Known
variously as Money Wheel,
Big 6 Wheel and Wheel of Fortune,
this familiar game is based
on a popular carnival attraction
that has its roots in the
days of chariot warfare.
In the aftermath of battle,
victorious soldiers often
contested over the spoils
of their fallen enemy. Anxious
to avoid further bloodshed
among their troops, commanders
encouraged using games of
chance to settle disputes.
Those upended chariots strewn
across the battlefield served
this purpose nicely: A spear
was thrust into the soil next
to the wheel to serve as a
reference point, and each
contestant made his mark on
the rim between two spokes.
The wheel was given a good
spin, and the soldier whose
mark settled closest to the
spear won the prize without
a fight.
As swords were beat into
plowshares, former soldiers
brought their spinning game
of chance to country festivals
celebrating the harvest. One
adaptation lead to the smaller
horizontal wheels of Roulette,
but the large vertical wheel
remained a fixture of festivals
because it could be easily
seen by a crowd of people
gathered in the fairway. That
tradition has carried on to
this day at many local carnivals
and is even the centerpiece
of a popular TV game show
from America now shown all
over the world.
Because of its popularity
and easy-to-play premise,
Money Wheel is probably the
first game you'll see when
walking into most casinos.
It usually has a crowd pressing
in from all sides, gasping
and cheering as the wheel
comes to a full stop. Part
of the thrill is watching
with anticipation as the wheel
slows down and each outcome
passes by more slowly than
the last. Will it stop on
this one? Or keep on to the
next? Place your bets and
join the fun!
