Surprise was one of the gameplay elements on Wheel of Fortune.
The original wedge.
The second wedge.
The third and final wedge.
Christmas Surprise Wedge.
History[]
A special Wheel prize present throughout the entire game; unlike the Prize Wedge, the contents were not revealed unless it was won.
The wedge was introduced on October 5, 1992. It was located on the peach $200 between $500 and $700 in Rounds 1 and 2 and on the tan $200 between $500 and $550 in Rounds 3 and up. On October 8, 1992 (Season 10) and September 4, 1995 (Season 13); it was seen on the purple $150 in Round 3. In September 1996, it moved to the yellow $400 between $250 and $500. It was claimed identically to the other Prize wedges, but the prize was not revealed until after the contestant won it.
For its first week, Surprise used a far thinner font similar to Helvetica; both it and the subsequent version used through the end of Season 13 used heavy black text on a pink background. For its final two seasons, the Surprise was changed to its final design: plain black text (in the same font) with each letter outlined in a thin silver holographic film on a sparkly deep pink background.
From Seasons 10-12, the Round 4 Prize was placed on the tan $200 if the Surprise was claimed before then; if both the Surprise and Round 2 prize remained, the Round 4 Prize was placed on the blue $200. In Season 13, Surprise was always placed on the tan $200 regardless if any other prizes were claimed during previous rounds.
From March 1997 to June 1998, Final Fridays used a second Prize in Round 3 in lieu of Surprise. The wedge was also absent during the Season 15 premiere week, taped at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, and during the first week in Houston in May 1998.
In December 1997, the wedge was redone for Happy Holidays Week to include a gift box. When claimed and won, the box was opened to reveal a card that read "I've won (name of prize). Tell me about it, Charlie!" which then segued into the prize description.
According to former prize coordinator Terry Russell, the companies that donated prizes never knew if/when their prize would be selected or won (which would suggest that the prize attached to Surprise changed from day to day and was selected at random). While the wedge stayed around for six years, it "wasn't a big hit" and was replaced permanently at the start of Season 16 by a second Wheel Prize in Round 3.