Author Topic: Pulling a "Larsen" on WoF... (Read 19540 times)

Kevin Prather · « **on:** July 30, 2003, 01:18:28 PM »

The way i see it, you can go on WoF, and after a few spins, learn just how hard you have to spin the wheel to get it to whatever spot you want. Maybe spin it just right to get it around once, and continuously hit $2500, $3500, and $5000. Using that, if you can guess right letters in the puzzle, and solve the puzzle, you can break the WoF bank.

Now my question...Can you get away with it? or is there a rule prohibiting you from doing that?

cmjb13 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2003, 01:38:53 PM »

Has there ever been an instance where the wheel wasn't spun enough and they had to try again (ala TPIR Big wheel)

BrandonFG · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2003, 01:40:05 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 12:18 PM\']Now my question...Can you get away with it? or is there a rule prohibiting you from doing that?[/quote]
It was actually done to a certain extent; the lady who lost $50,000 on \"THE THRILL OF VICTORY.....\" puzzle. All you have to do is see how much force it would take to bring up a big money space, and put the same amount of energy into it.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2003, 01:40:07 PM »

While I'm sure they've updated their \"bible\" a time or two since 1987, a paperback book about the show reprinted the official rules from that time, and there was a specific rule against, as they put it, a contestant trying to \"beat the house\" with a controlled spin.

DrBear · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2003, 01:42:24 PM »

*L* Matt promptly knocked out my comment about not thinking there's a rule like this. There's a reason WOF has lasted; they think of just about everything.

But look at this logically — you get maybe one spin before the game to see how it works (any contestants know this?) And then you're on. You may get, at most, 15 spins (if you're hot and the other contestants aren't). I've read about people who believe they can figure out a roulette wheel based on a bad dealer who starts the ball the same way and speed every time. But that takes years of practice. If you can, on the basis of, say, five spins, put together the combination of speed-for-distance for the number of places the wheel could start in front of you (you don't get to move it to the space you want), then manage the muscle memory to do it the same way every time, you might have a chance. Add any outside influences (humidity, heat from lights, a balky bearing) and your plans die.

If you can put all that into your equation, to hell with Wheel; head for your nearest rocket science classroom. Maybe John Nash could have done it but he would have solved the puzzle this way:

_'M A L_TTL_ T_AC_P

\"Er, The Russians are reading my brain waves?\"

J.R. · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2003, 06:10:34 PM »

I beleve Larsons were pulled quite frequently with the \"Free Spin Teritory\", resulting in a player acquiring a whole bevy of Free Spins. This lead, I beleve around 1990, to the dumping of the space for just the lone disk.

-Joe R.

zachhoran · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2003, 07:18:45 PM »

One moment I remember regarding the Larsening of the Free Spin space was around 1986. A contestant got either five or six FS tokens in round one(this was NBC Daytime with shopping IIRC). The lady then played round two and solved the puzzle without ever giving up control. Round three then became a full Speed Up round, Pat spins the $2K TDV on the wheel, and the third player solves the puzzle and wins the game for the day without EVER spinning the Wheel.

Brandon Brooks · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2003, 07:30:28 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 12:18 PM\'] The way i see it, you can go on WoF, and after a few spins, learn just how hard you have to spin the wheel to get it to whatever spot you want. Maybe spin it just right to get it around once, and continuously hit $2500, $3500, and $5000. Using that, if you can guess right letters in the puzzle, and solve the puzzle, you can break the WoF bank.

Now my question...Can you get away with it? or is there a rule prohibiting you from doing that? [/quote]
Well, by the definition of a \"Larson,\" that can never happen on WOF. There are a finite amount of letters that can be in the puzzle; there is a maximum amount that can be won in a round. In PYL, this was not so.

You probably could figure out how to spin the wheel to get it where you want to. As mentioned earlier, in the era of the free spin space, you could pull a \"Larson\" of free spins, but not of money.

Also, rest assured, WOF's bank will never be broken. They got 1) lots and lots and lots of sponsors, one of which is Sony, and 2) they got lots and lots and lots of viewers. They can throw away a $150K here and there.

Brandon Brooks

WilliamPorygon · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:01:23 AM »

According to a recent post on the official Wheel of Fortune message board, contestants are even specifically told that intentionally aiming your spins is against the rules, and Pat will stop the game if he sees you doing it. So, the answer is no. (Though I'm sure we've all dreamed about hitting the $3500 ten times in a row then landing the mega-Jackpot with the last consonant... ^_^ )

WilliamPorygon · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:05:52 AM »

[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 12:42 PM\'] But look at this logically — you get maybe one spin before the game to see how it works (any contestants know this?) And then you're on. [/quote]
Oh yes — the post also mentioned that contestants are given a maximum of three (3) practice spins before the show.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:09:04 AM »

Why don't they just have Pat do all the spins?

Casey Buck · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:20:51 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 10:09 PM\'] Why don't they just have Pat do all the spins? [/quote]
Um...because contestants have spun the wheel themselves since 1975? Besides, it would be a lot more boring.

Brandon Brooks · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:23:18 AM »

[quote name=\'Casey Buck\' date=\'Jul 31 2003, 12:20 AM\'] [quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 10:09 PM\'] Why don't they just have Pat do all the spins? [/quote]
Um...because contestants have spun the wheel themselves since 1975? Besides, it would be a lot more boring. [/quote]
I detect a tinge of sacasm in Mr. Owen's post.

Brandon Brooks

SplitSecond · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2003, 01:29:02 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jul 30 2003, 10:09 PM\'] Why don't they just have Pat do all the spins? [/quote]
Giving the individual player the illusion of control in a luck-based situation is what makes luck-based events on game shows even remotely bearable.

Close your eyes and imagine Peter Tomarken stopping all the spins on Press Your Luck. Does that seem more or less fair to you than having the contestants stop the spins? Does it seem more or less interesting?

For what it's worth, the Shopper's Bazaar pilot had the contestants telling Chuck when to stop the wheel. Even that wasn't enough to give the illusion that the contestant was controlling her own fate; it seemed as though Chuck was assigning the contestants' fates to them.

drmusic_99 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2003, 02:32:48 AM »

How could they EVER prove (beyond a reasonable doubt) that a contestant was \"aiming\" their spins?

Author Topic: Pulling a "Larsen" on WoF... (Read 19540 times)

SplitSecond

drmusic_99