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Wheel of Fortune strategies [fabulous and exciting bonus prizes] (update in OP)
RUNN1NGMAN
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, my sister is going to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune during their military week, and they are filming Thursday. She's taking a poll of what three consonants and one vowel she should choose if she gets to the bonus round. As you know, the show gives you R, S, T, L, N, and E by default.
Also, does anyone else have any tips for her? She's been watching the show religiously for the last two months, but I haven't watched it since I was a kid, so I can't really offer anything. It's not exactly rocket science, but I would enjoy seeing her win, and receiving the wonderful gifts she will buy me afterwards 8-)
UPDATE: The show's scheduled for Feb. 24. Apparently in some markets it's being preempted by the Prez. If you watch it, she'll be the Coast Guard chick.
Also, does anyone else have any tips for her? She's been watching the show religiously for the last two months, but I haven't watched it since I was a kid, so I can't really offer anything. It's not exactly rocket science, but I would enjoy seeing her win, and receiving the wonderful gifts she will buy me afterwards 8-)
UPDATE: The show's scheduled for Feb. 24. Apparently in some markets it's being preempted by the Prez. If you watch it, she'll be the Coast Guard chick.
RUNN1NGMAN on
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- Solve the prize puzzle at all costs. 90% of the players who advance to the bonus round do so on the value of the trip awarded as part of the prize puzzle. Even if you have no money, if you get the puzzle right, you get the trip.
- If possible, try to take an early lead. This will result in the other two players taking more chances to get more money before solving the puzzle, which increases thier odds of hitting the bankrupcy/Lose a turn space on the wheel. Conversely, if you fall behind early, don't be stupid and keep spinning to try to make up lost ground. An extra $300 isn't going to help you if you lose the $3000 you earned up to that point.
- Prior to her going on the show, have her look at words and phrases relating to the military. Wheel of Fortune always tries to relate at least one of the fastest-finger puzzles to the theme week somehow.
- During the "time's up" final puzzle, don't guess vowels. You get nothing for them, and if you don't get the puzzle, the other two contestants now have a leg up.
- As Thanatos pointed out, A, H, D & C are the most-commonly used letters in the English alphabet. Stay away from Q, Z, X, V.
Let us know how she manages.
The only two letters that are words by themselves are "A" and "I".
Wheel strategy is everything. In the first round, try to win a few thousand dollars- hopefully someone paid for a little extra advertising space and the $2,500 wedge is double-sized. If so, abuse that sucker for all it's worth. If someone grabs the $1 Million wedge, don't panic- it's just going to be sweeter when they nail a Bankrupt and have to hand it in. Same thing with the Wild Card- you can use the card to call an extra letter on that particular wedge you're on, or you can turn it in during the bonus round for an extra consonant. Save it if you get it.
Jackpot round- Don't get greedy. If you manage to land on the Jackpot space, remember that it has no value. Call a letter, solve it if you know it. Otherwise spin away.
Prize Puzzle is like free money- essentially, you solve this and you get a free trip worth between $5,000 to $7,000. This can put someone in a big lead real quick if it pops on the first puzzle.
Big Money Wedge- This is dangerous. I've seen it have values of $500, $750, $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, and even $25,000. If someone racks up a shitload of cash, don't panic. This is only going to stress them out. Of course, it can also be a Bankrupt or a Lose-A-Turn. So keep an eye on it, and try to spin past it if it's showing low or no money.
Mystery Round- The only reason to check to see if the wedge is the $10,000 prize is if you land on it, call a letter, there's only one of that letter in the puzzle, and you have barely any money. If it's a close game, take the $1,000 per letter- it's better than throwing away all the money you had that round so far because you wanted to get greedy.
The "hurry-up" round can make or break the game. Pat spins the wheel, whatever comes up on the red arrow has $1,000 added to it and that's the value of each consonant. That means a consonant could be worth between $1,300 and $6,000, depending on how accurate Pat is.
Finally, tell her to relax- it's just a game, and even if she doesn't win anything, they'll give her $1,000 just for being there. Plus she'll be on TV. She should relax, have fun, and see if she can't win something.
*legal note: She'll have to pay state and federal taxes on everything she wins, so it might just be a good idea to get a load of money in the bonus round instead of a car.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
This includes those trips. A radio news lady I listen to occasionally tells a story of almost going bankrupt after winning a sailboat and a nice vacation on Wheel.
Of course, my mom went on down during Drew Carey's first week on Price is Right. The distributor screwed up, and she got 2 jukeboxes instead of 1. So there's an upside to the stupidity of others...
The top marginal tax rate is about 35% IIRC, so this would be about right. Though unless you're already pushing into some of the higher brackets you should wind up with a little more than that...if you're making something like $50K a year when you go on the show, and win $1M, then you should only be paying the top rates on maybe $750K.
But yeah, basically expect to lose about a third.
And yes, taxes on winnings are a pretty big issue for game shows that award merchandise instead of money. Even more so for trips, I'd imagine, since those would be harder to unload than something like a car.
I'm not sure about Wheel of Fortune, but I know certian shows give you the option of accepting the cash equivlent of the trip you've won instead of the trip...but you still need to pay taxes on it, and they are going to screw you in terms of the value.
True, but getting less cash than the trip is worth, minus taxes even, is better than being stuck taking a trip that you can't afford (because you can't afford the taxes). And still better than a kick in the nuts.
A car, on the other hand, I'd be keeping like a motherfucker. Because I can probably get nearly enough to pay the taxes by selling mine, and the rest I could finance. Well worth it.
Anyway, I guess the point is that these are things you need to think about before going on such a show, in addition to strategies to actually winning.
In other news, Pat Sajak is still alive?!
Fixed that for you
Also keep in mind (depending on where you live) the state is going to want to take its share of your winnings in addition to the federal taxes.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
Also, she was very grateful for the tips everyone gave...they really helped! I could tell you how she did, if you can't stand the suspense...
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
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It would be cool if you tell me how your sister did. That way, when her episode comes on I'll predict everything that happens and blow my wife's mind. I'll be like Marty McFly with the sports almanac in Back to the Future 2.