The big six wheel may have a somewhat cumbersome name, but it’s actually one of the most well-loved casino games of them all. It’s so well-loved, in fact, that though it can still be found in most major casinos, that’s not where it is most famous. 

The big six wheel should be something that most people are familiar with, even if they’re unaware that this is what it’s called. Best known, by far, in one of its variants as the Wheel of Fortune, this simple and very fun game involves, in its purest form, the spinning of a giant wheel to hopefully win prizes, but the way this works varies a lot between where you might find the wheel.

On the beloved gameshow, Wheel of Fortune, which was created by the legendary TV personality, Merv Griffin, way back in 1975, contestants play various puzzles with the main prize being determined by the spin of the Wheel of Fortune itself. At state fairs, spins of the wheel are sold to potential customers who can win small prizes by spinning the wheel,  and at charity events, big six wheels are basically used as a fun twist on the old raffle ticket with donors getting a chance to win sponsored prizes if their number is called and they get a chance at the wheel.

It does also have a life as a serious gambling game in casinos where players place bets on the wheel landing on specific numbers or symbols. Here’s a quick look at how it works.

The Big Six Wheel Casino Game: Overview

Like all wheel of fortune games, the Big Six Wheel is a large vertical wheel that tends to find its place in the most visible part of the casino. Though there are several variants of the game that you might find in the casino, the most common by far is the money wheel. 

In this variant, in each segment of the wheel is one of five money symbols: $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 bills, as well as two other symbols that are usually a joker and the casino logo. Obviously, different countries will have different currencies for their bills and different casinos have differing forms of the joker and the logo, but the main difference is between countries where the house advantages are slightly different, and countries with weaker currencies may use higher denominations.

The payouts are very straightforward, on the whole. Landing on $1 pays out 1:1, $2 pays out 2:1, $5 pays out 5:1, $10 pays out 10:1, $20 pays out 20:1. The joker and casino logo symbols payout 40:1 or 45:1, depending on the casino.

So, the way this works is that the player places a bet on the wheel landing on a specific symbol and if the wheel lands on that symbol they win, according to the above payouts. So, if you bet $10 on the wheel landing on $1, you will win $10 (as well as your bet back, obviously). If you bet $10 on a joker, you will be up $400. 

Like roulette, though, there are also other betting options: betting on a group of symbols with various payout rates, and betting on colors (usually red or black) or on odds/evens with 1:1 payouts.

Is It Worth Playing?

This is the big question, really. Is Big Six Wheel worth playing at the casino over similar games like roulette or other forms of gambling games like slots or table games, such as poker, baccarat and blackjack? 

The simple answer is that it entirely depends on what you’re looking for.

• If you’re looking to make big money quickly from a minimal investment, it’s not a terrible choice, as long as you bet on the segments on the wheel that will pay out a lot with a single spin. Betting on 20 or the Joker, for example. 
• If you’re looking for a fun, cheap, colourful game of chance, Big Six Wheel doesn’t quite have the glamour of roulette, but there’s a reason why it’s such a major attraction on the casino floor. It’s arguably the best choice for casual gamers just looking to have some fun without needing to know any specific rules. 
• If you’re a serious gamer looking for a game with a high payout rate and a low house edge, though, the Big Six Wheel is a truly terrible choice. It has by far one of the worst house advantages going (right down there with the slots) with even the “common” $1 bill bet having a house advantage of 11.1%, while betting on the logo or Joker brings with it a 24% house advantage. This is in the US, though. In Australia things look a bit better with each bet “only” carrying a house advantage of 7.69%. 
• Similarly, if you’re looking for a game that works, at least in part, on skill and strategy as much as dumb luck, Big Six Wheel is really not for you. Blackjack is good for this, poker is even better, but like all “pure luck” gambling games, the only strategy involved has to do with knowing what to bet on and how much – though even then “strategy” is pushing it as it’s really just about minimizing losses from bad luck. 
• By the same token, if you’re looking to get actively involved in the game you’re playing, Big Six Wheel is no match for poker or blackjack, but it’s actually better than most other games, simply because you might actually get the chance to spin the wheel. Beyond that, though, the only “active” thing you’re doing here, really, is placing your bet.

In short, the Big Six Wheel casino game has most of the same appeal as similar wheels at charity events or at amusement parks and town fairs: it’s a lot of fun for casual gamers who enjoy the thrill of that big wheel spinning and the chance, however remote, to win some prizes (in thai case, cash). Serious gamblers or anyone at the casino with a primary purpose of making money should look elsewhere on the floor, though. The odds are definitely not in your favour here.

Can You Play Big Six Wheel Online?

With all this mind, it’s hardly surprising that Big Six Wheel is not a major online attraction. In fact, you’re as likely to find free Big Six Wheel games online than ones through which you can actually make money. The main attraction of the game is seeing the wheel spin round and round, with the stopper going click, click, click as it slows down and finally comes to a stop on what is hopefully your lucky number.  Plus, there’s the appeal of the sheer bigness of the wheel, which you’re just not going to find on your laptop monitor, let alone on your smartphone.

That said, just because these games are relatively rare online, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. There are, for a start, a few Big Six Wheel slot games, where the mechanics work the same as online slots, but the interface used is based on the Big Six Wheel. If you want something that at least comes somewhat close to the real-world Big Six Wheel experience, though, nothing beats hitting up a live game at an online casino, where you can bet on spins happening in real time at actual casinos. It doesn’t have the social aspect and it’s still never the same as being there in person, but it’s as close as you’re going to get.