Roulette isn’t the only game played using a wheel. There are dozens of other games out there that use a wheel as a way to create games of chance. A spin of a wheel creates a dramatic moment when anything feels possible, and that tension of the wheel lasts a lot longer than the roll of a die or the turn of a card.
Read on to see some of the most popular games which use a wheel to make things more exciting for players.
Big Six Wheel
The Big Six wheel is a mainstay in most casinos, especially in the United States. In this game, a large vertical wheel is spun that contains dollar bills and other symbols at each stop. Players have the chance to bet on what symbol the wheel will stop on, with various prizes being awarded if they guess correctly.
Usually, you’ll find $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 bills around the wheel, with each paying out that exact amount for a $1 bet. Of course, there are far more low value symbols than higher ones, making them easier to hit. There are usually a couple of special symbols as well that pay out at 40-1, giving the game a sort of mini-jackpot.
Big Six is generally known as a sucker bet, as the house edge on each betting option is usually well over 10%. However, some games offer slightly better odds and, since Big Six usually has a very low minimum bet, it’s often fun to slap down a dollar or two at the table and hope to get lucky.
Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune is known around the world as one of the greatest game shows ever created. The game has been on American television since 1975, with players spinning a wheel to win prizes while also trying to solve word puzzles. Letters are slowly revealed as players land on prizes in the wheel, guessing letters to fill in the puzzles in the style of Hangman. The show has now been produced in several different countries and remains popular to this day.
Wheel of Fortune has also become part of the casino landscape. Not only is Wheel of Fortune a nickname for the Big Six game described above, but most casinos feature the Wheel of Fortune slot machine. This is a game that allows players to enter a bonus round where they can spin a wheel of their own and win enormous prizes. Online casinos feature plenty of these machines too, either under the original name or with slight variations such as “Wheel of Wealth.”
Drinking Roulette
As you might have guessed, drinking roulette is not a game you’re likely to play in the casino. Instead, it’s a fun drinking game designed to be played with friends in the comfort of your own home.
There are a few different variations of drinking roulette, but the most interesting ones actually use a mock roulette wheel that has shot glass holders around the outside. Players can spin the wheel and when the ball stops they must take a shot of the associated drink. Some players make the game a bit more of a mystery by making only some of the drinks alcoholic, anile others can be plain water or other beverages. While caution is advised when playing these games, they’re certainly an interesting and amusing take on roulette!
Le Multicolore
If you’re looking for an odd combination of two popular games, the French pastime of Le Multicolore is a great example. In this game, a roulette-like wheel is placed at one end of a billiards table. The wheel has 25 cups in it – one blue cup along with six each that are green, red, yellow and white. The blue cup has the number 24 on it, while the cups of other colors are distributed as follows: one cup has a number four, two cups have a number 2, and three cops have the number 3.
Players make bets based on where they believe the ball will land. The croupier then hits a ball with a cue, sending it down a rail and into the wheel. Eventually, the ball falls into a hole, with players winning if the ball lands in the color of their choice. The payout is determined by the number on that cup. For instance, if you bet on yellow and the ball lands in yellow 4, you win at 4-1 odds. The blue cup pays the largest payout of 24-1.
Pole Chudes
Pole Chudes is the Russian version of Wheel of Fortune and has proven to be a popular television show in its own right. However, there are a few notable differences on the show. For instance, players are generally given more clues with which to help solve the puzzle and there are bonuses found around the wheel, such as x2 spaces that double a player’s score.
Players can also be eliminated from the game by failing to solve a puzzle, or by taking a “buy out” prize that removes them from a game round but gives them a smaller prize as compensation.