Wheel Of Fortune Slots Lawsuit Makes A Valid Point
R-S-T-L-N-Enough! If you’ve walked through a casino, or Harry Reid International Airport, you’ve seen the allure of the Wheel Of Fortune slots drawing you in. Well a new lawsuit against the creator of the game, and several of the casinos that use them, is making an argument that actually seems pretty legit.
If you’ve never played the slot machine before, here’s how the basic one works. Obviously there is the slot machine portion… hit the three big bonuses in a line, you’re getting paid royally! There is also the “Spin” element. Get a spin on the pay line, and you get a chance to spin the wheel above the slot play area, just like the TV show right?! Wrong.
Wheel Of Fortune Slots Lawsuit Claims The Wheel Is Fugazi
When you watch the television show, you have an equal shot of hitting an equal shaped spot as the next one. The “One Million” wedges are smaller to make the odds of hitting them smaller. On a roulette wheel, every spot is the same size because you have an equal likelihood of landing on any number on the wheel. But Wheel Of Fortune slots are different.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of four players (one of whom is from Las Vegas), claims the wheel appears like every spot on the wheel has an equal opportunity to hit, like the TV show. Every wedge, be it “20” or “Jackpot” are identical. But, as we know, that isn’t the case. Either that or you’re just very “20” lucky.
Obviously the odds are not equal. The odds are far from it. Jackpots seldom hit. The lowest amount spot hits the most. But the argument is it isn’t obvious. It simulates a wheel of chance like the television show and the roulette wheel.
It’s an interesting argument for sure, and one that IGT (the company who makes the machine), as well as MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Station Casinos, Penn Gaming and Boyd Gaming will have to mull over. They are all named in the lawsuit that is seeking class action status and a jury trial.
Wheel Of Fortune slots have been around for decades at this point. It’ll be interested to see if they inevitable land on bankrupt.
