The Million-Dollar Wedge is one of the gameplay elements on Wheel of Fortune.
History[]
The Million-Dollar Wedge debuted on September 8, 2008. It replaced the $10,000 Wedge.
A special wedge on the pink $500 (orange $800 before Season 31) which offers a chance at $1,000,000 in the Bonus Round; it has a shiny, green, one-peg-wide "ONE MILLION" in the middle, with one-peg-wide Bankrupts on either side. The contestant must hit the wedge, call a correct letter, and solve that round's puzzle without losing it to Bankrupt. If s/he then wins the game without hitting Bankrupt, the $100,000 envelope on the Bonus Wheel is replaced by the $1,000,000 envelope.
The reverse of the wedge has "ONE MILLION DOLLARS" in curved, green text surrounding a dollar sign. An identical design was originally present on the $1,000,000 envelope, which changed in Season 27 to a plain-text envelope with "ONE" in smaller letters and "MILLION" in much larger letters.
In Season 40 during XL weeks, should a contestant take the wedge to the Bonus Round, a second Million Dollar Envelope is placed on the Bonus Wheel.
Since its inception, the $1,000,000 bonus envelope has been hit thirteen times:
- October 14, 2008 (contestant Michelle Loewenstein won it by solving LEAKY FAUCET)
- May 30, 2013 (contestant Autumn Erhard won it by solving TOUGH WORKOUT; episode was originally scheduled for the 31st)
- September 17, 2014 (contestant Sarah Manchester won it by solving LOUD LAUGHTER; episode was originally scheduled for the 18th)
- April 2, 2015 (contestant Whitney Shields lost it by failing to solve WITHOUT A DOUBT)
- November 15, 2017 (contestants Frank Harary and Laurel Haim lost it by failing to solve BAKED ZUCCHINI)
- December 21, 2017 (contestant Eva Klentos lost it by failing to solve OCEAN KAYAKING)
- January 11, 2019 (contestant Kaia Lacy lost it by failing to solve FLIPPING THROUGH PAGES)
- January 16, 2019 (contestant Kristen Andrews lost it by failing to solve ANNOYING BUZZER)
- October 17, 2021 (Celebrity Wheel of Fortune; Melissa Joan Hart won it in the first game by solving BRAN MUFFINS)
- November 14, 2021 (Celebrity Wheel of Fortune; Jason Mraz lost it in the second game by failing to solve BROWNIE PAN)
- September 27, 2022 (contestant Alane Dolensky lost it by failing to solve HOWLING LIKE A WOLF)
- October 23, 2022 ("Celebrity Wheel of Fortune"; Joel Madden lost it in the first game by failing to solve I TOOK THE DAY OFF)
- September 16, 2024 (contestant Vivian Tran lost it by failing to solve OFFERING SOME HELP)
A disclaimer in the credits of the 2008 episode states that those who win the $1,000,000 may have it paid in $50,000 installments over 20 years or take a lump sum of $660,000; subsequent wins have had the disclaimer mention a "present value" lump sum, with no value listed.
Several contestants have been only one or two pegs away from the $1,000,000 envelope. Two have lost the wedge to a Bankrupt, then lost $100,000 in the Bonus Round, while one won the $100,000 after losing the wedge. Also, one team during a Family Week won the $100,000 after failing to solve the round in which they claimed the wedge.
During Season 31, the Million-Dollar Wedge became infamous for some in the media believing it to require simply solving the round the wedge is claimed in, spurred by mispronunciations from players who were holding the wedge (CORNER CURIO CABINET on September 17, 2013 and MYTHOLOGICAL HERO ACHILLES on April 11, 2014). It is believed by fans that at least some of those who are berating the show are deliberately ignoring the wedge's actual rules for the sake of a story.
On Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, there are four Million-Dollar Wedges on the Wheel starting with Round 2 of each game, and all are placed reverse-up, removing the small Bankrupts. If a wedge is picked up in Round 2, but lost to a Bankrupt or round loss, it is placed back on the Wheel for Round 3. If a contestant lands on a wedge while already carrying one, it is treated as a regular $1,000-per-letter wedge for that turn. The wedges remain on the Wheel for the Final Spin, though if Pat lands on one, it is edited out.