Big Six Wheel
Big Six Wheel is a simple game where players bet on the number they think the wheel will stop on.
This guide teaches you the basic rules and payouts that Big 6 offers and how to play. We’ll show you where to find this popular game in land-based casinos and some variants you can play online.
Big Casino Wheel Guide
Table of Contents
Big Six Game Basics
Game shows like Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right have used a spinning wheel with prizes for decades. That is why casinos may call their Big Six Wheel the Wheel of Fortune, Wheel of Cash, Money Wheel, Big Wheel, Lucky Wheel, or dozens of similar variations.
The wheel used for Big Six and its related offshoots will almost always contain 54 individual slots or spaces.
Big Six Wheel Rules
Each space on the wheel displays a dollar amount – $1, $2, $5, $10, or $20 – along with two special “Logo” spaces adorned with the casino’s emblem or featured image. Before a spin, you place your bets in the corresponding area on the table in front of the wheel.
The official will start the spin, and when the wheel completes its last revolution, the needle determines the winning space, and all prizes get paid out.
Bets and Segments
There are far more $1 spaces than any other, and as the value of the space increases, the amount of those spaces on the wheel decreases accordingly. The breakdown of segments on the Big Six wheel are:
Bet | # of Spaces | Payout |
---|---|---|
$1 | 24 | 1 to 1 |
$2 | 15 | 2 to 1 |
$5 | 7 | 5 to 1 |
$10 | 4 | 10 to 1 |
$20 | 2 | 20 to 1 |
Logo #1 | 1 | 40 to 1 |
Logo #2 | 1 | 40 to 1 |
A Great Alternative to Slots
The Big 6 wheel is an excellent alternative to real money slot machines. They are both easy to play, action-packed, and visually pleasing games, and neither requires any skill. Simply place your wagers and spin!
Many online slots designers incorporate spinning wheel bonus games in their slots, including IGT’s Spin Ferno and Wheel of Fortune Slots. Bally Technologies is most famous for spinning wheel slots because it has a whole line of slots that use the U-Spin feature: Cash Spin, Dragon Spin, Quick Hit, Cash Wizard, and NASCAR Slots.
How to Play Big 6 Wheel Spin
The following example rounds will give you a great idea of how to play the Big Six Wheel. We’ll explain a basic single bet round and then show you some multi-wager scenarios.
- For this single bet example, we’ll say you place a $5 wager on the $1 space, and the wheel lands on $1. In this case, you’d receive a payout of 1 to 1 on your money for a $5 profit.
- Most players prefer to make multiple bets on any given spin. So now we’ll assume you wager $5 on the $1 space, $5 on the $2 space, and $3 on the $10 space. That equates to a total of $13 in bets.
Now, let’s say the wheel lands on the $1 space. You would earn $5 on your $1 space bet while losing the other $8 in wagers for a net loss of $3. - Using the same wagers in example #2, let’s look at what happens if the wheel lands on the $10 space.
You would lose the $5 wagers you bet on the $1 space and the $2 space. The $3 wager on the $10 space would return a 10 to 1 payout of $30 for a net gain of $20.
Where to Play Big Six
Players can expect to find Big 6, or some version of the classic wheel spinning game, in nearly every casino in the country. From lavish mega resorts to the local tribal casino two counties over, they all carry one version of Big Six or another.
The best location to play Big Six is in Atlantic City since the logo spaces pay 45 to 1 rather than 40 to 1 under the ubiquitous Las Vegas rules. That small change significantly drops the house edge.
Aside from various regional adjustments to the wheel space arrangement, an alternative name will operate according to the abovementioned rules.
Can You Play the Big 6 Wheel at Online Casinos?
You can find Big Six Wheel spinoffs at some of the best real money online casinos. Below you’ll see our top picks for similar games available at the gambling sites we recommend.
Wheel Big Winner
The Wheel Big Winner is a slot game with a magic wheel that can instantly win you three jackpots and two bonuses.
To win the jackpot, you must land three or more corresponding symbols. The bonuses can be triggered by landing three or more of the Money Bag or Wheel Bonus symbols.
Reels and Wheels XL
Reels & Wheels XL is a new slot game from Qora Games that features classic 90s graphics, bonus wheels, free spins, and multipliers.
Players can win up to 500 coins for landing 3 or more diamonds or one of five jackpots in the Bonus Wheel.
Try Reels and Wheels for Free
Test your favorite numbers on the Wheel right here for free.
Live Dream Catcher for Non-US Players
If you love Big 6 Wheel, make sure to check out Live Dealer Dream Catcher. International players can wager on a live spinning wheel game for stakes as low as £0.10. The special logo spot pays 40 to 1, just like in Vegas!
Big Six Casino Wheel Strategy
With a game like this, where players simply guess a winning number before spinning a wheel, the idea of strategy might seem a little out of place. The truth is, you can’t influence the result of the spin, and you can’t guess the outcome with any degree of reliability.
Sticking to the $1 wager and upping your bet amounts as you win is the go-to betting style. Overall though, your best strategy is to avoid the sucker bets and play the odds.
Odds of Winning & House Edge
The following chart breaks down the probabilities of winning and house edges for all the wagers on the wheel:
Space | # of Spaces | Win Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
$1 | 24 | 44.4% | 11.1% |
$2 | 15 | 27.7% | 16.7% |
$5 | 7 | 12.9% | 22.2% |
$10 | 4 | 7.41% | 18.5% |
$20 | 2 | 3.70% | 22.2% |
Logo 1 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.1% |
Logo 2 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.1% |
By scanning this chart, you can quickly see that every bet in Big Six offers severely steep house edges, most of which rate among the worst odds on the casino floor. For the sake of perspective, the worst bet in craps offers a 16.67 percent house edge, and that would rank as the second-best bet on the Big 6 wheel.
Obviously, with 24 spaces on the wheel, the $1 bet is the most advantageous for players – but that isn’t saying much. When it comes to casino games, only Keno and its house edge of between 25 percent and 29 percent beat Big Six to offer players the most unfavorable odds.
Cross Your Fingers & Play The Wheel for Fun
One of the advantages this game offers players is that the minimum bet is small, and the game runs at a slower pace than many casino games. When you combine those factors, you can play much longer on the same amount of money than at faster games like blackjack, even if the wheel offers much worse odds to players.
So, place your bets, and you might get lucky and hit one of the high-paying logo spots. Search for variations of the game at legit online casinos in the table and specialty games sections. At least you’re bound to have some fun and enjoy the energy at the table!
Big 6 Wheel Casino Game FAQ
These are some of the most common questions we get about the Big Six Wheel.
How do you win the Big 6 Wheel?
To win the Big Six Wheel, you place your bets on the table and hope the needle stops on the spot you chose. There’s not much else you can do in this game of complete chance.
How do you play the Big Wheel at casinos?
The game is fast and easy to learn. To play, you just need to put your chips on which spot you think will be lucky during the next spin. Much like roulette, the table displays the odds of each space. Finally, you cross your fingers and hope you hit a payout!
What casino in Las Vegas has the big wheel?
Almost all casinos have some version of the Big Wheel. Visit our guide to Bix Six in Vegas for a complete list of tables.