Wheel of Fortune has been airing for as long as I've been alive — don't do any math on that — and yet somehow there's still always something new to learn about the all-time great game show. (Nothing will impress me more than the amount of dresses Vanna White has tried on and then worn on stage.) Today's lesson comes from both a Wheel producer and from Maggie Sajak, and it's something future hopefuls should keep in mind.
As it happens, fans aiming to get on the show will often fall prey to the same instincts during the Wheel of Fortune audition process, and contestant producer Alexandra Black told Woman's World that the worst move someone can make while auditioning is putting on airs for one reason or another. As she put it::
We are always looking for contestants with natural enthusiasm who can stay focused under pressure, know the game and are ready to have fun. The biggest mistake an applicant can make is not being themselves. We want to get to know you.
Alexandra Black
I can imagine that some people may not be so comfortable with speaking in public or being on camera, so it could create some instances where fans can go overboard with coming across as more confident or genial. I could also picture some hopefuls trying too hard to impress Black & Co. with their auditions in one way or another. It's easier than people think to pick up on forced behaviors.
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The producer spoke to another common mistake that people make while trying out for Wheel of Fortune, and it's something that Maggie Sajak has advised against repeatedly, while also being directly noted on the game show's website: don't waste time qualifying your fandom.
Alexandra Black addressed and squashed that instinct directly by saying:
We know you love Wheel of Fortune or else you wouldn’t be here; so, tell us something we don’t know and wouldn’t expect about you. Telling us what makes you unique is a definite ‘do!’
Alexandra Black
I suppose, if someone should so choose, it could be interesting for the auditoner to expressly state that they do not like Wheel of Fortune, and that they're only trying out because they lost a bet. But otherwise, everyone involved is comfortable making the assumption that everyone who passes through those offices has been as hooked as everyone else when it comes to solving puzzles.
Instead of stating the obvious, the go-to idea should be to use every second to present one's most unique aspects to everyone responsible for casting contestants. Even if it doesn't have anything to do with letter grids and vowels.
Maggie Sajak shared the following advice, again putting the emphasis on people just being their own standout selves.
Be yourself. Don’t be nervous. They just want to see who you really are. We know how much you love the show. We just want to hear about you. This is just fun. This is low-stress, and no matter what, you’re going to have such a fun story to tell your friends later!
Maggie Sajak
Perhaps the final bit of advice to be gleaned is that more than 10,000 people audition to be on Wheel of Fortune in any given year, to fill just 650 spots or so. So if at first you don't succeed, just try again. Surely you'll get picked at least once in the next 10,000 tries.
Keep those slices of advice in mind while watching future Wheel of Fortune episodes on the 2026 TV schedule and beyond, and you could one day find yourself spinning that big wheel yourself. I mean, you do have to actually audition first.It's not JUST about knowing what not to do.
