BetMGM Sponsors Progressive Jackpot and Brings Back Free Spin During Wheel of Fortune’s “Big Winners Tournament”
Partnering with viral answer contestant for social content
BetMGM is taking another spin at sponsoring a week of Wheel of Fortune episodes after celebrating “Big Money Week” in May. The leading sports betting and iGaming operator is sponsoring Wheel of Fortune “BetMGM Big Winners Tournament” scheduled to air Sept. 30 – Oct. 4.
Tournament-style play makes its return to Wheel of Fortune with the three highest scoring winners during the first four episodes returning for a “Friday Face-Off.” A BetMGM-sponsored progressive jackpot starts at $5,000 per episode and increases with each spin. Daily Jackpots will go into a cumulative Tournament Jackpot which will be played for by the contestant who makes it to Friday’s Bonus Round. The Jackpot is only won by a possible “Big Winner” during the final Bonus Round on Friday if they solve the Bonus Puzzle.
Bringing back an iconic gameplay element, BetMGM will be reintroducing the classic “Free Spin” token. For the entire week, each spinning round will feature a” BetMGM Free Spin” token on the wheel. When a contestant successfully lands and collects a “BetMGM Free Spin” token, they may use it to continue their turn when they otherwise wouldn’t. Examples for when a contestant would use the “BetMGM Free Spin” token include if they ask for a letter that is already in the Puzzle, ask for a letter that is not in the Puzzle, land on a LOSE A TURN or BANKRUPT, purchase a vowel not in the Puzzle, or make an incorrect guess at the solution in the Puzzle.
BetMGM is bringing back Wheel of Fortune contestant Tavaris Williams who went viral for his unique and hilarious incorrect attempt to solve the puzzle during “Big Money Week.” BetMGM is giving Williams a “second chance” for his mishap and he will be featured in social content across BetMGM channels throughout the week.
“There were so many great moments during ‘Big Money Week’ including the 8,000th Wheel of Fortune episode, the Nightly Progressive jackpot, and of course, Tavaris’ viral response,” said BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost. “It was an easy decision to sponsor another week of Wheel of Fortune excitement with their new host Ryan Seacrest, and we look forward to celebrating ‘Big Winners’ on the show and the BetMGM app.”
Sony Pictures Television and BetMGM will integrate BetMGM branding into Wheel of Fortune’s “Big Winners Tournament” featuring on-set placements including:
- Co-branded graphics displayed in the center monitor.
- In-show displays of BetMGM’s logo on host Ryan Seacrest’s monitor.
- A BetMGM Free Spin Wheel wedge, which allows players to extend their turn if they land on bankrupt or lose a turn during the first three spinning rounds.
- A BetMGM jackpot ticker appearing above the puzzle board during each episode.
Recently, BetMGM has solidified itself as the online casino and sportsbook for big winners and second chances. In August, a New Jersey player won a $6.5 million progressive jackpot at BetMGM Casino. It is the largest jackpot awarded in the history of the legalized U.S. online casino industry. Ahead of the start of the football season, BetMGM’s enhanced sports betting app introduced its “Second Chance” promotion. If you place a straight bet on a player to score the first touchdown of the game, you will automatically get back your wager if that player scores on the second touchdown of the game.
Home viewers can participate in the action by going to www.wheeloffortune.com to register for the chance to win the Daily Jackpot during the first four episodes.
Further extending the Wheel of Fortune relationship, registered players on BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and Ontario can spin the Big Money Wheel daily for a chance at casino bonuses, bonus spins, a Wheel of Fortune Studio tour, or $5,000.
Wheel of Fortune-themed slot games have been a prominent staple on casino floors for more than 25 years.
BetMGM collaborated with IGT to launch Wheel of Fortune Online Casino, North America’s first brand-led online casino in March 2023 and launched Wheel of Fortune Online Casino in Ontario in August 2024.
An iconic American game show, Wheel of Fortune‘s 42nd season premiered in September 2024 and is one of the highest-rated syndicated game shows. Wheel of Fortune reaches 21.5 million unique viewers each week and averages more than 9.1 million viewers nightly.
As BetMGM continues to expand into new jurisdictions, responsible gaming education remains a key focus. BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly, including GameSense, an industry-leading program developed and licensed to MGM Resorts by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Through the GameSense integration within BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, customers can directly access responsible gaming tools.
For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on X (formerly Twitter).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US), Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). Subject to eligibility requirements. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in Ontario.
About BetMGM
BetMGM is a market leading sports betting and gaming entertainment company, pioneering the online gaming industry. Born out of a partnership between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and Entain Plc (LSE: ENT), BetMGM has exclusive access to all of MGM’s U.S. land-based and online sports betting, major tournament poker, and online gaming businesses. Utilizing Entain’s U.S.-licensed, state-of-the-art technology, BetMGM offers sports betting and online gaming via market-leading brands including BetMGM, Borgata Casino, Party Casino and Party Poker. Founded in 2018, BetMGM is headquartered in New Jersey. For more information, visit http://www.casino.betmgm.com.
About Wheel of Fortune
With more than 20 million viewers per week, Wheel of Fortune continues to be one of the most successful shows in history. Currently in its 41st season in syndication, the game show has earned seven Emmy Awards including a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show. Wheel of Fortune is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. It is distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures and internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution, both divisions of Paramount.