‘The Price Is Right’ Player Wows Fans With Wheel Spinning Technique in Showcase Showdown

Is there a trick to winning extra cash on The Price Is Right? According to fans, a contestant figured out how to game the system regarding the Big Wheel in the Showcase Showdown, which brought him $11,000.

The Showcase Showdown is a special game where three contestants who have won their way up on stage compete for the chance to play in the Showcase. Contestants spin a “Big Wheel” to determine how close they must come to the $1.00 space without going over. Whoever comes closest goes into the Showcase round. However, throughout the series, there’d been a bonus for getting exactly $1.00.

During Drew Carey’s second season as host, the cash bonuses were upped to $10,000 for a green bonus space (the $.05 and $.15) and $25,000 for the red bonus space (the $1.00). That means that while the amounts on the wheel are just for game purposes, there is a chance to win real money.

 

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In a clip shared by the game show’s Instagram on Wednesday (November 20), a contestant named Baoan from Las Vegas, donning a sparkling blazer, took to the Big Wheel.

Starting from the $1.00 space, his first spin didn’t go all the way around the board, so it didn’t count. The audience booed and Carey assured, “That’s alright. A little harder.” It became abundantly clear that he had the thrust of it: spin with such gentle precision that the wheel would do one full rotation.

His second spin, as luck (or skill) would have it, landed directly on the red $1.00 space as he jumped for joy (above). This assured him $1,000, a spot in the Showcase, and an extra spin.

His third spin, with similar fervor, landed one away from the $1.00 and on the green .15 space (below), meaning he won another $10,000. “Total of $11,000!” host Carey exclaimed.

The game show captioned the clip, “This guy has the best Big Wheel redemption.” However, fans in the comments pointed out that his big win wasn’t redemption-based, but rather skill-based as he figured out exactly how to spin the Big Wheel.

“You say redemption I say he was using skill to determine how hard he needed to spin,” one fan wrote.

“Exactly,” wrote another. “Never understood why people would spin so hard after they got dollar.”

“Some contestants tank the first spin on purpose so it can start at a more favorable number,” pointed out a third speculating that may have been the case.

“He did say he was from Vegas. He knows how to finesse the wheel,” wrote a fourth.

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One critic argued, “The wheel should always be set back to the number it originally was on in order for this aspect of the spin to be fair.”

One more praised, “From zero to hero!!”

For those curious, the savvy contestant did not win the showcase round, bidding over on a motorcycle. But he hedged his bets by already winning a bundle of cash!

What did you the of The Price Is Right player’s Big Wheel tactic? Let us know in the comments below!