# The Price is Right: Is the 'Big Wheel' Rigged? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705 "2006-02-09T17:11:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/1 "2006-02-09T17:11:12Z")
I love TPIR, but something still gnaws at me. The ‘Big Wheel’ used in the Showcase Showdown. It would appear that the wheel is fair and random, based on how the contestant “spins” the wheel by bringing it downward. However. on the 1,000,000 Dollar Spectacular shows, Bob Promises that (at least) one contestant will spin for a million dollars. To spin for a million dollars, the contestant must first spin the wheel and get $1.00 (In one spin, or a combination of two spins). So certainly the Big wheel must have an “Invisible Hand” that _sets_ the final spin amount. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/2 "2006-02-09T17:16:20Z")
I seriously doubt its “rigged” as in cheating people. The quiz show debacle back in the 50’s changed the standard by which game and quiz shows were scrutinized. If they were cheating they’d have to find a way to fool the authorities which just does not seem to be worth all the work. > **[The Quiz Show Scandal | American Experience | PBS](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/quizshow/)** > > When CBS premiered "The $64,000 Question" in 1955, the show was more than a hit; it was a national phenomenon. More quiz shows followed. What the audience was to learn, much later, was that many of these shows were fixed. Slowly, painfully, the... ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/3 "2006-02-09T17:22:06Z")
On at least one Million Dollar Spectacular that I saw, late in the game one of the players was simply given the chance to spin for a Million. It seems like he was the big winner going into the showcase showdown, or something. In other words, the easier way to make sure someone spins for a Million is to change the rules under which one earns the right to spin-- not rig the wheel to make sure. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/4 "2006-02-09T17:25:01Z")
> [@](#): > > On the Million Dollar Spectaculars, the bonus was again increased to $1,000,000. Beginning on the fourth MDS, the winner of the Showcase earns a million-dollar spin if there was no bonus spin during either of the episode’s Showcase Showdowns; during these post-Showcase spins, hitting a green section does not earn any money. In the case of both contestants overbidding in the Showcase, a random audience member is called to spin the wheel; such a spinner retains his eligibility to be called as a regular contestant on a future episode. From [Answers.com](http://www.answers.com/topic/the-price-is-right-1) No way is it rigged; discovery of such a thing would destroy the show. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/5 "2006-02-09T17:51:34Z")
I believe Bob is just being encouraging when saying that. He also says, before demonstrating how to do that golf game, that he never misses. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/6 "2006-02-09T17:56:57Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I believe Bob is just being encouraging when saying that. He also says, before demonstrating how to do that golf game, that he never misses. He’s a great golfer. He even beat Happy Gilmore. No, sorry… he \*beat up \* Happy Gilmore. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/7 "2006-02-09T18:40:33Z")
Has anyone ever gotten hurt spiing the big wheel? It’s seems there’s a lot of close calls of people falling over, smacking themselves into the wheel, or getting their hand stuck between the wheel and the wall. Any such case? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/8 "2006-02-09T19:06:39Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Has anyone ever gotten hurt spiing the big wheel? > It’s seems there’s a lot of close calls of people falling over, smacking themselves into the wheel, or getting their hand stuck between the wheel and the wall. A friend of mine in college was on the Price is Right (he ended up winning his showcase). There was a little old lady spinning the wheel before he did, and Bob tried to give her a hand, they got off balance while spinning, and my friend ended up catching Bob before he fell over. Unfortunately, almost nobody ever saw the episode because it was aired on the same day that the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Bush v. Gore, and all the networks were covering it. Wow, now that I see that in print, I hardly believe it myself. I’ve got a video of it somewhere. I’ll see if I can find the bit where Bob almost falls over. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/9 "2006-02-09T19:32:51Z")
Where’s the strangest place you almost fell down? That’d be the Big Wheel, Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/10 "2006-02-09T20:12:38Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Has anyone ever gotten hurt spiing the big wheel? > It’s seems there’s a lot of close calls of people falling over, smacking themselves into the wheel, or getting their hand stuck between the wheel and the wall. > > Any such case? Sick little monkey that I am, I’ve always wanted to see some big guy spin the hell out of the wheel and have break loose and roll towards the audience. Later, you’d see some guy with a giant “50” dented into his chest. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/11 "2006-02-10T17:02:04Z")
There was the one guy who tried to spin the wheel backwards. YES. I kid you not. I didnt work and bob made a comment like "I thought you where just ‘winding up’ " ---
**Author:** ![squeekster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@squeekster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeekster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/12 "2006-02-10T17:24:27Z")
I think it is hilarious when Bob plays with a person that he knows has won the prize. He will go to turn over the card or whatever it is and stop and turn around and ask the contestant another question. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/13 "2006-02-10T18:18:48Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Has anyone ever gotten hurt spiing the big wheel? > It’s seems there’s a lot of close calls of people falling over, smacking themselves into the wheel, or getting their hand stuck between the wheel and the wall. > > Any such case? I remember a clip on one of those Dick Clark/Ed McMahon “Bloopers” shows years ago where somebody was standing under the sign that shows their total (55 cents or whatever). They got excited and jumped up, smacking their head on the sign. I’m pretty sure that the sign got moved in subsequent shows. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/14 "2006-02-14T03:37:57Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Where’s the strangest place you almost fell down? > > That’d be the Big Wheel, Bob. Bravo, Ludovic! hh ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-is-right-is-the-big-wheel-rigged/343705/15 "2006-02-14T19:01:31Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Later, you’d see some guy with a giant “50” dented into his chest. Well, it would be backward, looking like an 02. The guy’s new nickname could be “General Lee”. As for the height of the score sign, they have to try to strike a balance between the average height of most contestants (the majority of whom are female and probably about 5’3") and the relatively rare 6-foot-plus man.