IAmA Wheel of Fortune champion; I never called an incorrect letter, never had an unlucky spin on the wheel, missed only one tossup puzzle, and walked away with $113K in winnings ($62K cash, a new BMW, and a trip to Barbados).

I actually watched that episode when it aired and after all said and done I said that you had to be one of the top winners ever! Congrats.

We’re the other contestants sad or jealous they were up against a wheel master? I felt bad for chad all dressed up

I was the very last one out of the studio (the other two guys left during my bonus round, and I stayed by to film a couple of interviews after signing for my prizes), so I didn't get to interact with either of them afterwards.

Without getting into too much detail, let's just say that I felt a lot worse for George than I did for Chad 😅

What did Chad do? Bad body language?

Personally insulted my height (I'm 5' 6½") prior to taping.

But they have those things you could stand on

Exactly — right before the show, they raised my platform up to match the height of everyone else on stage. After they did that, Chad turned to both of us and said, "Savor this moment, boys! Especially you, Dave — since this is the only time you're ever going to be as tall as us."

Oh shit. It sounds like Chad is 5’8” and finally got to make a small joke to someone.

What a Chad!

A literal Chad.

I read "5' 6 1/2 prior to taping" as if becoming taller was part of your winnings

You haven't even seen my final form!

How much tax do you have to pay on all of that?

I have to pay federal and state tax on everything, plus local sales tax on the car (as if I had purchased it). I plan to sell the car.

Although though my stated winnings were $113,055, I estimate that I will end up with about $65K in usable cash (plus the trip) once all taxes are paid and the car is sold.

65k AFTER you manage to sell the car. So, people don't actually participate in this for the hopes of getting rich I see. Thanks for the answers!

You should google "What really happens to winnings on gameshows" You'll find out a lot of the time that the people who win cars and other vehicles, don't even have the money to afford the taxes on them. It's not really winning something for free when you have to pay all of the taxes.

True. You NEVER want to win the car. Trips suck, too as they are valued way higher than they really are if you booked them yourselves.

Supposedly you can negotiate with the IRS as to being able to get a trip prize cheaper on the open market and pay the lesser tax.

They announce a high MSRP b/c it sounds impressive on-air. Same with crap from "The Price is Right".

Exactly this. My "$11K" trip to Barbados will likely end up actually costing only $4K or so (which is what I'll pay tax on)

My mom was on Wheel of Fortune a while ago and won a trip, which she also had to pay taxes on. She ended up saving a lot by showing the trip was worth much less than the show advertised. The show wants to max that out so it looks like they are giving out more (understandably), but in reality it should have cost much less. She did end up getting audited for this but cleared it up by showing some comparable costs.

This was in the 70s though so not sure if this would still be possible.

The show wants to max that out so it looks like they are giving out more (understandably), but in reality it should have cost much less. She did end up getting audited for this but cleared it up by showing some comparable costs.

This is exactly what was explained to me by the production team. The value they announce on TV is like the absolute most expensive they could make it, but when we actually book and the actual expenses come in way lower, I just save those receipts and show that to the IRS, and pay the taxes on that decreased value.

Weren't you given the option of the cash value instead on the car? I thought that was always an option.

I thought so too, but it wasn't an option explicitly made available to me from the production staff; however, I may be able to work something out with the dealership themselves.

My wife was on fortune and we had to pay roughly 37.5% tax on all winnings.

That's about what my back-of-napkin math came up with -- including the other costs of me acquiring and selling the car, I'm expecting about a 40% haircut off the "face value" of my winnings.

Did they ever cut and redo a shot? For instance, does Pat ever mess up what he's saying and have to redo it?

Does Pat have a teleprompter?

They did a couple of re-shoots during the whole taping day (but not because Pat stumbled over his words).

The only "teleprompter" Pat has is the digital scoreboard off-stage (which you'll notice him looking at frequently when he does his spiel between rounds). This is where he's getting all of the information about whose turn it is, how much each contestant has won, their prizes, etc.

Aside from that, he's just making up his jokes and banter on the fly (and is really funny and makes you feel very at ease under the bright studio lights.)

How much time does it take to complete an episode? Are you in the studio for hours?

I was in the studio from 7:30am - 6:45pm (we ran a little late due to technical difficulties). My show was the last of six being filmed that day, so I was in it for the long-haul (other contestants got to go home after their episodes were done).

Barring no unforeseen glitches, the episode films more or less in real-time (though my episode took probably 40-45 minutes to film because of a couple of production/technical glitches.)

Wow! Long day!! Thanks for the response!

Yeah, it's a very long day, but very well worth it. Lots of paperwork, briefings about the rules, hair/makeup, coaching from the production team, a dress rehearsal, etc. The staff is amazing -- they keep everyone happy and well-fed throughout the entire thing (we're sequestered in the studio without access to our cell phones the entire time).

Good snacks? A meal?

Really good bagels and sandwiches (and a wide variety of snacks and soft drinks to keep us well fed throughout the long day) :)

Have you ever had professional hair and make up before? What did you think about the results?

I've had professional makeup done before (photoshoots with the SF Gay Men's Chorus). Since my hair at the time was essentially a buzz-cut, there was nothing to do there :P

SF Gay Men's Chorus. Were you a part of the Actual Cannibal Shia Labouf video from a few years back?

I think that was in 2012 (a few years before my time) 😅

How were your nerves as you waited? How do you destress?

I had a CBD gummy in the morning, and then another one at the beginning of the game before mine -- that seemed to help :)

Does Wheel ever bring champions back for special rounds the way Jeopardy does? Maybe if they don’t, you can suggest it😜

They used to have a returning-champion format back in the 80s/90s (if you won, you got to return, up to five days). A lot of people on the internet have clamored for a Tournament of Champions for Wheel, but it's never happened. I'm definitely willing to spearhead the effort, since there have been numerous contestants in recent history that people would love to see again :)

I'm definitely willing to spearhead the effort,

I bet you are. That's another fat payday. Man, I'd love to try out for the show if I didn't have such crippling stage fright. Wheel is my shit!

I feel you about the stage fright thing -- I was most nervous about my chit-chat interview with Pat (but that didn't end up being the disaster I thought it would be hahaha).

What are you planning to do with the money? (And do you have much left after taxes)

I have to pay federal and state tax on everything, plus local sales tax on the car (as if I had purchased it). I plan to sell the car.

Although though my stated winnings were $113,055, I estimate that I will end up with about $65K in usable cash (plus the trip) once all taxes are paid and the car is sold.

I don't get the money and the car until August, so my plans for the money will really be determined by what the world looks like by then; at a minimum, I planned on putting new siding on my home, so there's that :P

Awesome!! Are you going on the trip? Is there a deadline for when you have to go?

I plan to. We have between 100-365 days from our airdate to take the trip, but I've heard from other recent contestants that they are being a little more lenient on the far end of that range because of the ongoing pandemic situation. I'm (tentatively) planning to go take the trip in January 2021 (my birthday), which should also hopefully be enough time for the pandemic to subside. I'm able to reschedule at least once if needed.

Do you have to travel from a certain airport? I know the Price is Right always says their trips are for travel from Los Angeles to wherever the trip is to, but idk if that’s the case for other shows.

We're allowed to fly from the nearest major airport to our home address as stated on all of our paperwork :)

You don’t get paid till August?! That’s kinda fucked.

It's pretty standard practice in game shows, especially when you consider the taxes, legal paperwork, and prize vendors involved. Trust me, I'm not mad at all about having to wait four months :)

How much does Chad hate you?

Haven't had any contact with him since the show (didn't even get to say good game or anything to him, since I was the last one out of the studio that day).

I suspect there may be a bit of animosity 😅

If there is, I suspect that it’s all on him. You seem like a nice dude.

Congrats on your loot haul!

He's more than a nice dude; he saved a fellow singer's life by donating a part of his liver!

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/12/23/liver-transplant-gay-mens-chorus-singers/

/u/wheelmasterdave how is Ross doing now?

Ross is doing well! We had a lovely phone call the day after my episode aired :)

What happened?

Chad was on my right, so I always took my turns after him; any time he had an unlucky wheel spin or called a bad letter, the puzzle would pass to me -- once I got a control of a puzzle, I literally never let it go.

Also, the whole bit about him making fun of my height prior to taping :P

Is Sajak really 5'10"? I'm not buying it.

Also, any insight into the Pat Vanna affair thing appreciated.

I think he's a little shorter than that -- I'm 5' 6½", and didn't feel that much shorter when I stood next to him during the bonus round.

I've got nothing to contribute as far as any alleged affairs :P

Congrats on the big wins!

Who pays for the trip? Is it donated by the sponsor? Which hotel in the Barbados? Is the car given to you by BMW corporate or a local dealership? I’ve always been curious about these brand partnerships with the show. Is Pat Seajack as nice as they say he is?

The trip is paid for by the production company -- I just provide them with my desired travel dates (which have to be between 100-365 days from the airdate, and cannot include holiday/blackout dates). I'll be staying at The Crane.

The car is coming from a local dealership in L.A. and will be driven up to my home in Santa Cruz (on the Central Coast).

Pat is really amiable, quick-witted, and funny -- he makes you feel very at ease under the bright studio lights :)

Awesome. Do you know which local dealership is the sponsor? Curious to see who owns it (if it’s like a big owner like Penske).

Nice to hear he’s as awesome as I heard he was.

Nick Alexander BMW in L.A.

I believe this is the exact car that I sat in at the end of the bonus round:

https://www.alexanderbmw.com/new/BMW/2020-BMW-X2-80c605d90a0d0cc771fb374575d71587.htm

The Crane is pretty fancy - nice! We were in Barbados in January this year (before everything went down) and stayed in a cheap place, and really enjoyed it. Great weather, beaches and people were super friendly. Do get out of the resort and travel around the island a bit - try taking the buses (3.50 Barbados$ a ticket as far as they go) and enjoy being in a tight crowd.

I'm definitely tempted to do some more exploring, but unfortunately, Barbados as a whole is not a particularly LGBTQ-friendly nation -- I've been told not to expect any sort of harassment while on resort property or some of the more touristy areas, but going out and about may have mixed results.

Hi from Aptos. Congrats on the win!

Thanks, Aptosian! :D

What kind of interactions did you have with the other contestants? What were they like?

We (the 18 contestants filming that day) hung out together in the studio all day; we were all there since 7:30am, then we all left after our shows were filmed (I was the very last one out at 6:45pm). When we weren't being briefed by the staff, filling out paperwork, or having our hair and makeup done, we had a lot of time to hang out, chill, and shoot the shit while the other contestants were filming their episodes.

Without getting into too much detail, let's just say that I felt worse for trouncing George than I did for trouncing Chad :P

Do you all go out for drinks later?

Nope -- I had no contact with of my competitors after that and went straight to LAX after leaving the studio (although I did run into another contestant while having a celebratory pre-flight cocktail at the airport) :)

Is Vanna nice as she seems?

She is legitimately one of the authentically sweetest human beings I've ever met. She actually came into the green room when we were getting our morning production briefing just to wish us all good luck -- she was in street clothes and hadn't done hair/makeup yet!

What skills/talents of yours would you attribute part or all of your success to? Like, what traits/skills/characteristics might make one successful at the Wheel of Fortune game?

Puzzle solving skills are huge — playing the mobile game for about 10-15 hours a week in the month leading up to taping was pretty critical.

As a singer/performer, I already had the stage presence and voice projection / diction that the casting team likes to see, and a somewhat easier time being on a brightly lit stage (since I'm already accustomed to it).

That, and genuine enthusiasm for yourself and others makes for a good contestant :)

How much did luck contribute? Is your brain weird? Did you watch endless price of right to prepare?

Luck definitely played a factor -- I'd almost argue it was an equal split between luck and skill that got me my decisive win. I spun the wheel a total of 13 times during the game and never hit a single penalty space (if my math is correct, the chances of this happening are only about 12%).

I would definitely say my brain is a little "weird", especially after a somewhat-obsessive amount of practice with the mobile game. I didn't watch a bunch of Price is Right prepare, but I do still love that show quite a bit :)

How much did the BMW cost in maintenance? Which BMW?

Don't know yet -- I won't take possession of the car for about another four months or so. It's a brand-new 2020 X2 crossover SUV.

How was the food?

Wasn't too bad, actually — some really good bagels and sandwiches from a local deli that the studio has been using for years. Plus a fridge full of soft drinks and a table full of snacks that we could help ourselves to all day :)

Did they have Coke and Pepsi or were they loyal to one brand?

There was a pretty wide variety in the fridge -- I think they're more concerned about happy contestants than brand loyalty :)

Do you think the wheel is rigged? Always seems to catch people at the worst time.

Absolutely not. The wheel itself is much smaller than I imagined (5-6 feet in diameter) but weighs over 2,200 pounds ; there's no way to "aim" it (or otherwise try to control its movement) — you just reach over, grab a spoke (with the thumbs-up technique the production staff teaches you), pull towards you, and push away with vigor -- the rest is all up to fate at that point :)

I was on the show in 2011. I was shocked how heavy the wheel was.

Right! Definitely threw me for a loop (as did the size of the puzzle board — I didn't expect it to be that big in real life)

Thanks :) my wife and I often find ourselves saying "here comes a bankrupt!"

Each spin has about a 10% chance of landing on Bankrupt and a 5% chance of landing on Lose-a-Turn -- over a large number of spins, it's bound to happen eventually (but thankfully not to me) :)

Have you always been a fan? Have you tried to get on for years and it just finally worked out? Or was this all sort of just random in its design? Any other shows you have been on or attempted to join? Congrats on the win!

I've been watching Wheel since I was about 2 years old -- my parents credit it for teaching me how to read, and they will attest to me waddling around the house saying "I'd like to buy a vowel" as a toddler hahahaha.

I think this was only the second or third time that I had attempted to audition via a Wheel-Mobile event (and it just happened to work!). I'm also a huge fan of Jeopardy! (and have made it to callback editions for that show twice). I still plan on trying to make it on Jeopardy! (but I just have to wait something like 12-18 months before I'm eligible) :)

So you’re not eligible because of your appearance on WoF?

Exactly — each show's policy is a little different, but there's generally a clause that you're not eligible to compete on a game show if you've been on any other shows within X amount of time.

Why do some contestants spend money buying vowels when the puzzle is pretty much already solved? It seems that they're just throwing away money and it's infuriating.

If you truly don't know the puzzle, and there are some vowels still left in the puzzle, buying one of them is the safest thing to do, as you are far more likely to get a correct vowel than a correct consonant.

The secret to big winnings (aside from luck on the wheel) is to never relinquish control of the puzzle ;)

Speaking of not giving up control, I never got why contestants had any issue starting the Express, with even the odd person refusing it. Express can only increase the odds of success over normal play.

This! It's worth more than any other space on the Wheel (except prize wedges and top-dollar wedges) and eliminates the risk of spinning Bankrupt.

This is awesome! Congratulations! I would love to hear all about how you became a contestant? Did you do a submission video? Would love to see!

I have been wanting to submit something myself, which is why I ask. Thanks!

My improbable journey to game show fame started back in September 2019; the Graton Resort & Casino (about an hour north of San Francisco, where I was living at the time) was hosting a Wheel-Mobile event -- I didn’t get called up on stage, but I happened to be one of the lucky ones whose name was drawn after the end of the event, earning me a spot at the in-person auditions in late January.

The in-person audition was high-energy and super fun (and a bit stressful, since I was 10-15 minutes late after sitting through multiple traffic accidents on my 75-mile drive to San Francisco). My hands and jaw were sore from clapping and smiling so much throughout the morning. We did some warmups/practice, then all took turns playing a mock version of the game before took a five-minute written test. When it was my turn to call letters, I was able to correctly guess two letters in the puzzle in progress, then I was able to solve (“BALLOT & PANDORA’S BOX”). I got an awesome WoF hat and a signed headshot of Vanna White as my prize :)

About 2½ weeks later (in mid-February), I got the magic letter in the mail informing me that I had been chosen for the show, and to await a call from the production team to inform me when my taping date would be (which could have been anywhere from a few weeks to 18 months out.) It wasn’t too much longer that they called and asked if I could come down and be in the studio on March 12 – I accepted without hesitation. From that point on, I started playing a lot of the mobile game on my phone for practice (probably an unhealthy amount, to be honest).

You should totally submit a video! That's how recent darling contestant Christian Dixie made it to the show :)

As a fellow WoF champion from the April 20, 2011 episode I’m interested to see if you’d get the bonus puzzle I failed to solve. We had the usual RSTLNE & added C D P & I.

D _ N E _ _ _ _ _

Think you can solve it?

Edit: The category was thing.

I would say DUNEBUGGY, but I thought that was two words?

Have you become more of an asshole driver since getting the BMW? Have you forgotten how to use turn signals? I'm just wondering if the rule applies when it's a prize instead of a purchase.

My neighbor who saw my show asked the same thing hahahaha. Ask me again in about four months (when I actually get to take delivery of it) :P

Did anyone fart during the show?

I resisted the urge :P

Is playing in the studio like 10x harder than when watching in front of the tv?

Surprisingly, no (not for me, at least). The puzzle board is massive and takes up most of your field of vision when you look at it, so it was kind of easy to tune out the cameras, and everything else in the studio.

Do you have the option to take the cash value of the car instead of the car?

Not explicitly, but I may be able to work something out with the dealership privately :)

What do you think of Randy Marsh's (South Park) performance on the show?

I think he should be brought back due to "technical glitches" 😂

Can I just give you a "fuck you", Simply because I'm jealous?

Gladly accepted.

I saw your show! You were an amazing player, congrats to you! My question: do you feel bad for the 2 people you played against?? I felt bad for them

Felt bad for George, but had no remorse trouncing Chad :P

Do you always have that picture on your fridge? Why?

I won that signed headshot of Vanna when I solved the puzzle during my audition in San Francisco back in late January -- it's only been up for a couple months.

How long does the shooting of the show take ? and, what's the process behind getting selected as a contestant

I was in the studio from 7:30am - 6:45pm (we ran a little late due to technical difficulties). My show was the last of six being filmed that day, so I was in it for the long-haul (other contestants got to go home after their episodes were done).

Barring no unforeseen glitches, the episode films more or less in real-time (though my episode took probably 40-45 minutes to film because of a couple of production/technical glitches.)

As far as becoming a contestant:

My improbable journey to game show fame started back in September 2019; the Graton Resort & Casino (about an hour north of San Francisco, where I was living at the time) was hosting a Wheel-Mobile event -- I didn’t get called up on stage, but I happened to be one of the lucky ones whose name was drawn after the end of the event, earning me a spot at the in-person auditions in late January.

The in-person audition was high-energy and super fun (and a bit stressful, since I was 10-15 minutes late after sitting through multiple traffic accidents on my 75-mile drive to San Francisco). My hands and jaw were sore from clapping and smiling so much throughout the morning. We did some warmups/practice, then all took turns playing a mock version of the game before took a five-minute written test. When it was my turn to call letters, I was able to correctly guess two letters in the puzzle in progress, then I was able to solve (“BALLOT & PANDORA’S BOX”). I got an awesome WoF hat and a signed headshot of Vanna White as my prize :)

About 2½ weeks later (in mid-February), I got the magic letter in the mail informing me that I had been chosen for the show, and to await a call from the production team to inform me when my taping date would be (which could have been anywhere from a few weeks to 18 months out.) It wasn’t too much longer that they called and asked if I could come down and be in the studio on March 12 – I accepted without hesitation. From that point on, I started playing a lot of the mobile game on my phone for practice (probably an unhealthy amount, to be honest) 📷

Congrats on your big win! I have been on WWTBAM and Jeopardy, and I would love to complete the “trifecta” by getting on Wheel. Do you have any recommendations on how to prepare or audition for Wheel specifically? Did you watch a lot of episodes in preparation?

That's awesome! I'm definitely still trying to make J! some day :)

Best advice for Wheel is to download the mobile game and play it almost obsessively :P

Does Pat have a brake pedal that we don’t see to stop the wheel on bankrupt more often??

Nope — the only way that wheel slows is through natural loss of intertia (or manually grabbing it to slow it down, as we did many times in rehearsal for time's sake) 😜

You mentioned there being technical malfunctions causing the episode to run late - what sort of issues were there? I assume nothing crazy like sparks coming out from the wheel or anything like that.

After a few rounds, they wanted to change the backdrop behind us to a different shot of San Francisco, but for some reason, that was taking a lot longer than it seemed like it needed to hahahaha.

And they ended-up throwing out one of the triple-toss-up puzzles and have us play a new one (presumably because it didn't match the category).