Contestant FAQs
- How can I get an audition to be a contestant?
- What happens if I have been selected to attend a final contestant audition (after attending a Wheelmobile Event)?
- What makes a great Wheel of Fortune contestant?
- If selected as a contestant, how long will it take to actually appear on the show?
- Can you be a contestant more than once?
- How long does it take to receive your cash and prizes?
- Do you have to pay taxes on the cash and/or prizes that you win?
- How often do you travel to find contestants?
- Why do contestants often glance to the side when playing the game?
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How can I get an audition to be a contestant?
One way to get a chance to audition is to attend a Wheelmobile event. Click here for details.
In addition, make sure that you have filled out a contestant audition form! We will sometimes draw random names from our database to attend special auditions in selected cities.
Last year over a million people requested the chance to audition for Wheel of Fortune. Fewer than 600 people were selected to appear on the show. For this reason, Wheel of Fortune strongly discourages you from incurring any expenses whatsoever: airfare, hotel, loss of wages, baby-sitter, car rental, etc. in order to try out for the show. Please be aware that an appointment to audition does not guarantee you an appearance on the show. Remember that you are responsible for any expenses incurred for accommodations, travel to and from the audition site, and to and from the taping in Los Angeles (or another city.)
You are not eligible to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune if you work for, or are related to, anyone who works for Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., Sony Pictures Television Inc., Sony Pictures Television International, Quadra Productions, Inc., CBS Television Distribution Group, game show prize suppliers, or any TV station (including its advertisers and affiliated radio stations), or networks broadcasting Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy!.
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What happens if I have been selected to attend a final contestant audition (after attending a Wheelmobile Event)?
At the final contestant audition, we will normally have about 70 would-be contestants in the room (normally it's held in a hotel ballroom). We try to re-create a mini version of Wheel of Fortune: there'll be puzzles, a miniature wheel, and a staff of contestant coordinators. We give the participants a chance to stand, call out letters, and solve puzzles.
Next, each person takes a five minute written test. The test consists of 16 puzzles and the auditioners attempt to fill in the missing letters. When the five minutes are complete, contestant coordinators will collect the tests and leave the room to grade them. When the contestant staff returns, a separation of the group is made; some folks are asked to remain in the room. We base this separation on our general impression of each person as a Wheel of Fortune player and his/her test scores; we're also looking for a good cross section of the population, and we take into account the contestants (already selected from past searches) that are waiting in our files to appear on the show.
Those selected to remain in the room will play the game some more. Contestants will not know by the end of the audition if they have been selected. We will notify by mail those selected to be on the show. The entire audition process lasts about 2-3 hours.
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What makes a great Wheel of Fortune contestant?
Many factors go into choosing a Wheel of Fortune contestant. First of all, it's a lot more difficult playing the game in the studio where there's a live audience (plus you're on national television!) than in the comfort of your living room. We love players who are at ease, fun, and good game players. It's important that the game moves along as quickly as possible; that players are decisive in calling out their letters (in a loud voice) and in choosing their game strategy (whether to spin, buy a vowel, or solve the puzzle.) We want contestants to call logical letters; good game players seem to strike a good balance between calling consonants and buying vowels. (Why buy vowels? It may help to fill in the gaps in the puzzles.) It's been our general observation through the years that contestants who play with energy, poise, and a sense of humor (without forgetting to call logical letters) - tend to do better on the show. Most contestants, at the end of a show, say that it was more difficult than they expected; and that it was the quickest (about 22 minutes without commercials), most exhilarating time of their lives.
The final ingredient of a great contestant is a positive attitude. We want every contestant to win on our show, but there's always the factor of "Lady Luck" - that's why it's called Wheel of Fortune. We want people to come to the taping with the mindset that they're going to have a good time, win or lose. Hey - you're on Wheel of Fortune - the most popular game show in the history of the world so you're already a winner!
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If selected as a contestant, how long will it take to actually appear on the show?
Contestants have 18 months to make an appearance on the show. Sometimes you'll be on in a few weeks or months, sometimes it will take over a year. We try to get a good geographic cross-section of contestants represented each week.
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Can you be a contestant more than once?
Our rule is that you can be on the show only once in a lifetime. There are a lot of people who want to spin the wheel!
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How long does it take to receive your cash and prizes?
Contestants receive their cash and/or prizes within 120 days after the airdate of the show.
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Do you have to pay taxes on the cash and/or prizes that you win?
Yes. The contestant is responsible for paying state and federal taxes on cash and prizes.
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How often do you travel to find contestants?
We do one or two contestant searches per month.
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Why do contestants often glance to the side when playing the game?
They are looking at the "used letter board" to see which letters have already been called.