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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! |
