Scopely, Inc. is an American interactive entertainment company and mobile-first video game developer and publisher . The company is headquartered in Culver City, California , with offices across the US , EMEA and Asia .
108-464: Scopely has both internal game development studios as well as partners with external development studios to create free-to-play games. Scopely also partners with intellectual property holders to create video games based on popular entertainment brands. Savvy Games Group , a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) , acquired the company in July 2023 for $ 4.9 billion. Scopely
216-592: A cold at the time of taping. On an episode in November 1996, when Sajak proved unable to host the bonus round segment because of laryngitis , he and White traded places for that segment. On the March 4, 1997 episode, Rosie O'Donnell co-hosted the third round with White after O'Donnell's name was used in a puzzle. On April 1, 1997, Sajak and Alex Trebek traded jobs for the day. Sajak hosted that day's edition of Jeopardy! in place of Trebek. Trebek presided over
324-407: A lump sum of that amount's present value. Originally, after winning a round, contestants used their winnings to purchases prizes in showcases that were presented onstage, referred to as a "shopping round". At any time during a shopping round, a contestant could choose to put his or her winnings either on a gift certificate or "on account" for use in a later shopping round. Money put "on account"
432-650: A 5.01% stake in Nintendo in May 2022, which had grown to 8.58% by mid-2024. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia has been actively investing in the video game industry as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's strategy to diversify the Saudi economy beyond oil revenues. Wheel of Fortune (American game show) This is an accepted version of this page Wheel of Fortune (often known simply as Wheel )
540-409: A Free Spin wedge, which automatically awarded a token that the contestant could turn in after a lost turn to keep control of the wheel. It was replaced in 1989 with a single Free Spin token placed over a selected cash wedge. Free Spin was retired in 2009. From 2009 to 2021, it was replaced by Free Play, a wedge that allowed a contestant to call any consonant or a free vowel, with no penalty if the letter
648-626: A broader goal of diversifying the Saudi economy and growing the Saudi video game industry. In 2021, Savvy Games Group acquired shares in three American video game firms, Electronic Arts , Take-Two Interactive , and Activision Blizzard . Savvy Games Group invested $ 1 billion to buy an 8% interest in Embracer Group in May 2022, and a 5% stake in Nintendo . On September 29, 2022, Savvy Games Group announced plans to invest $ 37.8 billion in
756-437: A celebrity, for a total of four Million Dollar winners. It was won by Michelle Loewenstein (Regular version; October 14, 2008), Autumn Erhard (Regular version; May 30, 2013), Sarah Manchester (Regular version; September 17, 2014), and Melissa Joan Hart (Youth Villages) ( Celebrity Wheel of Fortune ; October 17, 2021). In the regular version, contestants who win the $ 1,000,000 may receive it in installments over 20 years, or in
864-501: A humanitarian worker, over two hundred applicants signed up for a nationwide search to be her replacement. Griffin eventually narrowed the list to three finalists, which consisted of Summer Bartholomew, former Playboy centerfold Vicki McCarty , and Vanna White . Griffin gave each of the three women an opportunity to win the job by putting them in a rotation for several weeks after Stafford's departure. In December 1982, Griffin named White as Stafford's successor, saying that he felt she
972-432: A letter on it. While the viewer saw a seamless transition to the next puzzle, with these older boards in segments where more than one puzzle was present, a stop-down of taping took place during which the board was wheeled offstage and the new puzzle loaded in by hand out of sight of the contestants. On February 24, 1997, the show introduced a computerized puzzle board composed of 52 touch-activated monitors in four rows (12 on
1080-424: A letter. If the letter appears in the puzzle, the hostess reveals all instances of the letter and the contestant has three seconds to attempt solving once the hostess moves to the side of the board. If the three-second time limit expires, control passes to the next contestant and gameplay continues in this fashion until the puzzle is solved. After the speed-up round, the contestant with the highest total winnings wins
1188-444: A little more than five months. Benirschke's term as host came to an end due to NBC's cancellation of the daytime Wheel after fourteen years, with its final episode airing on June 30, 1989. When the newly formatted daytime series returned on CBS on July 17, 1989, Bob Goen became its host. The daytime program continued for a year and a half on CBS, then returned to NBC on January 14, 1991, and continued until September 20, 1991, when it
SECTION 10
#17327839301421296-471: A major partnership valued at over $ 2 billion that unexpectedly fell through at the final hour. The identity of the partner was shrouded in mystery until later. In August 2023, it was unveiled that the elusive partner was Savvy Games Group. This failed collaboration dealt a significant blow to Embracer, resulting in a sharp drop in their stock price and necessitating cost-cutting measures such as layoffs and studio closures. Embracer Group has announced plans for
1404-521: A plane crash. Sajak and White have starred on the syndicated version continuously as host and hostess, respectively, since it began, except for very limited occasions. During two weeks in January 1991, Tricia Gist, the girlfriend and future wife of Griffin's son Tony, filled in for White when she and her new husband, restaurateur George San Pietro, were honeymooning. Gist returned for the week of episodes airing March 11 through 15, 1991, because White had
1512-552: A poll on the show's website. The winner of this contest, Katie Cantrell of Wooster, Ohio (a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design ), took White's place for the second and third rounds on the episode that aired March 24, 2011. In November 2019, three weeks of episodes were taped with White hosting in Sajak's place while he recovered from intestinal surgery. During her time as hostess, several guests appeared at
1620-454: A private clue about the puzzle. At the end of the game, the highest-scoring contestant played a bonus round called the "Shopper's Special" where all the vowels in the puzzle were already there, and the contestant had 30 seconds to call out consonants in the puzzle. Edd Byrnes , an actor from 77 Sunset Strip , served as host for the second and third pilots, both titled Wheel of Fortune . These pilots were directed by Marty Pasetta , who gave
1728-424: A regular basis, while contestants were tested before they stepped onto the set. Additionally, social distancing measures were enforced both on the set and off stage, and Sajak's and the players' podiums were widened to allow for greater physical distance between contestants during gameplay. Contestants spun the wheel with a white flat bicycle handlebar grip to fit over the wheel's pegs so they did not have to touch
1836-535: A roulette-style wheel because he was always "drawn to" such wheels when he saw them in casinos. He and Merv Griffin Enterprises' then-president Murray Schwartz consulted an executive of Caesars Palace to find out how to build such a wheel. When Griffin pitched the idea for the show to Lin Bolen , then the head of NBC's daytime programming division, she approved, but wanted the show to have more glamour to attract
1944-596: A seed round of $ 8.5 million, led by Anthem Venture Partners, with participation from The Chernin Group , Greycroft Venture Partners, and New Enterprise Associates . In 2014, Scopely raised a $ 35 million Series A funding round, led by Evolution Media. In 2016, Scopely raised $ 55 million in Series B funding. In 2017, the company announced $ 60 million in Series C funding, led by Revolution Growth, and then raised an additional $ 100 million from Greenspring Associates in 2018. In 2019,
2052-555: A special two-contestant Wheel celebrity match between Sajak and White, who were playing for the Boy Scouts of America and the American Cancer Society , respectively. Lesly Sajak, Pat's wife, was the guest hostess for the day. In January and February 2011, the show held a "Vanna for a Day" contest in which home viewers submitted video auditions to take White's place for one episode, with the winner determined by
2160-416: A substantial company restructuring, which includes studio closures, employee layoffs, and the cancellation of numerous video game projects. The reasons behind the dissolution of the deal remain undisclosed, but prior to this development, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors had faced criticism for accepting investment from Savvy, amid concerns regarding human rights violations attributed to the Saudi government. Despite
2268-544: A top value in each round: $ 2,500 in round 1, $ 3,500 in rounds 2 and 3, and $ 5,000 for round 4 and any subsequent rounds. The wheel also features two Bankrupt wedges and one Lose a Turn wedge. Landing on either forfeits the contestant's turn, with the Bankrupt wedge also eliminating any cash or prizes the contestant has accumulated within the round. Most matches consist of three contestants, although some variants feature three teams of two people each. Contestants in control spin
SECTION 20
#17327839301422376-408: A total of 39 spaces. On December 21, 1981, a larger board with 48 trilons in four rows (11, 13, 13, and 11 trilons) was adopted. This board was surrounded by a double-arched border of lights which flashed at the beginning and end of the round. Each trilon had three sides: a green side to represent spaces not used by the puzzle, a blank side to indicate a letter that had not been revealed, and a side with
2484-429: A tradition which began with two weeks of episodes taped at Radio City Music Hall in late 1988. Recording sessions usually last for five or six episodes in one day. Various changes have been made to the basic set since the syndicated version's premiere in 1983. In 1997, a large video display was added center stage, which was then upgraded in 2003 as the show began the transition into high-definition broadcasting. In
2592-590: A vehicle, with the latter prize on being available in certain weeks. Prior to 2024, it was always available, except for certain weeks. Furthermore, if the contestant has the Wild Card and/or the Million Dollar Wedge, it will be placed next to the wheel on a holder. If the contestant has the Million Dollar Wedge, the $ 100,000 envelope is replaced with a $ 1,000,000 envelope. The $ 1,000,000 prize has been awarded three times to contestants, and one time to
2700-450: A vowel, and then had fifteen seconds to attempt solving the puzzle. Also, bonus prizes were selected by the contestant at the start of the round. The current time limit and rules for letter selection were introduced on October 3, 1988. In the nighttime version, from season 7 to season 19 (September 4, 1989 to October 19, 2001), bonus prizes were selected by the contestant choosing from one of five envelopes labeled W, H, E, E, and L. One prize
2808-407: A vowel, and was given 15 seconds to attempt solving. In one week of episodes airing in March 1980, contestants who won the main game were given 30 seconds to attempt solving a puzzle for a chance to win a luxury automobile, in a week called "Super Wheel Bonus Week". When the current bonus round was introduced in 1981, no letters were provided automatically. The contestant asked for five consonants and
2916-541: A worldwide following with 60 international adaptations . The syndicated series' 41st season premiered on September 11, 2023. With the show's 36th season in 2018, Sajak became the longest-running host of any game show, surpassing Bob Barker , who hosted The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007. Two spin-off versions exist as well. The first was Wheel 2000 , a version featuring child contestants which aired simultaneously on CBS and Game Show Network between 1997 and 1998. This version's hosts were David Sidoni and Tanika Ray ,
3024-575: Is a Saudi multinational video game investment, development , publishing and Esports company based in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia . Established in 2021, the company was founded by the Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund to foster the growth of the gaming industry in Saudi Arabia and to invest in foreign video game companies. Savvy Games Group was established in 2021 by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) as part of
3132-595: Is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin . The show has aired continuously since January 6, 1975. Contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those in hangman , to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel. The current version of the series, which airs in nightly syndication , premiered on September 19, 1983. The original version of Wheel was a network daytime series that ran on NBC from January 6, 1975, to June 30, 1989, and subsequently aired on CBS from July 17, 1989, to January 11, 1991; it returned to NBC on January 14, 1991, and
3240-416: Is framed on a steel tube surrounded by Plexiglas panels and contains more than 200 lighting instruments. It is held by a stainless steel shaft with roller bearings. Altogether, the wheel weighs approximately 2,400 pounds (1,100 kg). The wheel, including its light extensions, is 16.5 ft (5.0 m) in diameter. The show's original puzzle board had three rows of 13 manually operated trilons , for
3348-424: Is revealed at a time; the first contestant to ring in with the right answer wins a cash bonus. The first, worth $ 1,000, determines the order of the pre-game interviews conducted by the host. The second, worth $ 2,000, determines who spins first in round one. The third through fifth, collectively the "Triple Toss-Up", take place prior to the fourth round. The Triple Toss-Up consists of three consecutive puzzles, each with
Scopely - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-499: The COVID-19 pandemic . In August 2020, taping resumed with new safety measures. These new episodes began airing September 14, 2020. When production began again after shutting down, new episodes taped without studio audiences with only essential staff and crew allowed onstage. At tapings during that time, personal protective equipment was provided to everyone off-camera and behind the scenes. All staff and crew underwent testing on
3564-499: The video game industry , allocating $ 13.3 billion for the acquisition and expansion of a prominent video game developers and publishers with the aim of establishing them as a crucial development partner, thus positioning the country as a global gaming hub by 2030. The initiative includes strategic acquisitions, job creation, and GDP growth objectives. The investment entails acquiring minority stakes in leading game publishers and partnering with established industry players to bolster
3672-525: The #1 free app in the App Store . In April 2013, Scopely launched Mini Golf MatchUp , a head-to-head game developed with New Zealand-based studio Rocket Jump. The game was #1 for free apps in the App Store in 49 countries and the #1 app on both the iPhone and the iPad in the U.S. In September 2013, Scopely launched Wordly , a spelling game that reached #1 on the top free apps chart in the App Store, and
3780-900: The 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America, and #1 in the US. In October 2017, the company announced it was opening an office in Barcelona. In May 2019, the company acquired Dublin-based DIGIT game studios, its collaborator on the mobile 4x strategy game Star Trek Fleet Command . In June 2019, the company shared it had surpassed $ 1 billion in lifetime revenues. In January 2020, the company purchased FoxNext Games Los Angeles and its RPG game MARVEL Strike Force , along with Cold Iron Studios, from The Walt Disney Company for an amount which are still yet to be disclosed. Scopely later sold Cold Iron Studios to Daybreak Game Company . In April 2020, Scopely also acquired PierPlay game studio, its collaborator on
3888-654: The Apple Watch. The game saw more than 1 million downloads in its first four days. In 2016, Scopely released Dice With Ellen , a Yahtzee-style dice game with Ellen DeGeneres . In May 2015, Scopely signed a multi-year partnership deal with Ireland's DIGIT games studios. The collaboration led to the acquisition of Kings of the Realm , a fantasy strategy MMO game. In August 2015, Scopely partnered with The Walking Dead series creator Robert Kirkman and Skybound Entertainment to create The Walking Dead: Road to Survival ,
3996-414: The Wild Card and/or the Million Dollar Wedge if either was claimed in a previous round. Contestants who solve a round for less than $ 1,000 in cash and prizes ($ 2,000 on weeks with two-contestant teams) have their scores increased to that amount. Round 2 features two "Mystery Wedges". Calling a correct letter on one offers the chance to accept its face value of $ 1,000 per letter, or forfeit that to flip over
4104-455: The bonus round, offers an opportunity to play for $ 1,000,000. The "Million Dollar Wedge" is also occupied in the same manner as the $ 10,000 space in the past, which has two Bankrupt spaces on both sides of the wedge. A contestant must solve the puzzle in order to keep any cash, prizes, or extras accumulated during that round except for the Wild Card. Bankrupt does not affect score from previous rounds or prizes from previous rounds, but it takes away
4212-432: The company announced $ 200 million in Series D financing, valuing the company at $ 1.7 billion. In March 2020, the company announced another $ 200 million in Series D financing, valuing the company at $ 1.9 billion. In October 2020, Scopely announced $ 340 million in Series E financing, valuing the company at $ 3.3 billion. As of October 2021, Scopely was valued at $ 5.4 billion. Savvy Games Group Savvy Games Group
4320-399: The contestant at the red arrow always started the first round, with the next contestant clockwise starting each subsequent round. In addition, ties for first place were broken by another speed-up round. If a tie for first place occurred on the daytime version, all three players returned to continue the game on the next episode, and it counted as a single appearance. The wheel formerly featured
4428-473: The contestant has retained the Wild Card. After any instances of those letters are revealed, the contestant has 10 seconds to solve the puzzle; the contestant make multiple guesses, as long as the entire answer is started before time expires. Whether or not the contestant solves the puzzle, the host opens the envelope at the end of the round to reveal the prize at stake. Prizes in the bonus round include various cash amounts ranging from $ 40,000 to $ 100,000 as well as
Scopely - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-417: The contestant may use it after a correct consonant to call a second consonant for the same value as the present spin, or take it to the bonus round. There is also a special wedge which offers a pre-determined prize, typically a trip or credit to a company. Both also offer $ 500 per correct letter. The first three rounds also contain a special wedge known as the "Million Dollar Wedge", in which, if won and taken to
4644-483: The daytime series until January 9, 1989, when he left to host a late-night talk show for CBS. The show's producers auditioned a number of potential successors upon his departure. These potential replacements included Michael Reagan , John Davidson , Bert Convy , and Tim Brando . Rolf Benirschke , a former placekicker in the National Football League , was chosen as his replacement and hosted for
4752-527: The deal falling through, Savvy still holds its stake in Embracer. In 2024, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, via its investment group Savvy Games, has reduced its stake in Nintendo from 8.58% to 7.54%, though it remains one of Nintendo's largest shareholders. This move comes after earlier reports suggesting Savvy Games might increase its stake in Nintendo, which were later corrected to refer to Japanese gaming companies in general. The fund initially acquired
4860-498: The end of the 2019–20 season. On August 29, 2019, Sony Pictures Television announced that Mike Richards would replace Friedman at the start of 2020–21 season. Following Richards' earlier resignation as permanent host of Jeopardy! , he was fired on August 31, 2021, from his executive producer position at both Jeopardy! and Wheel . A Sony memo indicated that Michael Davies from Embassy Row would serve as interim executive producer of both Wheel and Jeopardy! ; however, Davies
4968-558: The end of the 41st season. A few weeks later, Ryan Seacrest was announced to be the new host, starting in September 2024. Seacrest further stated that he looked forward to working alongside White. On September 19, 2023, Sony announced that White had extended her contract for additional two years to continue as co-host through the 2025–26 season. White was absent from the week of episodes airing October 2 through 6 due to her testing positive for COVID-19; taking her place for these episodes
5076-418: The female audience. She suggested that Griffin incorporate a shopping element into the gameplay, and so, in 1973, he created a pilot episode titled Shopper's Bazaar , with Chuck Woolery as host and Mike Lawrence as announcer. The pilot started with the three contestants being introduced individually, with Lawrence describing the prizes that they chose to play for. The main game was played to four rounds, with
5184-445: The first free-to-play mobile game based on the graphic novels. The game saw 4 million downloads in its first week, was a Top 25 Grossing Game in 17 countries, and became the 6th consecutive #1 game released by Scopely. In 2016, the company partnered with Sony Pictures TV to launch Wheel of Fortune: Free Play , based on the television game show . Scopely announced a partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2017 and launched
5292-399: The game and advances to the bonus round. Contestants who did not solve any puzzles are awarded a consolation prize of $ 1,000 (or $ 2,000 on weeks with two-contestant teams). If a tie for first place occurs after the speed-up, an additional toss-up puzzle is played between the tied contestants. The contestant who solves the toss-up puzzle wins $ 1,000 and advances to the bonus round. Since 2017,
5400-561: The game since its release. In 2018, Scopely had four top-grossing games: WWE Champions , The Walking Dead: Road to Survival , Wheel of Fortune: Free Play , and Yahtzee With Buddies . In November 2018, Scopely launched Star Trek Fleet Command , partnering with CBS Interactive and DIGIT Game Studios. In December 2018, Scopely launched Looney Tunes World of Mayhem , a multi-player role-playing game featuring Looney Tunes characters licensed from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment , developed in partnership with Aquiris Game Studio. The game
5508-546: The gaming ecosystem. The initiative aims to create 39,000 jobs, establish 250 gaming companies, and contribute 50 billion riyals to the Saudi GDP, fostering economic diversification and growth. On April 5, 2023, Savvy Games Group announced its intent to acquire American mobile video game developer and publisher Scopely for $ 4.9 billion. The acquisition was completed on July 13, 2023. Embracer Group, renowned for its acquisition of numerous game studios, recently disclosed
SECTION 50
#17327839301425616-404: The host controls the next portion of the game. In addition to the toss-ups, each game has a minimum of four rounds, with more played if time permits. Rounds 2 and 3 are respectively started by the next two contestants clockwise from the contestant who began round 1. In the first three rounds, the wheel also contains a Wild Card over a selected wedge. If this is claimed by calling a correct letter,
5724-401: The host of Wheel . Griffin said that he chose Sajak for his "odd" sense of humor. NBC president and CEO Fred Silverman objected as he felt Sajak, who at the time of his hiring was the weatherman for KNBC , was "too local" for a national audience. Griffin countered by telling Silverman he would stop production if Sajak was not allowed to become host, and Silverman acquiesced. Sajak hosted
5832-444: The host reveals the category. In general, puzzles must be read exactly, except for crossword puzzles (which were added to the show in 2016) where the host gives a clue linking the words and contestants may give the words in any order, so long as all words are given without repeating or adding any. The titular Wheel of Fortune is a roulette -style wheel with 24 wedges. Most are labeled with dollar amounts ranging from $ 500 to $ 900, with
5940-407: The latter in the role of a CGI hostess named "Cyber Lucy". The second, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune , began airing on ABC on January 7, 2021, and features celebrities playing a modified version of the game with winnings donated to charity. Wheel of Fortune is based on hangman . In each round, three players compete to be the first to guess the answer to a word puzzle. At the start of each round,
6048-513: The longtime theme song for Jeopardy! ), "Buzzword" (later used as the theme for Merv Griffin's Crosswords ), "Nightwalk", "Struttin' on Sunset", and an untitled vacation cue. Anyone at least 18 years old has the potential to become a contestant through Wheel of Fortune ' s audition process. Exceptions include employees and immediate family members of Paramount Global , Sony Pictures Entertainment, or any of their respective affiliates or subsidiaries; any firm involved in supplying prizes for
6156-403: The main theme music starting in 2021. In addition to "Changing Keys", Griffin also composed various incidental music cues for the syndicated version which were used for announcements of prizes in the show's early years. Among them were "Frisco Disco" (earlier the closing theme for a revival of Jeopardy! which aired in 1978 and 1979), "A Time for Tony" (whose basic melody evolved into "Think!",
6264-462: The match-3 game WWE Champions . It won a Webby Award for People's Voice in the sports games category. In 2017, Scopely's The Walking Dead: Road to Survival experienced programming-induced glitches which affected player usage and brought long wait times for matchmaking. Scopely's game developers apologized and offered virtual items as compensation, but some players complained about the value of those gifts. As of 2018, 40 million people have installed
6372-432: The mid-1990s, the show began a long-standing tradition of nearly every week coming with its own unique theme (such as a holiday or other concept), with associated decorations on the set. The most recent set design introduced during season 42 in 2024 was conceived by production designers J.P. Connelly and Renee Hoss-Johnson, coinciding with the debut of Ryan Seacrest as host. It was designed to feature nods to past eras of
6480-408: The minimum cash value was $ 25,000. In seasons 30 to 40, the minimum was $ 1,000 multiplied by the season number. Merv Griffin conceived Wheel of Fortune using inspiration from hangman , which he would play with his sister on family road trips. After he discussed the idea with Merv Griffin Enterprises' staff, they thought that the idea would work as a game show if it had a "hook". He decided to add
6588-531: The mobile word game Scrabble GO . In October 2021, Scopely acquired Game Show Network's online gaming division (GSN Games) from Sony in a $ 1 billion cash and stock deal. Sony Pictures took a minority stake in the company as a result. Savvy Games Group announced its intent to acquire Scopely, Inc for $ 4.9 billion on April 5, 2023. The acquisition was completed on July 13, 2023. In June 2023, Scopely acquired Tag Games. In February 2024, Scopely ended its publishing partnership with Global Worldwide game studio on
SECTION 60
#17327839301426696-550: The nightly series and a relaunched daytime series taped in Studio 33 upon the move. The daytime series remained in production until 1991, by which point it had returned to NBC, while continuing to tape at Television City, the syndicated series remained there until 1995. After that, the show moved to its current home at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City , where it occupies Stage 11. Some episodes are also recorded on location,
6804-457: The nighttime Wheel . Sajak was replaced in the daytime by Rolf Benirschke , who was in turn replaced by Bob Goen when the network show moved to CBS. Goen remained as host for the second NBC run. Stafford left in 1982 and was replaced by Vanna White , who remained on the network show for the rest of its run. The show has also had four announcers in its history: Charlie O'Donnell , Jack Clark , M. G. Kelly , and Jim Thornton . Sajak retired from
6912-500: The producers sought a permanent replacement, and a series of substitutes announced, including Gilbert, John Cramer , Joe Cipriano , Rich Fields , Lora Cain, and Jim Thornton . In 2011, Thornton was chosen to be the show's fourth announcer. In season 39, Thornton appeared on-camera at the start of every episode. Wheel of Fortune typically employs a total of 100 in-house production personnel, with 60 to 100 local staff joining them for those episodes that are taped on location. Griffin
7020-516: The program's first and longest tenured announcer. In 1980, NBC was discussing cancelling Wheel and O'Donnell agreed to take the position as announcer on The Toni Tennille Show . The network decided against the cancellation but O'Donnell decided to honor his commitment and left the series. His replacement was Jack Clark , who added the syndicated series to his responsibilities when it premiered in 1983 and announced for both series until his death in July 1988. Los Angeles radio personality M. G. Kelly
7128-555: The puzzle board, including costumed performers of Mickey and Minnie Mouse (during the Secret Santa shows) and Maggie Sajak (Sajak's daughter), the latter of which appeared on the May 10, 2023 episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune , due to White being a contestant. Maggie joined the show as a special correspondent, making appearances similar to the "Clue Crew" on companion program Jeopardy! , in September 2021. On June 12, 2023, Sajak announced he would be leaving Wheel at
7236-416: The puzzle), or attempt to solve the puzzle. Control passes to the next contestant clockwise if the contestant lands on Lose a Turn or Bankrupt, calls a letter not in the puzzle, calls a letter already called in that round, attempts unsuccessfully to solve the puzzle, or takes too much time to call a letter or decide on their next action. Each game also features five toss-up puzzles, in which one random letter
7344-455: The round normally, or "play" and keep calling consonants for $ 1,000 each (without spinning) and buying vowels for $ 250. If the contestant calls an incorrect letter, runs out of time during the Express, or solves the puzzle incorrectly, it is treated as a Bankrupt. The final round of every game is always played at least in part as a "speed-up". At this point, the contestant who is in control of
7452-409: The same category and a common theme. Solving any awards $ 2,000, while solving the third also earns the right to start the fourth round. Beginning in 2021, an additional $ 4,000 is awarded for a total of $ 10,000 if the same contestant solves all three. Contestants may only ring in once for each toss-up puzzle, and no cash is awarded if all three fail to solve; if this occurs, then the contestant closest to
7560-405: The same turn. In later years, it also offered $ 500 per correct letter and $ 500 to the jackpot, regardless of whether or not it was won in that turn. The network version allowed champions to appear for up to five days originally, which was later reduced to three. The syndicated version, which originally retired contestants after one episode, adopted the three-day champion rule in 1989. In 1996, this
7668-462: The screen. By the time production began in December 1974, Woolery was selected to host, the choice being made by Griffin after he reportedly heard Byrnes reciting "A-E-I-O-U" to himself in an effort to remember the vowels. In his autobiography, Byrnes acknowledged being intoxicated during the pilot's taping. Susan Stafford turned the letters on Byrnes' pilot episodes, a role that she also held when
7776-411: The set also includes a used letter board that shows contestants which letters are remaining in play, a scoreboard that is visible from the contestants' perspective, and a countdown clock. The used letter board is also used during the bonus round, and in at least one case, helped the contestant to see unused letters to solve a difficult puzzle. In March 2020, Sony suspended production of the show due to
7884-411: The sets for The $ 25,000 Pyramid and Jeopardy! , redesigned the wheel mechanism, in which the wheel lays flat while a camera zooms in from above. The first incarnation of the wheel was mostly made of paint and cardboard, and has since seen multiple design changes. Until the mid-1990s, the wheel spun automatically during the opening and closing of the show. The current incarnation, in use since 2003,
7992-410: The show an aesthetic that more closely resembled the look and feel that the actual show ended up having, a wheel that was now spun by the contestants themselves, and a lighted mechanical puzzle board with letters that were now manually turnable. Showcase prizes on these pilots were located behind the puzzle board, and during shopping segments a list of prizes and their price values scrolled on the right of
8100-457: The show and Merv Griffin's original concept of a "grand" atmosphere, using an Art Nouveau -influenced style including gold-tinted circles and spokes evoking the wheel itself (including a new puzzle board backdrop inspired by the earlier "wagon wheel" design), and a new video wall that can now slide open for the host's entrance. Shopper's Bazaar used a vertically mounted wheel which was often difficult to see on-screen. Ed Flesh, who also designed
8208-435: The show did not feature a bonus round. However, two experimental bonus rounds were attempted before then. In 1978, some episodes featured a round known as the "Star Bonus", where a star-shaped token was placed on the wheel. Contestants who picked up the token played an additional round at the end of the game to win one of four prizes, whose value determined the difficulty of the puzzle. The contestant provided four consonants and
8316-500: The show on June 7, 2024; Ryan Seacrest replaced Sajak on September 9, 2024. Wheel of Fortune ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States, with 8,000 episodes taped and aired as of June 7, 2024. TV Guide named it the "top-rated syndicated series" in a 2008 article, and in 2013, the magazine ranked it at No. 2 in its list of the 60 greatest game shows ever. The program has also come to gain
8424-464: The show was picked up as a series. The original host of Wheel of Fortune was Chuck Woolery , who hosted the series from its 1975 premiere until December 25, 1981, save for one week in August 1980 when Alex Trebek hosted in his place. Woolery's departure came over a salary dispute with show creator Merv Griffin, and his contract was not renewed. On December 28, 1981, Pat Sajak made his debut as
8532-423: The show; and television stations that broadcast Wheel and/or Jeopardy! , their sister radio stations or newspapers (if any), and those advertising agencies that are affiliated with them. Also ineligible to apply as contestants are individuals who have appeared on a different game show within the previous year, three other game shows within the past ten years, or on any version of Wheel of Fortune itself, including
8640-455: The successor company to original producer Merv Griffin Enterprises ). The production company and copyright holder of all episodes to date is Califon Productions, Inc. , which like SPT has Sony Pictures for its active registered agent, and whose name comes from a New Jersey town where Griffin once owned a farm. The rights to distribute the show worldwide are owned by CBS Media Ventures , into which original distributor King World Productions
8748-582: The title Kingdom Maker and redeployed the Scopely team supporting the project to other games. Less than 15 roles were eliminated as a result of this decision. Scopely remains a strategic investor in Global Worldwide, who continues to operate and publish Kingdom Maker. In January 2012, Scopely launched its first free-to-play mobile game Dice with Buddies , followed that year by Jewels with Buddies and Bubble Galaxy with Buddies , which debuted as
8856-475: The top and bottom rows, 14 in the middle two). During regular gameplay, when a contestant chose a letter that is in the puzzle, the monitors at those positions became illuminated and the hostess touched the right edge of each one to reveal the letter. The puzzle board was refurbished for season 40 in 2022, replacing the individual monitors for each letter with a singular video board, and using lidar sensors for touch input. Although not typically seen by viewers,
8964-418: The values on the wheel wedges increasing after the second round. Unlike the show it evolved into, Shopper's Bazaar had a vertically mounted wheel, which was spun automatically rather than by the contestants. This wheel lacked the Bankrupt wedge and featured a wedge where a contestant could call a vowel for free, as well as a "Your Own Clue" wedge that allowed contestants to pick up a rotary telephone and hear
9072-473: The wedge and see whether its reverse side contains a $ 10,000 cash prize or Bankrupt. Once one is flipped over, the other becomes a standard $ 1,000 space and cannot be flipped. Round 3 is a Prize Puzzle, which offers a prize (usually a trip) to the contestant who solves. Since 2013, this round also has an "Express" wedge. A contestant who lands on this space and calls a correct consonant receives $ 1,000 per appearance. The contestant can then either "pass" and continue
9180-405: The weeks airing October 13 through 17 and November 17 through 21, 2014, as Cisneros was recovering from neck surgery at the time of taping. On September 14, 2015, Ennis was promoted to full-time director. Ennis retired at the end of the 2022–23 season and was replaced by Alex Van Wagner. Wheel of Fortune is owned by Sony Pictures Television (previously known as Columbia TriStar Television ,
9288-404: The wheel directly, and no longer handed lost prizes back to the host, instead placing them in a receptacle behind their podium. In July 2022, the show's producers announced that live studios in-person audiences would return for season 40. At the start of season 40, most other COVID era protocols had also been lifted, with the contestants standing closer together, no longer using the grips to spin
9396-430: The wheel spins one last time (known as the "final spin"). Prior to Season 39, the host performed the final spin. When the final spin lands on a dollar amount, that amount has $ 1,000 added to create the value of a consonant for the rest of the game, and vowels are free. If the final spin lands on anything that is not a dollar amount, another one is performed until one lands on a dollar amount. The contestant in control calls
9504-415: The wheel to determine a dollar value, then guess a consonant. Landing on a dollar amount and calling a correct consonant results in the hostess revealing every instance of that letter, also awarding the value of the spin multiplied by the number of times the letter appears in the puzzle. After a correct consonant, a contestant is able to spin again, buy a vowel for a flat rate of $ 250 (until no more remain in
9612-461: The wheel, and Sajak walking up and down the podium to shake hands/hug contestants at the end of the game. Alan Thicke composed the show's original theme, which was titled "Big Wheels". In 1983, it was replaced by Griffin's own composition, "Changing Keys", to allow him to derive royalties from that composition's use on both the network and syndicated versions. Steve Kaplan became music director starting in 1997, and continued to serve as such until he
9720-416: The winning contestant chooses one of three puzzle categories before the round begins (prior to 2017, the category and puzzle were predetermined). After doing so, the contestant spins a smaller wheel with 24 envelopes to determine the prize. The puzzle is revealed, as is every instance of the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. The contestant provides three more consonants and one more vowel, plus a fourth consonant if
9828-503: Was Clark's replacement, starting on the daytime series in August 1988 and on the syndicated series a month later. Kelly held these positions until O'Donnell was able to return to the announcer position, doing so after his duties with Barris Industries came to an end at the end in 1989. O'Donnell remained with the series until shortly before his death in November 2010. Don Pardo , Don Morrow , and Johnny Gilbert have occasionally served as substitute announcers. After O'Donnell's death,
9936-699: Was Jeff Goldstein, who was succeeded by Dick Carson (a brother of Johnny Carson ) in 1978. Mark Corwin, who had served as associate director under Carson, took over for him upon his retirement at the end of the 1998–99 season, and served as such until he himself died in July 2013 (although episodes already taped before his death continued airing until late 2013). Jeopardy! director Kevin McCarthy , Corwin's associate director Bob Cisneros, and Wheel and Jeopardy! technical director Robert Ennis filled in at various points, until Cisneros became full-time director in November 2013. Ennis returned as guest director for
10044-459: Was always $ 25,000 in cash, and the rest were changed weekly. Any prize that was won was taken out of rotation for the rest of the week. From 1998 to 2001, the $ 25,000 remained in-place for each episode during the entire week, regardless if it was won. In 2001, three car envelopes and two $ 25,000 envelopes were available the entire week of shows. The five-envelope format was replaced by the current bonus wheel on October 22, 2001. From season 19 to 29,
10152-533: Was cancelled for a second and final time. Susan Stafford was the original hostess, serving in that role from the premiere until October 1982. Stafford was absent for two extended periods, once in 1977 after fracturing two vertebrae in her back and once in 1979 after an automobile accident. During these two extended absences, former Miss USA Summer Bartholomew was Stafford's most frequent substitute, with model Cynthia Washington and comedian Arte Johnson also filling in for Stafford. After Stafford left to become
10260-420: Was cancelled that year, ending on September 20, 1991. The network daytime and syndicated nighttime versions aired concurrently from 1983 until the former's conclusion. The network version was originally hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford . Woolery left in 1981, and was replaced by Pat Sajak . Sajak left the network version in January 1989 to host his own late-night talk show , while remaining as host of
10368-636: Was capable of activating the puzzle board letters (which is the primary role of the Wheel hostess) better than anyone else who had auditioned. White became highly popular among the young female demographic, and also gained a fanbase of adults interested in her daily wardrobe, in a phenomenon that has been referred to as "Vannamania". White also hosted the daytime version until its cancellation in 1991, except for one week in June 1986 when Stafford returned so that White could recover after her fiancé, John Gibson, died in
10476-662: Was changed to have the top three winners from the week's first four shows return to compete in the "Friday Finals". When the jackpot wedge was introduced, it began at $ 10,000 instead of $ 5,000 on Fridays. The rules allowing returning champions were eliminated permanently beginning with the syndicated episode aired September 21, 1998, and contestants appear only on a single episode, reverting to the pre-1989 rules. The Friday Finals are occasionally used for special themed weeks, such as in nighttime season 40, using teams consisting of contestants and members of World Wrestling Entertainment as part of WrestleMania XXXIII . Before December 1981,
10584-436: Was downloaded more than one million times on its launch day. In 2019, the company shared Star Trek Fleet Command surpassed $ 50 million in revenue in four months. In 2022, the company acquired the mobile party battle royale game Stumble Guys from Kitka Games . In April 2023, Scopely launched Monopoly Go! . Monopoly Go! became the biggest mobile game of 2023, generating $ 1 billion in revenue. In 2013, Scopely raised
10692-597: Was folded in 2007, while CBS Broadcasting took over broadcasting rights on October 28, 2024. Wheel of Fortune originally taped at NBC Studios in Burbank. The first fourteen years of the daytime series, as well as the first six of the syndicated series, emanated from Studio 4. At the conclusion of the 1988–89 television season, which saw NBC drop the daytime series from its lineup, Wheel left Burbank and production moved to CBS Television City in Los Angeles. Both
10800-467: Was founded in 2011 by Walter Driver, Ankur Bulsara, Eric Futoran and Eytan Elbaz . Previously, Elbaz co-founded Applied Semantics, which was acquired by Google in 2003, and Bulsara was a software developer at MySpace . In 2014, former Disney Interactive and Electronic Arts executive Javier Ferreira joined Scopely. Former Disney Interactive executive Tim O'Brien joined in 2014 as chief revenue officer. In August 2015, Scopely ranked #9 on Inc.'s List of
10908-686: Was killed when the Cessna 421C Golden Eagle he was piloting crashed into a home in Claremont, California , in December 2003. His initial theme was a remix of "Changing Keys", but by 2000, he replaced it with a composition of his own, which was titled "Happy Wheels". Since 2006, music direction has been handled by Frankie Blue and John Hoke. Themes they have written for the show include a remix of "Happy Wheels" and an original rock-based composition. A rearranged version of "Changing Keys" composed by Hoke and performed by Bleeding Fingers Music has been used as
11016-423: Was lost if the contestant hit Bankrupt or failed to solve another puzzle. The shopping element was eliminated from the syndicated version on the episode that aired October 5, 1987, both to speed up gameplay and to alleviate the taxes paid by contestants. However, the network version continued to use shopping until the end of its first NBC run on June 30, 1989. Before the introduction of toss-up puzzles in 2000,
11124-410: Was not credited on any episodes of Wheel , and Deadline subsequently reported that supervising producer Steve Schwartz oversaw the balance of the show's 39th season. Sajak was named a consulting producer in September 2021. On March 23, 2022, Bellamie Blackstone was announced to be a permanent executive producer for Wheel , with Schwartz getting promoted to co-executive producer. John Rhinehart
11232-412: Was not in the puzzle or had already been called in the round. Between September 16, 1996 and 2013, the show featured a progressive Jackpot wedge, which had been in several different rounds in its history. The jackpot began at $ 5,000 and had the value of every spin within the round added to it. To claim the jackpot, a contestant had to land on the wedge, call a correct letter, and solve the puzzle all in
11340-537: Was schoolteacher Bridgette Donald-Blue, who was named Teacher of the Year for 2023 by the California Teachers Association . Sajak's final syndicated episode aired on June 7, 2024. It was announced on July 11, 2024, that because of American Idol auditions likely to occur that will take up Ryan Seacrest's time, Sajak will host the upcoming celebrity season on ABC. Charlie O'Donnell was
11448-504: Was the executive producer of the network version throughout its entire run, and served as the syndicated version's executive producer until his retirement in 2000. Since 1999, the title of executive producer has been held by Harry Friedman , who had shared his title with Griffin for his first year, and had earlier served as a producer starting in 1995. On August 1, 2019, Sony Pictures Television announced that Friedman would retire as executive producer of both Wheel and Jeopardy! at
11556-500: Was the first game with single-player mode developed by Scopely. In November 2013, the company launched the Skee-ball game Skee-ball Arcade , which reached #1 overall in the App Store. In June 2014, Scopely launched Slots Vacation . In July 2014, Scopely acquired Space Inch's Disco Bees . In April 2015, Scopely partnered with Hasbro to launch the only officially licensed Yahtzee game, Yahtzee With Buddies , on iOS, Android and
11664-488: Was the program's first producer, but departed in August 1976 to become NBC's West Coast Daytime Program Development Director. Afterwards, his co-producer, Nancy Jones, was promoted to sole producer, and served as such until 1995, when Friedman succeeded her. In 1997, Karen Griffith and Steve Schwartz joined Friedman as producers. They were later promoted to supervising producers, with Amanda Stern occupying Griffith's and Schwartz's former position. The show's original director
#141858