According to the Wheel History Wiki, the daytime Jackpot (1986-88) was started at $1,000 and was progressive, growing by $1,000 each day it wasn\'t won.
Further, it was used only in Round 3 (on the red $300 between $200 and $250) and counted toward the final scores, so it could easily skewer the game if it got around $5,000 or so.
if you won it the money went into your spending spree as opposed to cash you could take home.
Unless it changed at some point (which is entirely possible), Pat clearly states it\'s a cash award in the 1986-87 shows that are online. I\'ve seen two Jackpot winners -- one solved for $1,950 and a $2,000 Jackpot, the other for $1,500 and a $1,000 Jackpot -- but both went shopping with the non-Jackpot money (and in the case of the former, Jack ended his prize plugs with \"Plus a check for $2,000!\").
Funnily enough, the latter win has Pat making the same Topkcaj joke he\'d later do in 1996 to promote the nighttime Jackpot, so maybe they\'re not so different after all.
I don\'t think \"just cuz\" is the reason.
I\'m pretty sure it\'s not. I have my suspicions, though.
I would wager that something will replace the Jackpot Round. Just about every year there\'s some new googaw or doohickey in play.
The gameplay structure has changed, but the source mentioned by Brian wanted to keep it a surprise because \"it\'s really cool\".
