Wheel of Fortune & Price is Right fans reveal difficulty of spinning ‘heavy’ wheel on shows – as true weight is revealed
TWO of the most popular game shows have one thing in common- spinning a wheel.
The weight of the wheels on The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune have not been publicly known.
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The weights for the wheels on Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right have been revealed, as Drew Carey stands in front of TPIR’s wheelCredit: Getty
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Ryan Seacrest, who is the new host of Wheel come this fall, spun the wheel a few months ago, and said it is bigger than people thinkCredit: Instagram/ryanseacrest
The Price is Right went from 30-minute shows to one-hour shows in September 1975.
Because of the extra time, the game show needed more games, so they added in the Showcase Showdown.
That is where the three people who played games earlier in the episode, spin a big wheel, and whoever gets closest to 100 without going over in two spins, moves onto the Showcase to win a bigger prize.
The Price is Right revealed in 2021 on a post on X that their wheel weighs 2,000 pounds.
The wheel on Wheel of Fortune lays flat and takes less effort to spin.
However, that wheel weighs 400 pounds more than TPIR’s, coming in a 2,400 pounds, according to World Strides.
This wheel has dollar amounts on it that contestants can win when they guess a letter in the puzzle.
PLAYERS SPEAK OUT
Last month, a Reddit user inquired about which wheel is heavier.
Those who have been on the game shows before weighed in and shared their experiences.
“I would guess the Big Wheel on TPIR. I spun it once at SXSW and it was much heavier than I anticipated,” one Reddit user shared.
“So the WoF is heavier, but I think TPiR’s wheel feels heavier because it’s upright and you have to pull it down, so gravity is kinda against you. The WoF wheel is flat on its side and you just have to pull it across you,” another said.
“Also the TPiR wheel needs to go a full rotation for a spin to count, so it takes more effort vs the WoF wheel where you don’t need a full rotation at all.”
“The wheel is actually quite hard to spin. Ya really gotta put some muscle into it,” shared another.
Others said that the Price is Right wheel is harder for petite people to spin.
The Price is Right Hosts
The Price is Right first came on TV in 1972. Fans fell in love with the game show so much that it has been on for over 50 years. Throughout that time, the show has had a few different hosts. Find out who they are below.
Bob Barker – 1972 to June 2007 (also became executive producer in 1988)
Drew Carey – October 2007 to present
Dennis James – filled in for Bob in 1974 when he missed four episodes, also hosted the nighttime version
Craig Ferguson – 2014 April Fools Day Special
WHEEL-Y FUN
Earlier this week, Ryan Seacrest, who is the new host of Wheel of Fortune, shared a video of his first day on set to Instagram.
“Listen, to the sound this wheel makes,” he said, as he spun the wheel.
Ryan, 49, leaned down and closed his eyes as he listened.
“I find it soothing,” the American Idol host smiled.
He then greeted a production member on Wheel and got his first day started.
“My heart is pounding. I’m so excited,” Ryan said.
Because of his excitement, he shared that he did not sleep well the night before.
Someone off-camera said that they think the floor space is bigger than fans believe it to be.
“The wheel’s maybe smaller than you think… as am I,” Ryan joked.
Ryan then spun the wheel for the first time as host and then toured the Wheel of Fortune archives.
He then stood in front of cardboard cutouts of former host Pat Sajak and hostess/puzzle turner Vanna White and made a joke.
Vanna, 67, will be back this fall to host alongside Ryan.
“Who’s taller?” Ryan asked, pointing to Pat.
“He is. Shocker.”
The clip ended with Ryan clicking his heels together and skipping away from the studio.
The words, “To be continued,” flashed on the screen.
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Reddit users, who were former players, said that the Price is Right wheel is heavier, especially since it sits upright and has to go in one full rotationCredit: CBS
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The Wheel of Fortune wheel is 400 pounds heavier than The Price is Right wheel, weighing in at 2,400 poundsCredit: Instagram/ryanseacrest
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New Wheel host Ryan Seacrest also shared a video of his first day on set and was so excited that he clicked his heels together at the end of the dayCredit: Instagram/ryanseacrest
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Drew Carey stood in front of the wheel with a contestant in 2020, but the wheel did not appear on The Price is Right until 1975 when the game show went from 30 minutes to one hourCredit: Getty