Veteran TV game show Wheel of Fortune celebrates its 8,000th episode this week on Friday, May 24. And all week, it has teamed with Las Vegas-based gambling operator BetMGM to significantly boost the jackpots for the show’s competitors.
From May 20 to 24, one contestant on each night could hit a $500,000 or $1 million jackpot prize, sponsored by BetMGM. If the contestant doesn’t, then one lucky viewer entrant will win the prize.
The collaboration makes sense, as Wheel of Fortune-branded slot games have been a fixture at U.S. casinos for almost as long as the TV show has been on air.
The press release didn’t include any details on the big $1 million winners, of which there have been two, as of this writing. And I have a suspicion my boss wouldn’t be happy if I spent an hour and half on company time watching Wheel of Fortune to find out.
So, here’s a helpful YouTube clip from the show’s official channel where you can see some people reacting to a life-changing, million-dollar win.
“BetMGM is honored to join Wheel of Fortune during this milestone week and be a part of a game show that has earned a place in American television history,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt in a press release.
“‘Big Money Week’ is a great collaboration, giving contestants and viewers at home the opportunity to experience the excitement of a progressive jackpot.”
The Jackpots
Wheel of Fortune is one of the most popular game shows in America, with 9.1 million nightly viewers across syndicated networks.
It debuted in 1975, with Pat Sajak and Vanna White as hosts. They remained all the way up until this year, when Sajak announced his departure at the end of this 41st season. Which also will see him go just past the 8,000 episode mark.
This week will see the show’s prize potential significantly increased.
If the contestants win the bonus round, they’ll also bag the $500,000 base jackpot. But while players spin the wheel itself, they might hit the new BetMGM Double Jackpot segment. If any player hits it, this doubles the potential winners bonus to $1 million.
Should no player solve the bonus round and win the big prize, one of the viewers who entered online will be randomly picked as the winner.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
