Wayne Gretzky

Gretzky holds the record for most MVP awards of any player in American professional sports. Clips from early episodes—including several from the Woolery–Stafford era, early Sajak daytime episodes and Vanna's first show—surfaced on the recent E! True Hollywood Story episode chronicling the show's history. He won nine Hart Trophies, the NHL's most valuable player award, and eight of these were awarded in consecutive years from 1980-1987. (Although Vanna's first episode indeed exists, some sources say that most of the remaining daytime episodes up until about 1984 have been destroyed.). Gretzky's point total including regular season and playoffs stands at an imposing 3,239. The status of the Sajak/Benirschike/Goen daytime versions is unknown, though it is likely that all of Vanna White's episodes were preserved since a clip of her first show was played during the 1997 April Fools episode of Wheel, in the 4000th episode celebration. The next closest player in total points for the regular season is Mark Messier at 1,887. All Sajak syndicated episodes are intact, however, and have been shown on GSN.

He has the record for most career regular season goals (894), assists (1,963), points (2,857), and hat tricks (50). Most of the Woolery–Stafford episodes are believed to have been destroyed by NBC, which still has yet to be proven; however, surviving examples circulate among—and are treasured by—game show tape traders. His career regular season stats are equally as impressive. A clip was shown in the 3000th episode celebration in 1998. Given that Gretzky was by far the highest scorer of the highest scoring period in the game's history, these playoff numbers appear to be untouchable. The original pilot with the host Edd "Kooky" Byrnes still exists from 1974, this pilot was made for NBC. He is the career playoff leader in goals (122), assists (260), points (382), hat tricks (10), and game winning goals (24). FORTUNE!" audience chant that comes from a machine when a player gets to spin the wheel.

His 47 points in 1985 and his 31 assists in 1988 are still records for a playoff year. OF .. He had dominated the playoffs like he had dominated the regular season. Indeed, one can hardly walk through a casino anywhere on the continent without repeatedly hearing the "WHEEL .. During Gretzky's point-scoring streak, he had 61 goals and 92 assists for 153 points. The Wheel slot machines are widely believed to be the most popular slot machines ever distributed in North America. In 1982-83, he had a 51 game point scoring streak that has been compared to Joe DiMaggio's streak in baseball. In 2004, a version featuring Sajak and White was produced as a "Special Ediiton," the only machines in the series to feature human voices, aside from the familiar show-opening audience chant.

He also holds the record for the fastest 50 goals in 50 games or less, which he did in only 39 games and the most goals in 50 games (61, which he did twice). These also feature wide-area progressive jackpots. Some of the more impressive regular season records include most goals in a season (92), most assists in a season (163), and most points in a season (215). In more recent years, as video-based slot machines with many paylines have become popular, video versions of Wheel machines have appeared, all with the familiar wheel above the screen. He had 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 all-star records. Lining up three "Wheel of Fortune" symbols wins the progressive jackpot, which is usually linked with other Wheel machines throughout a given state and reaches into the millions of dollars. Wayne Gretzky held or shared 61 NHL records upon his retirement on the 18th of April, 1999. When a "SPIN" symbol lines up on any reel, the player presses a button to start the wheel spinning, and a player could win as many as 1,000 credits (with no "Bankrupt" wedges).

For more information and a list of Gretzky's official and unofficial records, see Wayne Gretzky's records.. The first machines (and still the most popular) featured standard IGT traditional three-reel slot machines, each with a reporoduction of the show's famous wheel above the reels. ^[27]. International Gaming Technology licensed the rights to make Wheel-based games in the 1980s. Police sources have told the paper that there is no evidence that Gretzky made any bets, but are attempting to find out if Gretzky placed any bets through his wife. Given creator Merv Griffin's fondness for gambling (including being a successful casino owner), it would seem natural that Wheel would be featured as the basis for a slot machine. I'll say it one more time: I didn't bet, didn't happen, not going to happen, hasn't happened, not something I've done." ^[26] Reports by the Newark Star-Ledger stated that the New Jersey State Police possessed wiretaps with Gretzky on tape speaking about the betting ring. (see Wheel 2000).

I did nothing wrong, or nothing that has to do with anything along the lines of betting; that never happened .. (see Wheel in Culture). On the matter, Gretzky stated: "I'm still going to coach the Phoenix Coyotes. Plus often times the four letters the contestants choose would not be in the puzzle. Bets were allegedly taken from NHL players as well as several celebrities, including Gretzky's wife, Janet Jones. Since then, the difficulty of the bonus puzzles has gone up, sometimes with only 1 or 2 instances of the automatic letters appearing in the puzzle. On February 7, 2006, Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet was implicated in a southern New Jersey based gambling ring. The contestant is then given the reduced time of 10 seconds to solve the puzzle.

These distinctive and long-discontinued helmets are today a collectors' item among hockey players and fans. Starting in 1988, the contestant was automatically given the R, S, T, L, N and E, and the aforementioned 3+1 selection was given to the contestant. ^[25] The model of helmet that Gretzky wore throughout his career, the Jofa VM, is now known more popularly as the "Gretzky helmet", even though it was a popular model worn by many NHL players in its time. Occasionally, puzzles would feature none of these letters (or the selections would only produce one or two letters); at that point, the host would allow the contestant to pick three more constants and one more vowel. In poker, a pair of 9s is sometimes called a Gretzky. A statistical analysis shows that R, S, T, L, N, and E are the best choices, and these were almost always selected by contestants. ^[24] Forbes estimates that Gretzky earned $93.8 million from hockey and endorsements from 1990-98. Contestants stood behind the wheel during the bonus round during the first week; after that, they would be standing on the other side of the wheel, with the chosen prize just upstage, and the "Wheel of Fortune" logo on the floor (sometimes a car would be between the wheel & the puzzle board, causing the logo to not be shown).

After his retirement, he became the spokesman for Power Automotive Group of Southern California, and Tylenol Arthritis Formula. If correct, he/she won the prize. He owns a restaurant, Hespeler sports equipment, and co-owns a chain of roller-hockey rinks. The contestant was given 15 seconds to solve the puzzle. In 1998, he launched a line of fashion menswear, ^[23] and signed a licensing agreement with a phone card company. He/she then was asked to choose 5 consonants and a vowel. He posed for the cover of Cigar Aficionado Magazine with Janet. He/she then was presented a puzzle and told its category.

He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1989 and lent his likeness to a 1992 cartoon show, ProStars, ^[22] and video games in 1996, 2004, and 2006. When it debuted in 1981, the winner of that's day/night's show chose a prize (tagged with a special gold star, usually worth $1,500 or more). He and his son Ty did commercials for the Sharp Viewcam. Pat Sajak's first show in 1981 was also when the current bonus round became permanent. ^[21] Past and present plugs include Thrifty Car Rental, Peak Antifreeze, Ford Motor Company (in Canada only), Coca-Cola, Esso, McDonald's, Campbell's Soup, Primestar TV, Upper Deck, Nike, Ultra Wheels, Hallmark Cards, Zurich Insurance, Tylenol and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Then, there was the possibility that the Star Bonus token would not be landed on at all; plus, some haphazard editing also irked viewers. While in Edmonton, he endorsed everything from soft drinks and blue jeans to his own wallpaper, pillow cases, breakfast cereal, chocolate bars, and a Mattel "Great Gretzky" doll. Also, the Star Bonus prizes were available during shopping rounds, meaning a dominant player could buy that $13,000 Chevrolet Corvette and thus render an opponent's Star Bonus token useless (since no available prize would allow him/her to overtake the first-place player).

They have 5 children: model/pop singer Paulina Gretzky, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma. It was possible for the day's eventual first-place contestant to land on the Star Bonus. The event reportedly cost Gretzky over $1 million; Janet's dress alone cost $40,000. Critics of this format point to several flaws, most notably that merely landing on the space did not guarantee the Star Bonus would be played. "Guards" from the Edmonton Fire Department stood on the church steps. As before, the contestant was asked to pick 4 consonants and a vowel, then given 15 seconds to attempt to solve the puzzle. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton, Alberta was dubbed "The Royal Wedding" by the press and broadcast live throughout Canada. The contestant had to play for a prize that was more than the difference between him/her and the first-place contestant; just like the hour-long Bonus Round, the prize's value corresponded with the puzzle's difficulty.

^[20] Their July 17, 1988, Anglican Church nuptials at St. If the contestant landed on the wedge, he/she was provisionally entitled to play the Bonus Round if he/she was the second- or third-place contestant that day. Gretzky met American actress Janet Jones in 1984 when he was a judge on the show "Dance Fever" and she was a dancer and they begin dating in 1987. A special "Star Bonus" disc was placed on the wheel. ^[19] The game was subsequently released on DVD. The "Star Bonus" round was played for a time in 1978, which would enable a second- or third-place contestant to possibly become champion by solving a Bonus Round-type puzzle. Preceding the NHL game was an exhibition game that reunited Gretzky and many of his retired Oiler teammates against a group of retired Montreal Canadiens players in front of an ice hockey record 57,167 fans and millions more on TV. The prizes varied widely.

The Heritage Classic was the first NHL game to be played outdoors, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. For example, if the contestant chose an easy puzzle, he/she might win a $1,000 television-stereo console, while solving a difficult puzzle would win them a $13,000 Cadillac Eldorado. In 2003, Gretzky took to the ice one last time to help celebrate the Edmonton Oilers' 25th anniversary as an NHL team. If the puzzle was solved, they won a prize based on the puzzle's difficulty. Even though he wasn't officially a member of the management staff, he was consulted regularly about decisions, aiding in Canada's gold medal win at the 2005 Worlds. Then they were given 15 seconds to guess the puzzle. ^[18] He was asked to manage Canada's team at the 2005 Ice Hockey World Championships, but declined due to his mother's poor health. When they chose the puzzle, they were asked to give 4 consonants and a vowel.

Gretzky will once again act as Executive Director of Canada's men's hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The winner of the show would play a sort of bonus round, and have the choice of 4 different puzzles—easy, medium, hard, and difficult. In retrospect, Gretzky's outbursts against the media turned out to be a galvanizing force for the Canadian team in the quest for the gold; they can be compared to Phil Esposito's legendary rant against Canadian fans during the 1972 Summit Series. version tinkered with a bonus round format for 6 weeks in 1975, when the show was 1 hour long. The coin is now at the Hockey Hall of Fame; a specially-minted loonie was placed at centre ice for the finals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. The U.S. This information was leaked to both teams and it became a good luck charm. Several versions of the Bonus Round – including the long-familiar format introduced in 1981 – have been used, and are detailed below.

While forming the ice, a Canadian loonie was used to mark centre ice. Occurrences of these letters are revealed and the contestant has a small amount of time, but as many guesses as necessary, to solve the puzzle. to win the gold medal 50 years to the day after the Edmonton Waterloo Mercurys won the nation's last gold medal in ice hockey. A final puzzle is put up and the contestant chooses several consonants and a vowel. Canada beat the U.S. The record for the most money won in the speed-up round is $54,000, set during a February 2005 episode from Las Vegas and again in October 2005. American fans online began calling Gretzky a "crybaby"; defenders said he was merely borrowing a page from former coach Glen Sather to take the pressure off his players. To save on TV air time, those spins are edited out for broadcast, unless they may be found especially humorous.

the Czech Republic, as he launched a tirade against the perceived negative reputation of Team Canada amongst other national squads, and called rumors of dissent in the dressing room the result of "American propaganda." "They're loving us not doing well," he said, referring to American hockey fans. In other versions, the host gives a random spin. His temper boiled over after Canada's 3-3 draw vs. Since an average spin is around one rotation, this increases the odds greatly. On February 18, he lashed out at the media at a press conference, frustrated with speculation regarding his team's uninspiring 1-1-1 start. version, for example, the Speed-Up Round often, in more recent shows, starts before the round has begun, at which point the wheel is pointed at the $5,000 space. Gretzky was Executive Director of the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the U.S.

Assistant coach Rick Tocchet assumed the position until Gretzky's return on December 28. On some versions, such as in the U.S., the host intentionally aims for the top dollar value with the final spin; the wheel is set to give the host a better chance of hitting it. Unfortunately, his mother would lose her battle to lung cancer two days later, passing away on December 19, 2005. Previously, the speed-up round was often anticlimactic, especially when the leader had a huge lead over the second- and third-place contestants and Sajak landed on a small dollar amount. Gretzky took an indefinite leave of absence as coach on December 17, 2005 to care for his ill mother in Brantford, Ontario. seasons beginning in late 1999, $1,000 is added to the value of the final spin (for example, landing on $550 means consonants are worth $1,550). His first coaching victory was October 8, 2005, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1. In recent U.S.

Gretzky made his coaching debut on October 5, 2005, the opening night of the 2005-06 NHL season, losing 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks. This round had background music in late 2000. In the time leading up to Gretzky's announcement, several prominent free agents signed with Phoenix citing the chance to play for Gretzky, including Brett Hull. The audience is told to remain silent so the answer is not accidentally revealed. This was annouced following the conclusion of the 2004-05 NHL lockout and may have been partly a marketing decision due to the league's financial struggles, though few question Gretzky's overriding motive to win hockey games. In slower games, the final spin will start the fourth round. Despite previous assurances, in August 2005 Gretzky agreed to become the new coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. Oftentimes, the speed-up round occurs in the middle of a round (usually the fourth round) although some fast-paced games continue to a fifth and, rarely, a sixth round.

^[17]. The prize awarded, like the regular round, is proportional to the number of correct letters; unlike the regular round, they don't get another turn if they guess correctly. Rumors began regarding Gretzky becoming the head coach of the team, but were nixed by Gretzky and the rest of the Coyotes' ownership. When the round commences, each player in turn is given the opportunity to guess one letter, and a few seconds to solve the puzzle if they guess correctly. Later that year, he became Alternate Governor and Managing Partner of the Phoenix Coyotes NHL team. In this round, a fixed dollar amount is set by one final spin of the wheel by the host - if the host spins bankrupt or lose-a-turn, or a remaining prize (when they were on the board on the final round), he spins again. Gretzky's famous #99 was retired league-wide at the 2000 All-Star Game. Late in the game, if a fourth round has not been played or time is running short in the middle of a round, four consecutive bells are sounded, signifying the start of the speed-up round.

The NHL then stated that he would be the last player to do so. It is not known how the five digits are computed, and it is possible that either the numbers are randomly generated or how they come up with the digits is kept a secret. Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, becoming the tenth player to bypass the three-year waiting period. The 2 letters are the winning home viewer's first and last initials. No less an expert Bobby Orr said he "thinks so far ahead," while Gretzky himself referred to it as having "...a feeling about where a teammate is going to be, a lot of times, I can turn and pass without looking." ^[16]. Apparently somewhere around this time, the prizes given away became exclusively trips. By the time of his retirement, Gretzky had become known for setting up behind the net, passing to teammates like Luc Robitaille or Mark Messier or jumping out quickly for a wrap-around goal. The rules for claiming the car are the same as the Prize Puzzle rules.).

It was said that he "seems to have eyes in the back of his head" and had a knack of "rolling with a check." ^[15]. (Also, starting in the 2005-2006 season, if a contestant won a car in the Bonus Round, a home viewer with the matching SPIN ID would also won the same car as the on-air contestant. At 16, Gretzky's skills were already described as "a magic touch," that he was a good shot, moved the puck very well and never quit, playing both ways (adept at playing defense as well as offense) and a player that any team could build their hockey club around. only) were given a chance to win the same prize as the contestants with a "Special Prize Identification Number" (S.P.I.N), consisting the first letter of their first and last name, and five numbers (example: AB12345) from the show's web site, and having 24 hours to log on and claim their prize. Gretzky's dominance throughout his career was attributed to the amount of time he practiced (by his own admission at least 4-5 hours a day) and also that he was a natural prodigy. Starting sometime near the end of 2004 (which was during Season 21), home viewers (in the U.S. Gretzky was named as the first, second, and third star of both games. Example: If the solution was "FUN IN THE SUN", the player would win a trip to a tropical island.

He scored his final point in this game, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by Brian Leetch. (Similar to the 15th season)(Starting in season 23, there would be a prize puzzle every night, appearing in either round 1, 2, or 3.). ^[14] The Star-Spangled Banner, sung by John Amirante, was changed from "the land of the free" to "the land of Wayne Gretzky". As indicated at the beginning of a puzzle, at seemingly random intervals there are Prize Puzzles that award the winner with a prize somehow relating to the puzzle. In place of "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee", Bryan Adams sang "We're going to miss you Wayne Gretzky". Because of this rule, the letter that is painted red is always a consonant. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure. given Australia's other rules, if a person spins $300, picks a P, and one of the P's is red, the person gets $600).

His last NHL game in Canada was on April 16, 1999, in a 2-2 tie with the Ottawa Senators, and his final game was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18. Only one letter is made red, and guessing the red letter doubles the value of the spin (e.g. ^[13]. In Australia, the rules for the red-letter round are different. Many attribute Canada's failure to head coach Marc Crawford's decision to use a defenceman, Ray Bourque, and not Gretzky in the shoot-out against Dominik Hasek. The answer is 9, and guessing 9 earns $3,000. Expectations were high for the Canadian team, but without the presence of Mario Lemieux (with whom Gretzky did well in the 1987 Canada Cup) and several other star Canadians due to injury, the team lost to Finland for the bronze medal. The answer to the blanks is Sweet, and correctly guessing that earns the player $3,000.

He participated in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Categories for this puzzle include:. The experts voted Gretzky number one, ahead of the once seemingly incomparable Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe. version). In 1997, prior to his retirement, The Hockey News named a committee of 50 hockey experts (former NHL players, past and present writers, broadcasters, coaches and hockey executives) to select and rank the 50 greatest players in NHL history. Some puzzles have a question that can be answered in order to win some extra money (previously $500 in 1992, $2,000 in 1995) ($3,000 on the current U.S. He played his final three seasons there and helped the team reach the conference finals in 1997. Beginning in Season 23, the producers show the home audience what's behind the mystery wedge before a decision is made by the contestant.

Gretzky ended his professional career with the Rangers. After one mystery wedge is revealed, that space becomes a normal cash wedge, and the other mystery wedge acts as a regular $1,000 space for the remainder of the round. On July 21, he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining Mark Messier. If the player reveals the prize, as with any other wheel prize, they must solve the puzzle without hitting Bankrupt to win it. While he scored 37 points in 31 games for the team (regular season and playoffs), and they got within one overtime game of the Conference finals, he never clicked with the team or with sniper Brett Hull on the ice as well as many had expected. On the other side of the mystery wedge contains either a Bankrupt or a prize (usually $10,000–$13,000 cars or a $10,000 prize). Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and draft picks. If a player lands on one of these mystery wedges and guesses a letter in the puzzle, they may either take $1,000 per letter as normal, or turn over the mystery wedge.

On February 27, 1996 he joined the St. Two $1,000 spaces (originally $500 from the round's debut in Season 20 through Season 22) marked with a stylized question mark are placed on the wheel. Long before that, running out of time and looking for a team with which he could win again, Gretzky had been traded from the Kings at his request. A crafty spinner could pick up several of these prize cards in a single round. The team began a long slide that continued despite numerous player and coaching moves and failed to even qualify for the playoffs again until 1998. As of 2003, along with the announced prize, there were two or three smaller "gift tags" on the wheel – usually gift certificates, gift packages or items such as an XM Satellite Radio, each gift tag carrying a value of $1,000. After winning the first game of the series, however, the team lost the next four in a row to the Montreal Canadiens. Its identity was not revealed unless it was won.

Gretzky's tenure with the Kings reached its peak when he scored three goals in game seven of the 1993 Western Conference Finals against Toronto, propelling the Kings into the Stanley Cup Finals. The Surprise worked just like a normal prize, except that its identity was kept a secret. ^[12] In 1990, the AP named him Male Athlete of the Decade. For a time in the 1990s, there was also a Surprise on the wheel in Round 1. Sun Belt. By 1989, a contestant had to guess a letter to be able to pick up the prize. hockey markets on "the NHL map"; not only did California receive two more NHL franchises (the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the San Jose Sharks) during Gretzky's tenure in L.A., but his popularity in Southern California proved to be an impetus in the league establishing teams in other parts of the U.S. Originally, a contestant who landed on the prize simply picked it up and it went into his/her bank.

Many credit Gretzky's arrival with putting non-traditional U.S. The prize value is usually worth between $4,000 and $10,000. Gretzky finished second in scoring but narrowly beat out Mario Lemieux (who scored 199 points) for the Hart Trophy as MVP. The prize – which is almost always a trip – now carries over to later rounds. Gretzky led his team back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series 4-3. The Prize Round has changed several times through the years, and currently is played in Round 1. Despite being underdogs against the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky led the Kings to a shocking upset of his old squad. The player had to avoid "Bankrupt" and solve the puzzle to win the prize.

The Kings, who then played their home games at the Great Western Forum, boasted numerous sellouts on their way to reaching the 88-89 playoffs. The Prize Rounds were added to the daytime show in 1989. Gretzky's first season in Los Angeles saw a marked increase in attendance and fan interest in a city not previously known for following ice hockey. When the "all cash" era began in 1987, a second Prize Round was added, usually in Round 4; both prizes were specific to that round. After "The Trade", Gretzky's personal popularity sank across Canada, but only temporarily. The prize space originally concealed a $150 amount. ^[11] Others believe it was Pocklington who instigated the trade, seeking to benefit personally from the transaction. It was played in Round 2, and the prize usually was worth anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.

^[10] Gretzky himself was considered a "traitor" by some Canadians for turning his back on his adopted hometown, his home province, and his home country; his motivation was widely rumoured to be to further his wife's acting career. The Prize Round was added in 1983, for the syndicated version only. "The Trade," as it came to be known, upset Canadians to the extent that New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis demanded the government block it, ^[9] and Pocklington was burned in effigy. The resulting Jackpot was not a cash prize; it became available for shopping. On August 9, 1988, in a move that drastically changed the dynamics of the NHL, Gretzky was traded with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski by the Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, $15 million cash, and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991, and 1993. The Jackpot started at $1,000 and increased by $1,000 for each show it went unclaimed. The Oilers, with Gretzky, also won the Cup in 1985, 1987, and 1988. The Jackpot space went into the player's bank (for correctly guessing a letter), and won the value for solving the puzzle AND avoiding Bankrupt.

Since the Order ceremonies are always held during the hockey season, it took 13 years, seven months and two Governors-General before he could accept the honour. That version of the Jackpot Round worked just like the syndicated Prize Rounds. Gretzky was named an officer of the Order of Canada on June 25, 1984 for outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. The current Jackpot Round debuted in the 3rd week of Season 14, and was quite different from a Jackpot Round that was part of the NBC daytime show from 1987-1989. The following season, the Oilers met the Islanders in the Finals again, this time winning the Stanley Cup, their first of five in seven years. Until the end of Season 17, the Jackpot Round was played in Round 3. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. Pat usually asks the contestant if they'd like to solve for the Jackpot, so they know that if they can solve it, they'll win whatever is in the Jackpot.

The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring forwards Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, and Jari Kurri, defenceman Paul Coffey, goaltender Grant Fuhr, and Gretzky as its captain. If a player spins and lands on Jackpot, they must call a letter in the puzzle and solve the puzzle all in that turn. ^[8] The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within 4 seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. The jackpot starts at $5,000 (when the Friday Finals existed, the Jackpot on that certain episode starts at $10,000 rather than the usual $5,000). The Edmonton Oilers finished their last WHA season first overall in the regular season. After each spin, the value of the spin is added to the jackpot, regardless of whether or not the letter chosen is in the puzzle. The following seasons would see Gretzky break his own assists record three more times (125, 135, and 163) and his point record one more time (215).^[7] By the time he finished playing in Edmonton, he held or shared 49 NHL records, which in itself was a record. The Double Play was discontinued after Season 13 ended.

He was also named Sports Illustrated Magazine's 1982 "Sportsman of the Year.". A contestant was not required to forfeit the Double Play if s/he landed on a Bankrupt while possessing the token. He ended the 1981-1982 season with records of 92 goals, 120 assists, and 212 points in 80 games, becoming the first player in NHL history to break the 200 point mark.^[6] That year, Gretzky became the first hockey player and first Canadian to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. If the wheel landed on a prize after using the Double Play, the Double Play was returned. Later that season, Gretzky broke Esposito's record for most goals in a season (76) on February 24, 1982 scoring four goals to help beat the Buffalo Sabres, 6-3. If the wheel landed on a penalty space, the Double Play token was lost, but the penalty was only endured once. His 50th goal of the season came on December 30, 1981 in the final seconds of a 7-5 win against Philadelphia and was his fifth of the game. If the wheel landed on a dollar amount, that amount was doubled for that turn.

Set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard during the 1944-45 NHL season and tied by Mike Bossy during the 1980-81 NHL season, Gretzky accomplished the feat in only 39 games. The player in possession of the Double Play could use it before any spin. During the 1981-82, he surpassed one of the game's most cherished records: 50 goals in 50 games. A player won possession the token if s/he landed on the space with the token and called a consonant in the puzzle. He won his second straight Hart Trophy. version, a special token called the "Double Play" was put on the wheel. In his second season, Gretzky won the Art Ross Trophy (the first of seven consecutive ^[5]) with a then-record 164 points, breaking both Bobby Orr's record for assists in a season and Phil Esposito's record for points in a season. During Season 13 of the U.S.

The rule was later changed. This space was originally on top of one of the two bankrupt spaces, but is now over the orange $800 space in round one. He became the youngest player to score 50 goals but was not eligible for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the top NHL rookie, because of his previous year of professional experience. When this space debuted in Season 12, it was on the wheel starting in round three and remained on the wheel until a contestant landed on the $10,000 slot and claimed it. He was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row ^[4]) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel Dionne with 137 points, which remains the most points by a first-year player. The $10,000 prize cannot be used to buy vowels; Pat will often say "You don't have any spendable cash" if the $10,000 is one of the first prizes claimed in the round. In his first NHL season, 1979-80, Gretzky proved his critics wrong. If he/she is correct, the player picks up the wedge and it is treated as a prize.

^[3]. Landing on Bankrupt results in a normal Bankrupt; landing on the $10,000 allows the player to guess a letter. Gretzky's success in the WHA carried over into the NHL, despite some critics suggesting he would flounder in what was considered a bigger, tougher, and more talented NHL. In the first round, a wedge is placed on the wheel that reads $10,000 in the middle peg gap and Bankrupt in the other two. After the World Hockey Association folded in 1979, four teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, joined the National Hockey League. In 2002, Germany had its own version of a toss-up (called a Turborunde). That would be Gretzky's only season in the WHA, which folded following the Avco World Trophy finals. The Australian version added their version of a toss-up (called a Flip Up there) in 2004, when the puzzle board was switched from a mechanical one to an electronic board.

Gretzky would go on to capture the Lou Kaplan Trophy for rookie of the year, finish third in league scoring (110 points), and help the Oilers to first overall in the league. No money is at stake in this round. On Gretzky's 18th birthday, the 26th of January, 1979, Pocklington signed him to a 21-year personal services contract (the longest in hockey history) worth $4-5 million US. If 2 or all 3 players are tied at the end of the game, then a toss up round is played for the right to go to the Bonus Round. Paying $700,000, Pocklington purchased Gretzky as well as two other Indianapolis players, goaltender Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll, although the announced price was actually $850,000. If all of the spaces are filled in or all of the players are incorrect, no cash is won, and play began with either the left-most contestant or (if it was Round 4) wherever it left off before. He sold Gretzky to his former partner and then-owner of the WHA's Edmonton Oilers Peter Pocklington. An incorrect guess disqualifies that player for the rest of the puzzle.

Only eight games into the 1978-79 WHA season, Skalbania needed money. (The first one determines who the host introduces first.) The $3,000 toss-up determines who starts the fourth round, which is usually the speed-up round. Knowing that the WHA was fading, Skalbania felt owning the young star was more valuable than owning a WHA team. version, two toss-ups for $1,000 and $2,000 start the game, with the second one determining who starts round 1. Racers owner Nelson Skalbania signed the 17-year-old to a personal contract worth between 1.12 and 1.75 million dollars US over 1 to 2 years. In the 19th season to the present U.S. The National Hockey League (NHL) does not allow the signing of players under the age of 18, but the WHA had no rules regarding such signings. In Toss-Up, usually the player will start the first round after the introductions, and before the fourth round which is still $1,000 in the 18th season.

The following year (1978-79) he signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) as an underaged player. The Toss-Up Round debuted in Season 18. ^[2]. version). At Coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99. A player may buzz in to solve the puzzle for a set amount of money ($1,000, $2,000, or $3,000 in the U.S. He had originally wanted to wear number 9 — for his hero Gordie Howe — but it was already being worn by another teammate named Brian Gualazzi. A puzzle is revealed one letter at a time except for the last letter (similar to the Speedword on the Scrabble game show).

While playing for the Greyhounds, he began wearing the number 99 on his jersey. This was made possible with the advent of an electronic board, compared to the mechanical board. Marie Greyhounds. In recent years, various special rounds have been introduced. He played a season in the Ontario Hockey League at the age of 16 with the Sault Ste. Like the shopping format, the total value of any prizes won is added to the contestant's overall score. At 14, playing against 20-year-olds, he left Brantford to further his career and signed with his first agent. In any event, the person who solved the puzzle won whatever amount he/she had in cash, excluding prizes the contestant won earlier in the round.

At age 10 he scored 378 goals and 139 assists in 85 games, and the first story on him was published in the Toronto Telegram. In one episode, Wheel tried to incorporate the $10,000 wedge as a normal space not surrounded by two Bankrupts, but it was eventually scrapped. At age 6 he was skating with 10-year-olds. Earlier this decade, to account for inflation, the top dollar value changed to $2,500 in round one, $3,500 in rounds two and three, while the $5,000 space remained in round four. ^[1] Taught by his father Walter, Gretzky was a classic prodigy. It began with the $1,000 space as top dollar value for round one, $2,500 for round two, $3,500 for round three, and $5,000 in round four until the maingame was over. Gretzky's grandfather emigrated to Canada at the beginning of the 20th century from the town of Mogilev in Belarus. From 1987 to the turn of the previous decade, to generate building interest as the game continued, the maximum dollar amount for each round increased significantly.

. Now, 6 maingame puzzles are rare with all the time taken up by toss-up puzzles, prize puzzles where a home viewer can win the same prize as the contestant via SPIN I.D., and advertisements for various rounds, most notably the Jackpot round. He also became part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2000 and following the 2004-05 NHL lockout became their head coach. In 1987, the syndicated version of Wheel switched to an all-cash format that, while originally planned to last only for the month of September of that year, became a permanent fixture as it sped up gameplay where it would be common to see 4, 5 or even 6 puzzles on a given night. He retired from playing in 1999, becoming Executive Director for the Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics. When the show started, the emcee, either Woolery, Sajak or Benirschke would say, "Watch out for the black space, "Bankrupt", because you will lose your cash, but not your merchandise, because once you buy a prize it is yours to keep." That saying became one of the most famous lines in game show history. He was the only player to total over 200 points in a season, accomplishing the feat 4 times; in addition he tallied over 100 points in 15 seasons, 14 of them consecutively. During a special "Retro Week" in 1999, shopping was re-instated except the "shopping" portion was treated as a special space, and the contestant "bought" a prize package from a turntable.

He set 40 regular season records (including 9 MVP awards and 10 scoring titles), 15 playoff records, 6 All-Star records and won four Stanley Cups. When the player spent enough to not be able to buy the least expensive prize, or when they didn't feel like shopping anymore, they could choose to put their money on a gift certificate or "on account" (which meant they risked their money for the next round; they had to avoid Bankrupts and also had to win the succeeding round in order to keep the money and use it for shopping.) The "on account" option was rarely used. Identified as a hockey prodigy at a young age, Gretzky regularly played at a level far above his peers, eventually becoming a full professional at the age of 17 in the World Hockey Association, leading to a long career in the National Hockey League. From 1975–1989 on the NBC daytime version, and from 1983–1987 on the nighttime syndicated version, after a contestant won a round, he/she had the option of shopping for prizes amidst the studio, like cars, furniture, trips, furs (until animal activists complained), and jewelry. Among his many awards and achievements, he is the only player to ever have his playing number, 99, officially retired across the entire National Hockey League. In the current season, the house minimum is $1,000 per player, meaning during special weeks where two players compete on each team, the minimum is $2,000. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, he is known as "The Great One", and is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players ever to play the game and the best of his era. In the early 1990s, the minimum was boosted again to $500, where it remained until 2005.

Wayne Douglas Gretzky, OC (born January 26, 1961) is a former professional ice hockey player and is currently part-owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. During the show's early months, the house minimum was $100; this was quickly increased to $200. NHL Second All-Star Team-1980, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998. If the player's total is less than $1,000, a house minimum of $1,000 is awarded. NHL First All-Star Team-1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991. Only the player who correctly solves the puzzle keeps the earnings from the round. NHL All-Star Game MVP-1983, 1989, 1999. If the solution is incorrect, the player's turn ends, although this seldom happens.

Lester Patrick Trophy (outstanding service to hockey in the United States) -1994. Once enough letters have been revealed, a player can attempt to read the solution to the incomplete puzzle. Chrysler-Dodge/NHL Performer of the Year -1985, 1986, 1987. The host usually (if not always) asks if you want to buy a vowel before you spin the wheel, assuming you have the money. NHL Plus/Minus Award (best plus-minus rating) -1982, 1984, 1985, 1987. That is, if it gets to your turn and you spin the wheel, you lose the ability to buy vowels until it's your turn again. Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (most gentlemanly player) -1980, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999. In Australia, not only do you need the $50, you also must not have spun the wheel for the turn.

Pearson Award (outstanding player, voted by the players) -1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987. (For those who are interested, if they consistently kept rising the cost of the vowel to keep up with inflation, and $250 was the value now, vowels would've originally cost approximately $65.). Lester B. However, when you account for inflation, $250 in 1975 would be worth almost $1,000, meaning if you use this inflated price to buy a vowel with the current values on the wheel, most of the time you'd have to spin the wheel twice and/or get more than one instance of a letter to be able to buy a vowel — which, it should be pointed out, was exactly the situation in 1975. Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff most valuable player) - 1985, 1988. Indeed, the lowest value on the wheel nowadays is $300; for many years it was $100, then $200. Art Ross Trophy (scoring champion) -1981, 1982 ,1983 ,1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994. Some argue that, because of the inflating dollar values, the amount spent for vowels should increase.

Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player) -1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989. It is rarer in the UK and Australia. version, mainly since many puzzles have large numbers of vowels, particularly E's (it is not uncommon to see five or occasionally even more of a vowel, especially E, in a larger puzzle—the record appears to be 11 E's). Vowel buying is very common on the U.S. When the daytime show moved to CBS in 1989, vowels became $200, and then $100 by 1991.

This proved to make the game ridiculously hard, and the space was scrapped in favor of a dollar amount before the show logged one month on the air. network run, contestants had to land on a space marked "Buy a Vowel" in order to ask for a vowel. Very early in Wheel's U.S. The contestant does not pay for every copy of the vowel revealed; in the above example, if the contestant guessed E, although 2 E's are in the puzzle, the contestant would not have to give up $500.

If the letter is not in the puzzle, the player's turn ends, but the $250 must still be paid. If a player has at least $250 in cash ($50 on the Australian version), the player can pay that amount to have all instances of a single vowel (A, E, I, O, or U) in the puzzle revealed. run, and sometimes still happens today if a contestant is asked to clarify his/her choice (for example, "S as in Sam," although this is quite rare). This does not happen in the United States, although it was common early in the U.S.

Hence: "C for Charlie" and "I for indigo" and the famous (in Australia, anyway) "N for Nellie". In many countries, the contestant gives a word beginning with the chosen letter along with it. (Note: Through 1989, the wheel had a "Free Spin" space in the game's first round, which automatically gave that player a Free Spin token; this idea was scrapped as skillful contestants often racked up six or more tokens before actually attempting to play the game). If he or she later lands on Bankrupt or Lose a Turn, or guesses a letter not in the puzzle, the Free Spin can be redeemed to continue playing.

If the pointer lands on a Free Spin space, the player can win the free spin in the same way as a prize. If the pointer lands on "Bankrupt", not only does the player's turn end, the player loses all earned cash and prizes in that round. If the pointer lands on the wheel's "Lose a Turn" space, the player's turn ends. The prize is lost if he/she lands on "Bankrupt" later in the same puzzle.

They must then solve the puzzle in that round to win the prize. If the pointer lands on a prize, the player gives a consonant, and if it is in the puzzle, the player picks up the prize and sets it in front of them (previously, if a contestant had landed on a prize wedge, they could automatically pick it up, call a right consonant and spin again). If the letter is not in the puzzle, or the player guesses a letter that has already been guessed, the player's turn ends. For example, if the puzzle was "TOO LITTLE TOO LATE", and the player spun $700 and guessed L, he or she would win $2,100 (on the Australian version, the spun value is not multiplied; in the previous example, despite the fact that the player has three L's on the board, he or she would only earn $700).

If the letter is in the puzzle, the co-host reveals all instances of that letter in the puzzle, and the player receives the cash value multiplied by the number of instances of that letter. If the pointer lands on a cash value, the player names a consonant (Y counts as a consonant). On a turn, a player can choose to spin the 24-sector wheel, buy a vowel, or attempt to solve the puzzle. Any punctuation (hyphens, commas, periods for abbreviations, apostrophes), and ampersand signs (&) are revealed.

When a normal round begins, the spaces in a puzzle are shown as blank white spaces on the board. Three players take turns. Besides the Australian version, France's La Roue de la Fortune is the most famous non-American version. Some other countries that air "Wheel of Fortune", and the titles used, include Belgium (Rad van Fortuin), Malaysia (Roda Impian), Brazil (either Roletrando Novelas or Roda a Roda), Vietnam (Chiếc nón kỳ diệu), Ecuador, Spain (both use La Ruleta de la Fortuna), Italy (La Ruota Della Fortuna), Germany (Glücksrad), Canada (La Roue Chanceuse in French, Wheel of Fortune in English), Israel (Galgal Hamazal), Turkey (Çarkıfelek), Poland (Koło Fortuny), Finland (Onnenpyörä), Denmark (Lykkehjulet), France (La Roue de la Fortune), and Argentina (La Rueda de la Fortuna, inside a show called Tiempo Límite XL).

Actor Rustom Padilla hosted the Philippine edition of the show on ABC-5 during its short run from 2001-2002. This version ran from 1991 to around 1996. There was a version in New Zealand with Phillip Leishman as host and Lana Coc-Kroft as co-host. There have been three Glücksrad versions in Germany: 1988-1998 on Sat.1 hosted by Frederic Meisner and Peter Bond, 1998-2002 on Kabel 1 hosted by Frederic Meisner (-2001) and Thomas Ohrner (2002), 2004 on 9 Live hosted again by Frederic Meisner.

The 5000th episode is set to be recorded at ATN-7 on Thursday 16 February 2006, for airing in late February/early March 2006. On the first episode of 2006, the car (Mitsubishi Colt) was won by Sara from Blacktown, NSW. On the 19th January 2006, Seven officially announced Wheel of Fortune's new host, Larry Emdur, with Laura Csortan as co-star and John Deeks returning as announcer. In December 2005, rumours abounded of the Wheel's return in 2006.

In mid-2005, the show was rested, with Seven filling its 5pm timeslot with reruns of M*A*S*H. John Deeks has been the announcer since 1984. Sophie Falkiner was co-host from 1999-2005. This record stood until 2001 when Vanna White surpassed that total.

Co-host Adriana Xenides became the longest serving game show hostess in the world having featured on Australia's Wheel Of Fortune from 1981 until early 1999; a total of 18 years. Other hosts included John Burgess (from 1984-96), Tony Barber (1996), Rob Elliott (from 1997-2003/04) and Steve Oemcke (from 2004-2005). The first host was Ernie Sigley, who hosted from 1981-86. It then moved to ATN-7 in 1996, where it has stayed ever since.

The show moved to SAS-7 when the 2 stations swapped callsigns & affiliations at the end of 1987. The current Australian version began in 1981 on the Seven Network at ADS-7. Steve Hamilton was the announcer. It was hosted by Nicky Campbell, Bradley Walsh, John Leslie and Paul Hendy with Angela Ekeate, Carol Smillie, Jenny Powell and Terri Seymour in turn being co-hosts.

The British version ran from 1988 to 2001, produced by Scottish Television for the ITV network. The very first away-from-home theme song was made specially for those shows; it is unknown at what point the same away-from-home theme was used over and over again. Wheel has always had a special opening theme for away-from-home shows. In pre-taped promos that appeared before each "New Orleans" episode, Sajak and White urged viewers to contribute to hurricane relief charities via the American Red Cross (via the show's Web site), and noted that the show would provide up to $100,000 in matching funds; they also commented the shows were a celebration of what the city once was and would someday become again.

A third week of shows was cancelled, and Wheel's production team barely made it out of New Orleans before the storm struck. Two weeks of shows were taped at the New Orleans Convention Center in August 2005, just days before Hurricane Katrina struck the region and caused incredible devestation to the city and Gulf Coast region. Perhaps the most poignant of these "road" shows was New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to all the election coverage it was not aired in many places on Election Tuesday.

The show was again aired on the following Saturday. Contestant Raymond Lee made it entertaining with his answer to a particular puzzle. The November 7, 2000 airing was interesting especially since the taping was in Washington, DC with it being a very close election between George Bush and Al Gore. Through the years, other stops have included Las Vegas, Honolulu, Hawaii, Philadelphia, Nashville, Atlanta, Georgia, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C, Miami, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and more.

The first of these shows was taped in the fall of 1988 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York. Frequently, Wheel went "on location" to cities across the United States. (Source: The Wheel of Fortune Timeline). They switched back the next day.

On one of these theme weeks, College Week in 1996, Pat had laryngitis for almost that whole week, which became so bad that on the Monday episode (aired on November 21), Pat and Vanna had to switch roles for the bonus round. Other weeks invite sports stars to play for charity along with some of their fans. Wheel is notable for having 'theme weeks' in which all of the set decorations revolve around a common theme. Wheel is syndicated by King World, although Griffin, through Califon Productions, still holds the show's copyright -- which has been lucrative through its use in casino and lottery games.

When Griffin went into retirement that year (but kept a small financial stake), Sony Pictures Television, which had bought Griffin's company several years earlier, took over fully. by Merv Griffin's company, Califon Productions, until 2002. The series was produced in the U.S. One of the clips included rare footage of a circa-1978 Wheel opening, which featured the "Big Wheels" theme, the prize sets and Charlie O'Donnell's opening-spiel (including a shot of a Ford Fairmont station wagon, one of the prizes offered on that day's episode).

In November 2003, Wheel celebrated its 4,000th episode in syndication with a retrospective of the series. The puzzleboard's border was changed to match that of the wheel. The gold, glitzy decoration that surrounded the wheel was changed to a neon blue decoration. In 2003, as part of the 21st season, the entire studio was revamped.

Sometime around 1976, the display was changed to allow for five-digit figures (along with the "$" sign); six-digit figures have never been achieved in maingame play, although the eggcrate display was again changed in the late 80s or early 90s so a six-digit figure could be displayed with the dollar sign. Incidentally, the eggcrate display had room for the "$" sign and four digits in 1975-1976 (although the "$" sign could be removed in the rare event someone had more than $10,000). In 2002, the tote boards that showed the totals for each player were changed from eggcrate lights to monitors; the eggcrate lights had been in use since 1975. (Actually, the old four-row trilon puzzle had 52 spaces like today's board, with 13 in each row; the light border got in the way with the spaces in the corners, leaving only 11 trilons in the top and bottom rows).

The puzzle board itself has 52 spaces, divided into four rows (with 12 spaces on the top and bottom rows and 14 spaces in the middle rows, making it one column wider than the old trilon board; occasionally puzzles will use up almost all of the board). A fill-in-the-blank puzzle is displayed on a grid of video displays in front of the players. Also, when the puzzle is solved, instead of the hostess turning the hidden letters to reveal the entire puzzle, the missing letters electronically fill in themselves. On February 24,1997,the original board for displaying the letters was replaced with a digital electronic puzzle board, touching the letter spaces instead of turning them.

This puzzleboard would remain the same, except for light border changes and the "half-trilons" on the sides of the board being removed on road shows, and in 1994 and 1995. On December 21, 1981, a new four-row puzzleboard (consisting of 11 trilons on the top and bottom rows and 13 trilons in the middle rows) was introduced, allowing for bigger puzzles and more cash to be given away. The original puzzleboard was three rows consisting of 13 trilons on each row. Shopping was eliminated beginning with the syndicated Wheel's 1987–88 season premiere, though it would remain on the daytime version until 1989, when the show moved from NBC to CBS.

Eliminating shopping sped up the game, and allowed more time to plug the big prizes, such as cars. When the show first aired, the money the contestants won had to be used to shop amongst prizes on the TV show, but now the game is played for cash. All others are alterations of this theme from 1989-92, 1992-94, 1994-97, 1997-2000, and a somewhat new variation from 2000-present. The original theme song from 1983-1989 is called "Changing Keys" by Merv Griffin.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White have hosted the nighttime version since its debut. This version still airs today, and after two decades the show continues to have the highest Nielsen ratings of any syndicated program. A nighttime version of Wheel, which is syndicated to stations around the country, debuted on September 19, 1983. The daytime show moved back to NBC on January 14, 1991, and was canceled for good on September 20 of that year.

Former football player Rolf Benirschke hosted the daytime show until NBC dropped it on June 30, 1989; Bob Goen became its host when it moved to CBS on July 17 of that year. Sajak left the daytime show on January 9, 1989, to do a nighttime talk show for CBS that would fail after one year. She was replaced by Vanna White. Susan Stafford left a year later to pursue volunteer work.

Three days later, Pat Sajak replaced him. Chuck Woolery left Wheel on December 25, 1981, after a salary dispute with Merv Griffin. The theme song used from 1975 to July 1983 is called "Big Wheels" by Alan Thicke. After Clark passed away in 1988, Los Angeles-area disc jockey MG "Machine Gun" Kelly briefly filled in until O'Donnell, who was still under contract with Chuck Barris Productions, was able to take over permanently.

Charlie did come back on occassion to fill in for Clark, who was also announcing on other game shows. Announcer Charlie O'Donnell has been "the voice of the Wheel" since episode one in 1975, except between 1980 and 1988 when Jack Clark announced due to O'Donnell's obligations to other shows. Woolery was the show's original host, and Susan Stafford was the original hostess. Wheel debuted on January 6, 1975, on NBC; it was put on the air as compensation for cancelling Jeopardy! (which Griffin produced; ironically enough, Wheel is now paired in syndication with the current version of Jeopardy!) with one year remaining on its contract.

The theme song used in the 1974 pilot was "Give It One" by Maynard Ferguson. The early pilot for Wheel was called Shopper's Bazaar; Edd Byrnes and Chuck Woolery hosted pilot episodes in 1974. . version has been distributed by King World since 1983.

The current U.S. The highly-successful format has been seen daily in one form or another since its NBC debut in 1975. The name of the show comes from the large wheel that determines the dollar amounts and prizes won (or lost) by the contestants. It involves three contestants competing against each other to solve a word puzzle similar to Hangman.

Wheel of Fortune is a television game show originally devised by Merv Griffin which runs in local editions around the world. Some other versions, like Glücksrad in Germany, still use the 15-second time limit for their bonus rounds. Theoretically, enough money ($38,000) can be earned so as to call every consonant. In Australia, the contestant earns two consonants and a vowel, but can earn an extra consononant for every $2,000 scored in the main game.

In other foreign countries, the "R, S, T, L, N, E" is never given to the contestant, although Germany used this sort of format around the late 90s to the early 2000s. Natasha and Robert Purdum $132,000 February 6, 2006. Babette Dominguez and Bob Griese (former NFL QB for the Miami Dolphins) $114,310 January 24, 2006. Denise and Ariel $120,170 November 21, 2005.

Jessica Derenbecker $121,650 November 14, 2005. Taylor and Vlada $117,640 February 3, 2005. Nancy Coon $105,500 May 21, 2003. Byron Pope $119,100 April 24, 2003.

Bonnie Malone and Karen Davy $121,831 December 4, 2002. Douglass Ross (first winner) $113,800 December 19, 2001. The remaining envelope concealed the grand prize of $100,000. There were 4 wedges for each of the 3 cars available that week.

11 of the wedges held $25,000. The contestant first spun a small 24-section wheel to determine which prize he/she would be playing for. 2001 (The Bonus Wheel) – The Bonus Round was revamped and allowed the contestant a chance to play for $100,000. In keeping with the lower stakes of the CBS show, the other bonus prizes typically included trips and sub-compact cars.

This was not done on the CBS daytime version (and later on when it moved back to NBC for the final few months); contestants picked one of five prizes on offer, one of which was always $5,000 cash. The extravagant prizes continued on the syndicated version, meaning someone could win such items as a Hummer, a speedboat or a log cabin as their bonus prize. Each prize could be won just once in a week. 1989 – Each of the week's prizes went into a blind draw, each hidden in an envelope and placed behind a letter in the word "WHEEL".

On the CBS run, one bonus prize was always $5,000 in cash. The NBC daytime show, meanwhile, used the 1981 Bonus Round format until the blind-draw method was introduced in 1989, no cash was offered and contestants just chose what prize to play for. The cash quickly became far and away the most popular bonus prize, while cars were second. One of the prizes was always $25,000 in cash.

Examples: 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 sporting event for the next year, a time-share vacation home at Lake Tahoe, and valuable annuities. 1987 syndication – When the syndicated "Wheel" began its all-cash format, much larger bonus prizes were offered. It was used until 1997, when the puzzle board was switched from a mechanical board to a electoronic board. If the person who solved the puzzle could unscramble the word, s/he won bonus money.

Red-Letter Puzzles: From 1992-1997, a puzzle would occasionally have a few red letters that were scrambled on the board. Due to its extreme unpopularity with the show's fans, this category is no longer used. The person who solved the puzzle could win extra money by using the word in a sentence. Megaword: This puzzle is a word of at least nine letters.

For example, a Fill in the Number puzzle would look like this:. The person who solves the round has to fill in the number/s. Fill In The Number/s: The puzzle contains numbers, except that the number/s is/are replaced with sharps (#). Who Said It?: Like the category quotation, except that the contestant must identify who said it.

The contestant has to guess where the puzzle "is.". about the location. Where Are We?: Similar to to Who Is It? except that the puzzle gives landmarks, traditions, etc. The contestant must identify the person/people the puzzle is talking about.

Who Is It/Are They?: The puzzle is a description of (a) person/people, dead or alive, real or fictional. Slogan: The contestant must identify the brand or company that uses the slogan used in the puzzle. Next Line Please: The puzzle is a sentence of some sort; the contestant wins money for continuing the sentence. After guessing the puzzle, the contestant can identify the word that goes in the blank.

Fill In the Blank: Three question marks appear by themselves in the puzzle, representing a common word. Clue: The puzzle describes a person, place, thing or event, and the contestant wins money for guessing that object.