Wheel of Fortune
La ruleta de la fortuna or La ruleta de la suerte is the Spanish version of Wheel of Fortune. The first incarnation ran from 1990 to 1992 in Antena 3, the second one from 1993 to 1997 in Telecinco, and then, after a nine-year hiatus, a revival has been made on Antena 3 beginning in 2006.[1] The show also airs internationally via Antena 3 Internacional.
The 1990s versions all awarded cash in the previous Spanish currency of the peseta, and the wheel's values were from 5,000 to 100,000 pesetas, with vowels costing 50,000 pesetas. Only three normal puzzles and the bonus round were played in this version. This version sometimes used two letter turners both working at once (unlike the 2008 Filipino version which had two puzzle board assistants alternating). The wheel also had a X2 (double wedge) and a 1/2 wedge (listed as "Divide by 2"), but unlike the current version, landing on the 1/2 cost the player half their cash and their turn. The Free Spin ("Turno Extra") was awarded automatically but did not carry over to the next round. The player who solved the puzzle kept their bank plus a bonus of 100,000 pesetas.
The scoreboards in the Telecinco version displayed two scores: the current round score on top and the grand total on the bottom.
The three players each begin the game with a toss-up worth €100. This determines interview order. A second toss-up is played to determine first spinner, also worth €100, and a third toss-up is played before the final puzzle before the bonus puzzle, also worth €100. As of September 13, 2016, each player would be guaranteed €100.
The game is played the same as the basic U.S. game, but with a few exceptions. See the article Wheel of Fortune (US game show) for more information.
The current version's podium color sequence is blue-red-yellow.
The player with the biggest total spins a wheel containing cash amounts of 1.000 €, 1.500 €, 2.000 €, 2.500 €, 3.000 €, 3.500 €, 4.000 €, 4.500 €, 5.000 €, 6.000 €, 7.000 €, 8.000 €, and a car. They get the letters R, S, F, Y, and O, (originally C, T, G, L, and I, later C, L, X, G, and A until August 30, 2015) and call 3 more consonants and a vowel before getting 10 seconds to solve the puzzle and win the bonus prize. The audience members all stand up when the bonus puzzle is solved. In the event the winner proceeds to the bonus round while holding a wedge that says "AYUDA FINAL," they can choose from a red, yellow, and blue envelope that will allow them an extra consonant, an extra vowel, or five more seconds. If they had both "Ayuda Final" and "Super Comodín", they could choose two envelopes.
The original bonus round had players calling their own letters, and as with the US version, they called five consonants and a vowel.
The €7,000 and €8,000 envelopes were introduced on September 28, 2012. There have been cases in which the maximum prize has been higher: on the special ninth anniversary of April 17, 2015, the maximum prize was €9,000, in the special tenth anniversary of April 18, 2016 was €10,000 and in the special eleventh anniversary of April 18, 2017 were €11,000. In the special charity with celebrities, the car is replaced by another one over with €10,000. Since September 11, 2013, the Co-presenter is in charge of, once revealed the prize that contained the envelope that the contestant has obtained, to reveal where the car was.
Unlike the American version, each puzzle belongs to a given category, as indicated by on-screen transitions. A puzzle can fall under any one of these categories (in playing order, although the order may vary), all of which come from the current show running since 2006.
As in the American version, a puzzle is revealed one letter at a time, and a player may buzz in at any time to solve. Unlike the U.S. version, players are allowed an unlimited number of guesses. There are three Toss-Ups in each show, two at the beginning and one in the near end. Usually, the first and third are song lyrics, while the second is always a "mad headline" (any piece of news that is strange or funny). Each puzzle is worth €100 (€200 on November 24, 2017), and contestants traditionally sing the lyrics to the puzzles with the song lyrics (with the host and audience occasionally joining in).
In the events of a tie before the Bonus Round, a Toss-Up is played to decide the player that proceeds to this Round, but no cash is awarded.
The standard puzzle.
This puzzle is somewhat different. It is similar to the US version's "Final Spin", except that a time limit of 2 minutes is set, and the contestants have to say one letter at a time, vowel or consonant, and if it is in the puzzle, they'll have 3 seconds to try to answer the puzzle.
Recently, a variation of this puzzle known as "Panel Crono Imagen" has begun to replace it, or to move it to the middle of the show. In this new puzzle, the host gives a question (such as "What's wrong here?") and a clue appears at the board (such as This is man's best friend). Contestants will have 45 seconds in which to flip the letters to reveal an image behind and to finally answer to the host's question. (There would be a dog with whiskers in the above example)
Both puzzles are worth €300 (€500 on the Premium edition and €600 on November 24, 2017) if a person can solve it, otherwise they are worth nothing.
Before starting the puzzle, the host reveals the "hidden letter", which appears on-screen only for the audience at home, and is one of the consonants present on the puzzle. Then it is played as a regular puzzle, except that if a player says the hidden letter, which would appear in the puzzle colored in green, they will get a special wedge, not present in the wheel, that is only winnable in this puzzle called "Super Comodín", which can be used as a regular "Comodín", a "Doble Letra" or an "Ayuda Final" and has the shape of these three individual wedges all together. If no one finds the hidden letter or the one solving it doesn't have the "Super Comodín", no one will win the wedge.
The puzzle has an extra puzzle attached to it (a la the short-lived "Puzzler" round in the U.S. version), and the player who solves the first puzzle gets a shot at the mystery puzzle. The letters P, I, S, T, and A (which conform the word "pista", "clue"), are revealed, and the player picks three consonants and a vowel as in the bonus round, and then has 10 seconds to solve it. Solving the puzzle earns extra cash.
The player who solves the puzzle wins a computer plus €100.
These are puzzles where the home viewers can win money by texting the correct answer to the puzzle.
Played like the Jackpot round in the U.S. version, the jackpot begins at €3,000 (later €1,000) and increases with every spin. The player has to spin up the wedge that says BOTE, call a correct consonant, and solve the puzzle to win the jackpot. The audience typically stands up when the wedge is hit, and this round also sees them use tambourines and other noisemakers. This is usually the last puzzle before the Bonus Round and in any case it always decides the big winner. Only if the puzzle was solved quicker than expected, a toss-up would be played after it to stall for time, but it wouldn't change the winner.
The puzzle has only one word, and after showing a letter, the board immediately hides it, so only one letter shows at a time. The board continues randomly revealing and hiding letters until someone solves the puzzle, worth €100.
Values range from €25 to €200 (later €0 to €200, and from €100 to €800 on the "Premium" edition in 2011). The audience typically chants common rhythmic chants as the player spins it. It has a Lose a Turn (PIERDE TURNO) and Bankrupt (QUIEBRA).
Vowels are worth a flat €50 (€100 on early shows and on the "premium" edition in 2011, €25 on November 24, 2017), and must be purchased prior to spinning the wheel.
There is one mystery wedge on the wheel in Round 3. It either conceals a Quiebra (Bankrupt) or €10,000. Players must call a correct letter to be able to pick up the wedge, or take a flat €50 for each letter.
