Wheel of Fortune (TV show)

A recreation of the Wheel of Fortune wheel from early seasons of the show

Wheel of Fortune is an American TV game show typically televised on weekdays. The games are based around a large wheel with different dollar values and prizes on it, which are the prizes earned by contestants if they make correct guesses. The show, which began in 1975 and has run weekly since, is currently hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, though Sajak has announced that he intends to retire in 2024 .

In over 7000 episodes of Wheel of Fortune, there has only been one time in which White has worn the same dress twice.

Games

The main game in Wheel of Fortune has contestants attempting to guess a phrase related to a certain category (for example, "Food and Drink"). The number of characters and words are revealed on a digital screen. At the start of their turn, a contestant spins the wheel. They then guess a consonant; if the wheel lands on a dollar amount, they earn that amount for every time the letter appears in the puzzle as revealed by the hostess. The player can then choose to spin the wheel again and earn more money, reveal a vowel for $250, or guess the words and win the puzzle's prize. If the player guesses a consonant that is not on the board, guesses the words incorrectly (including pronunciation), or lands on the "Lose a Turn" or "Bankrupt" slice, their turn ends and the next player spins the wheel. If the wheel lands on the "Bankrupt" slice, the contestant loses all of the prizes or money they have acquired in that round.

In "Toss-Up" rounds, letters of a phrase are revealed rapidly, and the first player to guess the phrase correctly earns a cash bonus. Cash bonuses for "Toss-Up" rounds increase as the show progresses.

The contestant with the most money at the end of the show moves on to the Bonus Round. They spin a small wheel of envelopes to determine what their prize for the bonus puzzle will be, which is revealed after their success/failure. The letters R, S, T, L, N and E are revealed on the puzzle, and the player guesses three more consonants and one vowel to reveal more of the phrase to them. They have 10 seconds to guess the entire phrase, and if successful receive the bonus prize listed in the envelope in addition to their other winnings.