Take a page out of the recent UK revival by not including prizes as part of a player's running total to determine a winner. Get a prize off the wheel, make it count as, say, $750 a letter. It may encourage longer game play and bank building during rounds, which doesn't seem to exist these days. (I don't watch the show that much, but I do shake my head when a contestant asks to solve and they've left open a board, with, for instance, three Gs or four Ws still available).
Crazy idea time -- the show goes viral when a contestant makes a correct solve with just one or two letters showing (NEW BABY BUGGY, for example). In the main game, make a one-letter solve worth a significant bonus that's not included in the player's running total. A new car, perhaps? A five-figure Amazon gift card? Or an escalating jackpot that starts at $10,000 and you add $1K every show there's no solve?
JD