- About 10,000 people audition for Wheel of Fortune each year; only 650 appear.
- Don’t talk about loving the show—tell producers what makes you unique instead.
- You can audition in person or online, and many contestants try multiple times.
Every weeknight, more than 100 million people tune in to Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show. The popular game show, with its simple format, fun banter and the chance to win cash prizes, is like comfort food: familiar, fun and oddly calming.
My friend, Kristen Fisher, 51, of Newburgh, New York, is one of the show’s biggest fans: She’s been watching for as long as she can remember. “Growing up, we would watch it after dinner almost every night,” she recalls. “I remember back in the 80s when the promo was, ‘What will Vanna wear tonight?’”
This year, Kristen made a resolution that she would apply to be a contestant on the show. She texted our group chat in February, writing, “I am really going to do something in 2026 that I have wanted to do FOREVER!” We threw out funny and over-the-top guesses (Botox? Skydive? Go to Ireland?) before we eventually figured it out…