IGT celebrates 30th anniversary of Wheel of Fortune Slots

Thursday, January 29, 2026 1:09 PM
Photo:  Courtesy illustration
  • Rege Behe, CDC Gaming

IGT on Thursday announced the 30th anniversary of the Wheel of Fortune Slots game. Known for awarding players $1 million-plus jackpots, Wheel of Fortune Slots, according to a news release, is credited for changing the casino experience as the gaming industry’s first licensed slots game.

To recognize the milestone, IGT kicked off a multi-month celebration that includes new product launches, coast-to-coast in-casino celebrations, contests run via Instagram and Facebook, slots influencer collaborations, a new creative campaign, and a week of integrations to be featured on the Wheel of Fortune game show.

“For three decades, IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots have captivated slots players around the world and earned a reputation for delivering world-class entertainment combined with huge jackpots in casinos and online,” incoming IGT CEO Hector Fernandez said in a statement. “Through our relationship with Sony Pictures Television and Carnival Cruise Line, IGT created a robust campaign for 2026 that honors the legacy of Wheel of Fortune Slots, while rewarding players and delivering value to our customers worldwide.”

A campaign element is the “Spin and Sail Cruise.” Presented in partnership with Carnival Cruise Line, IGT’s Spin and Sail Cruise empowers select casinos across the United States to reward players with eight-day cruises aboard the Carnival Jubilee, where travelers will compete in a slot tournament with a $1 million prize pool.

Players also have a chance to win a seat aboard the November Spin and Sail Cruise via contests run on the IGT Jackpots Facebook and IGT Gaming North American Instagram pages.

“Our longstanding relationship with IGT has been a remarkable success, and we’re thrilled to continue building on that momentum as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots,” said Sony Pictures Television President, Game Shows, Suzanne Prete. “Much like our Wheel of Fortune game show, IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots is a category leader that resonates with a wide audience, and we value IGT’s enduring commitment to the franchise.”

IGT licenses the exclusive rights to the legendary Wheel of Fortune brand across gaming, lottery, igaming and ilottery, and non-exclusive rights to distribute Wheel of Fortune content for free-to-play social casinos from Sony Pictures Television, which owns and produces the long-running television program.

 

Rege Behe is lead contributor to CDC Gaming. He can be reached at rbehe@cdcgaming.com. Please follow @RegeBehe_exPTR on Twitter.