like displays, smaller than the three-section turntale, decorated with mock Wheel templates (some of which included dollar values, such as $950, not offered on the show). A giant neon sign displaying the $25,000 cash prize would be lowered from the rafters during the prize descriptions and when the winning contestant chooses to play for the cash.
• 1988: The neon $25,000 sign is replaced with a grid-like version.
• 1989: With the move to CBS, the "sunburst"-shaped backdrops behind the contestants are replaced with new chevron-shaped versions.
• 1990: The set is given a shiny black floor and the mock wheel templates are retired.
• 1991: The backdrops are replaced again with diamond-shaped versions originally used for road shows.
• 1992: At the beginning of the 10th Anniversary season, asterisk-shaped, firework-like backdrops are adopted.
• 1996: Soon after the move to Sony Pictures Studios, the $25,000 sign is retired, a large video display is set at the center of the stage, and the backdrops are randomized.
• 1997: In February, the trilon-style puzzleboard is replaced by a digital computerized electronic puzzleboard. The lighting around the wheel is updated to begin Season 15.
• 1998: A new video display is set in place behind the contestants, replacing the backdrops.
• 2001: A bonus wheel with gold glitter, red letters, numbers and symbols and four colored wedges is adopted for the new $100,000 bonus round.
• 2003: The gold lighting decoration that surrounded the wheel is changed to a neon blue decoration to start Season 21; soon afterward, the puzzleboard and video wall borders are changed to match that of the wheel.
• 2004: The color on all Bonus Wheel letters, numbers and symbols is also changed to blue.
• 2005: A neon-lit Bonus Wheel that changes color as it spins is adopted to match the rest of the "neonified" set.
• 2006: Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! become the first two syndicated game shows to be broadcast in HDTV, and further revamp their sets to accommodate the new format.
• 2007: The prize envelopes on the Bonus Wheel are adorned with the 25th Anniversary logo.

The wheel

The Wheel, used since early 1975, weighs about two tons. Until 1997, the Wheel spun by itself during the opening and ending credits. The solid green center of the wheel was used for greenscreen camera shots of Pat and Vanna with the wheel spinning around them during the final credits.
Since 1983, the top multipliable dollar value for the show has been represented by a sequined silver $5000 wedge and introduced for the final main game segment (originally Round 3), and at least one special prize wedge, originally lime green and introduced before Round 2, has appeared on the wheel. No dollar amounts under $100 have ever appeared on the Wheel, and the only amount not ending in "50" or "00" to appear was a $175 wedge featured in the first round until 1985.
Prior to 1996, different dollar value templates were used for each of the three segments of the main game (between 1987 and 2005, the first segment of the main game included both of the first two rounds).

The wheel's configuration

Main article: Wheel of Fortune (The wheel's configuration)

Notable changes over the years

• 1984: Shortly after the premiere, the top dollar value for Round 1 is raised from $750 to $1000, matching the top value in Round 2. A new "Wheel click" tone is introduced for the second season.
• 1986: Three new wheel configurations are introduced and last approximately ten seasons. Some wedges are moved around on each of the templates, which also receive a brighter color scheme; notably, the $1000 wedge changes from yellow to pink for Round 1 and from blue to yellow for Round 2. $150 ($200 in Round 3) becomes the lowest value (originally $100) on the wheel, and is often concealed by the special prize wedge.
• 1987: Upon the elimination of shopping, the first Wheel template (with the yellow $750 space) stays for the first two rounds, the second template (with the yellow $1000 space) appears in Round 3 (also 4 in fast-paced games) and the third (with the yellow $1500 space) appears from Round 4 (or 5) onward. To build up interest throughout the game, a sequined blue $2500 wedge (placed over pink $1000) is introduced as the top value for Round 2, a sequined red $3500 wedge (placed over red $300) becomes the top dollar value from Round 3 until the next commercial break and the $5000 space, with its usual Wheel template and location, appears for the final main-game segment. A second special prize wedge is also placed on the Wheel before Round 4, regardless of which template is present.
• 1989: The permanent Free Spin wedge is replaced with a token concealing a dollar amount.
• 1992: The Surprise wedge, hot pink with black sequined lettering, is introduced for the 10th anniversary celebration.
• 1994: The Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt wedge is introduced for Round 3.

• 1995: Several changes occur with the move to Sony. The pink $1000 space is replaced by a sequined green one in Round 1, for consistency with other top dollar values. The Double Play token, available during Round 2, is introduced but only lasts one season.
• 1996: A single wheel template, based on the one previously used for the second main-game segment, is now used for the entire show. Sequined top dollar values are placed in the position previously reserved for the yellow $1000 space. All remaining cash values are three-digit, with $250 the lowest value on the wheel. The Lose a Turn space, formerly yellow, becomes white for enhanced contrast with Bankrupt. The red Jackpot wedge is introduced for Round 2. The special prize wedges are now gold, except during "Sweethearts Week", when they are valentine pink, but only one is introduced per game.
• 1997: For the debut of the touch-screen puzzle board, updated lighting is added to the wheel, as well as new periwinkle color carpet at the puzzle board and around the wheel replacing the green one. For Season 15, arrow shaped spires are added to the wheel, and Jackpot (now Round 3) switches places with Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt (now Round 2). The automatic wheel spinning during the opening and closing of every episode is retired.
• 1998: The Surprise wedge is retired. Special prize wedges have distinct artistic designs reflecting the nature of the prize offered, and are now introduced in Round 1.
• 1999: Fonts for three-digit dollar values, and the Lose a Turn space, have a white shaded outline. $300 becomes the lowest value on the wheel.
• 2000: The $1000 space is retired. The Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt wedge (now Round 3) and the Jackpot wedge (now Round 2) switch back to their original order of appearance. A $1000 gift tag appears on the Wheel to start the game, while the special prize wedge is delayed until Round 2 again. $2500 becomes the top "spendable" dollar value for Round 1, $3500 becomes the top value for both Rounds 2 and 3, and Round 4 and all subsequent rounds retain the $5000 top value.
• 2002: To mark the 20th anniversary of the nighttime show, $500 "Mystery" wedges bearing a black background with gold font are added to the Wheel in Round 3, bumping Bankrupt/$10,000/Bankrupt to Round 1; additionally, more than one gift tag may appear on the wheel.
• 2003: Streamlined LED lights are added to the bottom of the wheel and around the puzzle board. A new "Wheel click" tone is introduced, but it is sounded a little more softly.
• 2004: Indigo $1000 "Mystery" wedges replace the black $500 ones; these are the first multipliable four-digit values, other than top-dollar, to appear on the wheel since the introduction of the single template.
• 2005: A new silver Jackpot wedge replaces the red one. The special prize wedge is again introduced in Round 1, along with two or more gift tags, but all tags and prizes disappear from the wheel after Round 3 if unclaimed.
• 2006: Several changes are implemented to take advantage of the move to broadcasting in high definition: a stainless steel wheel border with taller spokes is adopted; additional wheel colors appear; sequins the same color as each wedge are used for shading regular fonts, creating a glitter effect; fonts for top dollar values have white shading; and the Jackpot wedge gains a large 3-D gold star. The Wild card is introduced to the Wheel, replacing one gift tag.
• 2007: Landing on Free Spin now earns money ($300 per letter) in addition to the Free Spin token. In addition, the six-peg $2500 top value, 25 prize, and flat-screen Big Money (up to $25,000) wedges are introduced to the wheel to celebrate the 25th Anniversary season.

Theme music

1983-2000: "Changing Keys" by Merv Griffin

• 1983-1989 — Original disco-swing arrangement (slightly truncated during the spring of 1984).
• 1989-1992 — First smooth jazz arrangement (recycled as the closing theme in 1993-1994).
• 1992-1994 — Second "smoother" jazz arrangement.
• 1994-1997 — Big band arrangement (performed by Mort Lindsey's Band).
• 1997-2000 — Final, "smoother" big band arrangement.

2000-present: "Happy Wheels" by Steve Kaplan

• 2000-2002 — Modern big-band style theme with heavy rock guitar and percussion, beginning with the first bars of "Changing Keys".
• 2002-2006 — Same theme with jazz sax and percussion.
• 2006-present - New variation of Kaplan's theme, arranged by Frankie Blue, with greater jazz influence; opening reference to "Changing Keys" removed.

• Note: John Hoke is credited for the 25th Anniversary theme, which has opened most shows thus far in the 2007-08 season and is played during bonus round wins; Blue's arrangement of "Happy Wheels" is still used as the closing theme and accompanies flashback segments.

Show records

Record	Set by	Amount	Air date
All time winnings, team	Peter Argyropolous and Deborah Cohen	$146,529	February 1996 (two shows)
All time winnings, solo player (returning champions format)	Mindi Mitola	$146,014	September 1990 (three shows)
One-day team winnings	Christine Denos and Jack Wagner (actor)	$142,550	February 28, 2006
One-day solo winnings	Becca Rhine	$128,177	February 7, 2007
Main game winnings	Lauren Kaufman	$66,350	October 24, 2005
Largest amount accumulated but not won(*)	Terry [last name not available]	$62,400	March 1985

In its first six years of existence, the $100,000 bonus prize has been won 14 times. Three players, through the first six weeks of Season 25, have landed on it during the Bonus Round and failed to solve the puzzle.

(*) After collecting on several $5000 spins, the player called an incorrect letter and another player solved the puzzle.

The show's official rules state that any winnings over a set amount are donated to the player's favorite charity. The current winnings limit is $200,000, though no contestant has ever reached that total.

Source for most statistics: wheeloffortune.com

Episode status

All episodes from the syndicated series are intact, and many have been shown on GSN.

Home versions

Board games

Numerous board games version of the game have been released by different toy companies.^[1] The games are all similar, however, incorporating a wheel, a puzzle display board, fake money and various accessories like free spin tokens.

• Milton Bradley released the first board game in 1975.
• Pressman Toy Corp. released several different editions from 1985 to 1991.
• Tyco/Mattel created three editions from 1992 to 1998
• Parker Brothers released their own version in 1999
• Pressman Toy Corp. has released four editions since 2002, including a 20th Anniversary edition and a Simpsons edition, and retains the rights at present.

Video, arcade, slot and online versions

Main article: Wheel of Fortune (video game)

Wheel of Fortune For Prizes - Mobile Game

In 2005, InfoSpace Games teamed up with Sony Pictures Mobile to create the mobile game Wheel of Fortune For Prizes. Players competed against others across the U.S. in multiplayer tournaments for a chance to win daily and weekly prizes.

References

1. ^ Wheel of Fortune Home Game Home Page

External links

• Official site - U.S. version
• The Classic Wheel of Fortune Page, focusing on the Chuck Woolery/Susan Stafford era of the show
• UK Gameshows Page: Wheel of Fortune
• Shane O'Donnell's episodes
• UK Wheel of Fortune Online version with game history, how-tos, FAQ and rules
• U-gottaseethis.com A website from Sony with classic Wheel video clips

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