Wheel of Fortune is a game that looks much easier than it probably is once you’re on a soundstage begging to purchase vowels, which is why turning that experience into an online casino will probably be a safe bet for MGM and Sony TV. In other words: if you’ve always thought you could do better than those jamokes flubbing puzzles in syndication, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is.
As The Hollywood Reporter detailed on Tuesday, Sony is partnering with BetMGM to open an online Wheel of Fortune-branded casino out of the great state of New Jersey. It’s the latest addition to an astonishing 250 different slot machine versions of the syndicated game show’s format that already exist in gambling meccas across the world.
Gambling and game shows have a long history, but the news here is admittedly thin on how it will all actually work. Though the announcement does tease “additional, new ways” to play the Wheel. Presumably with the looming threat of losing a lot of money if you struggle to come up with phrases and things:
“We are delighted to be partnering with BetMGM for the launch of Wheel of Fortune’s very first online casino. With Wheel of Fortune celebrating its 40th season this year, we are pleased to continue offering players additional, new ways to play the games they know and love,” Suzanne Prete, executive vp of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement.
The expansion into online gaming certainly makes sense in theory, and the brand is no stranger to gambling as it’s been a mainstay on casino slot machine floors for years. But exactly how to gamble on your own puzzle solving skills will certainly be interesting to see once it debuts. Does this mean live odds on your own ability to solve a puzzle? Or a more roulette-style game with Wheel-branding? Does digital Pat Sajak roast you when you guess “another feather in your map” instead of “cap?” or do you still need to fly to California to endure all that?
Only time will tell here, but it’s certainly something to ponder if you find yourself in the Garden State later this year.
[via THR]