# Wheel of Fortune (American game show)
**Wheel of Fortune** is an American television puzzle game show in which contestants spin a large wheel for cash values and solve word puzzles in the game Hangman format. It was created by [Merv Griffin](https://www.edgepedia.org/merv-griffin) in 1975 as an NBC daytime show and has aired in syndication since 1983; it is hosted by [Ryan Seacrest](https://www.edgepedia.org/ryan-seacrest) with co-host [Vanna White](https://www.edgepedia.org/vanna-white).[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) • [2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Created by Merv Griffin in 1975 as an NBC daytime show based on Hangman; syndicated weeknight edition began in fall 1983[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) |
| Current hosts | Ryan Seacrest took over on September 9, 2024, replacing Pat Sajak after his more-than-four-decade run; Vanna White remains as co-host[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) |
| Money rules | Vowels cost $250 each; every contestant leaves with a minimum of $1,000; the Bonus Round offers a car or a minimum of $40,000 in cash[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) |
| Top prize | The Million Dollar Wedge lets a contestant play for $1 million on the Bonus Wheel if they keep the wedge, solve that round, and reach the Bonus Round without hitting Bankrupt[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) |
| Audience | 7.9 million viewers a night per Nielsen in 2024; more than 26 million viewers per week per the producer[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) • [2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune) |
| Awards and totals | 7 Emmy Awards, including the 2011 Emmy for Outstanding Game Show; more than $300 million awarded in cash and prizes[2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune) |
| Milestones | 4,000th episode in 2003 as TV's top-rated syndicated series; 50th anniversary in January 2025[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) • [5](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5245039/the-wheel-of-fortune-is-turning-50) |
## History
Merv Griffin, the entertainer who also created the sister show Jeopardy!, devised the format by merging the word game Hangman, which he had played as a child, with the wheel of chance found at casinos and church bazaars.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) • [6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) The show debuted on NBC daytime in 1975 with the veteran quizmaster [Chuck Woolery](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-woolery) as its inaugural host. In 1981 [Pat Sajak](https://www.edgepedia.org/pat-sajak), then a weatherman on a local Los Angeles station, took over, and a year later Vanna White replaced the original co-host, [Susan Stafford](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-stafford).[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html)
The syndicated weeknight edition began in fall 1983. By 2003, when the show marked its 4,000th episode, it stood as TV's top-rated syndicated series.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) The puzzle board itself changed with technology: it moved from a mechanical board to electronic touchscreens in 1997, and White now activates letters by touch rather than physically turning them.[6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) • [7](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-35th-anniversary-season-syndication-pat-sajak-vanna-white-1202566786/) The show marked its 50th anniversary in January 2025.[5](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5245039/the-wheel-of-fortune-is-turning-50)
## Gameplay
The core loop is simple: spin the wheel to set the value of a correctly guessed consonant, then guess letters in a word or phrase until someone solves the whole puzzle.[5](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5245039/the-wheel-of-fortune-is-turning-50) Contestants with enough money can buy vowels for $250 each, and the contestant who solves a round keeps the cash and prizes amassed in that round; landing on Bankrupt forfeits the winnings earned in that round.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) • [6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show)
**Special wedges and rounds.** Three toss-up puzzles worth $2,000 each are played in quick succession, with a $4,000 sweep bonus for a contestant who solves all three, up to $10,000 in the round.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) The Mystery Round offers $1,000 per letter or a 50/50 flip for $10,000 versus Bankrupt. The Express Wedge pays $1,000 per consonant, with vowels costing $250.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) The Million Dollar Wedge converts into a $1 million top prize on the Bonus Wheel if the contestant collects it, solves that round, and reaches the Bonus Round without hitting Bankrupt.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/)
**Bonus Round.** The bonus puzzle is automatically populated with the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E; the contestant selects three more consonants and a vowel and then has ten seconds to solve.[6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) The prize comes from a smaller bonus wheel containing twenty-four envelopes that each hold a secret prize, and the payoff is a car or a minimum of $40,000 in cash, with the category chosen from three options.[6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) • [1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/) No contestant leaves empty-handed: each is awarded a minimum of $1,000 cash.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/)
## Hosts and personnel
The host lineage runs from Chuck Woolery through Pat Sajak, who held the chair from 1981 until 2024, to Ryan Seacrest. In 2019 Sajak surpassed [The Price Is Right](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-price-is-right)'s Bob Barker to become the longest-tenured game show host of all time.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) • [6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) Seacrest took over as host on September 9, 2024, with White remaining in her role; she has been the show's letter-turner since replacing Susan Stafford in 1982.[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html) • [6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show) The show is produced by Quadra Productions, Inc. at Sony Pictures Studios, with Bellamie Blackstone as executive producer.[8](https://www.televisionacademy.com/shows/wheel-fortune)
## By the numbers
A 2024 report cited 7.9 million viewers a night according to Nielsen, describing the show as one of the most-watched in entertainment; the producer's figure of more than 26 million viewers per week counts the full weekly audience across airings, and the two figures measure different things.[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) • [2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune) In its 35th anniversary season the show averaged a 5.4 household rating and sat consistently in the top 5 of syndicated programming.[7](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-35th-anniversary-season-syndication-pat-sajak-vanna-white-1202566786/) At its peak, Wheel of Fortune commanded the highest ratings in syndication ever recorded and held the title of most-watched syndicated series, alongside Jeopardy!, for more than two decades.[7](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-35th-anniversary-season-syndication-pat-sajak-vanna-white-1202566786/)
Sony describes the program as the most successful syndicated show in TV history, with 7 [Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmy-awards) including the 2011 Emmy for Outstanding Game Show, and credits it with more than $300 million in cash and prizes awarded to contestants.[2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune) Over 10,000 people audition each year for the chance to appear on the show.[2](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune)
## What has changed since 2023
The defining change is the host handover: Sajak's final season ended in 2024 and Seacrest began on September 9, 2024, ending a run of more than four decades.[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) The 2024 season also introduced a revamped set with new lighting, additional space, and a large amount of gold metal laminate.[4](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune) White stayed on under the new host, and the show remains an Emmy contender, listed by the Television Academy as an Outstanding Game Show nominee in 2026.[8](https://www.televisionacademy.com/shows/wheel-fortune)
## Cultural impact
NPR's 50th-anniversary coverage framed the show as a family viewing ritual: thirty minutes in which families solve the puzzles together at home.[5](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5245039/the-wheel-of-fortune-is-turning-50) Its format has been cloned into scores of international versions, and it ranks as the second-longest-running game show ever.[7](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-35th-anniversary-season-syndication-pat-sajak-vanna-white-1202566786/) The franchise has also spawned board game and video game adaptations.[6](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show)
## References
1. [Wheel of Fortune | About, Paramount Press Express (CBS Media Ventures)](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-media-ventures/shows/wheel-of-fortune/about/)
2. [Wheel of Fortune, Sony Pictures Entertainment](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/wheeloffortune)
3. [This 'Wheel' just keeps on spinning, Los Angeles Times (2003)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-07-et-moore7-story.html)
4. [Behind the Big Changes at 'Wheel of Fortune', The New York Times (2024)](https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/08/31/business/media/ryan-seacrest-wheel-of-fortune)
5. [The 'Wheel of Fortune' is turning 50, NPR (2025)](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5245039/the-wheel-of-fortune-is-turning-50)
6. [Wheel of Fortune (game show), EBSCO Research Starters](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/wheel-fortune-game-show)
7. ['Wheel of Fortune' Spins Decades-Long Syndicated Success, Variety (2017)](https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-fortune-35th-anniversary-season-syndication-pat-sajak-vanna-white-1202566786/)
8. [Wheel of Fortune, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/shows/wheel-fortune)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Reality, documentary, and web series overview*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license