Gambling GuideBig Six
Introduction
This name goes by various names: Big Six, Wheel of Fortune, Money Wheel, Big Wheel, and Lucky Wheel. Whatever the name, it is a big vertical wheel where the player bets on the number it will stop on. The odds are conveniently the same as the number. For example, a bet on 5 will pay 5 to 1.
The odds are pretty bad but at least you can count it usually being staffed by the front door with an attractive well-endowed dealer. Just one of those Vegas traditions.
Las Vegas Rules
The following table shows the betting options, payout odds, number on wheel, and the house edge under the Las Vegas rules Big Six rules.
Las Vegas Rules
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | 1 | 24 | 44.44% | 11.11% |
| $2 | 2 | 15 | 27.78% | 16.67% |
| $5 | 5 | 7 | 12.96% | 22.22% |
| $10 | 10 | 4 | 7.41% | 18.52% |
| $20 | 20 | 2 | 3.70% | 22.22% |
| Logo #1 | 40 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.07% |
| Logo #2 | 40 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.07% |
Atlantic City Rules
The Atlantic City is the same as the Las Vegas one, except they change one $1 position to $5, and the pay 45 instead of 40 on the two logos.
Atlantic City Rules
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | 1 | 23 | 42.59% | 14.81% |
| $2 | 2 | 15 | 27.78% | 16.67% |
| $5 | 5 | 8 | 14.81% | 11.11% |
| $10 | 10 | 4 | 7.41% | 18.52% |
| $20 | 20 | 2 | 3.70% | 22.22% |
| Logo #1 | 45 | 1 | 1.85% | 14.81% |
| Logo #2 | 45 | 1 | 1.85% | 14.81% |
Charles Town Rules
The Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, West Virginia, follows the Atlantic City rules, except pays only 40 on the two logos.
Big Six — Charles Town WV Rules
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | 1 | 23 | 42.59% | 14.81% |
| $2 | 2 | 15 | 27.78% | 16.67% |
| $5 | 5 | 8 | 14.81% | 11.11% |
| $10 | 10 | 4 | 7.41% | 18.52% |
| $20 | 20 | 2 | 3.70% | 22.22% |
| Logo #1 | 40 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.07% |
| Logo #2 | 40 | 1 | 1.85% | 24.07% |
Macau Rules
In Macau there is a similar game. One or two wheels each can be found in the larger casinos. It does not seem to be a popular game there. The game wheel is the same size, but instead of dollars, it has colors. The table below shows the number of stops on the wheel, probability, and return for each bet. The table shows the best bet is tied for orange, purple, and green, at 7.69% each.
Big Six — Macau Rules
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1 | 24 | 46.15% | 7.69% |
| Purple | 3 | 12 | 23.08% | 7.69% |
| Green | 5 | 8 | 15.38% | 7.69% |
| Blue | 10 | 4 | 7.69% | 15.38% |
| Yellow | 20 | 2 | 3.85% | 19.23% |
| Logo 1 | 45 | 1 | 1.92% | 11.54% |
| Logo 2 | 45 | 1 | 1.92% | 11.54% |
Australia Rules
The Star City casino in Sydney has a similar game, called the "Big Wheel." Instead of money, it uses native Australian animals. As the following table shows, the house edge is the same on all bets at 7.69%.
Big Six — Australia Rules
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koala | 1 | 24 | 46.15% | 7.69% |
| Kookaburra | 3 | 12 | 23.08% | 7.69% |
| Lizard | 5 | 8 | 15.38% | 7.69% |
| Echidna | 11 | 4 | 7.69% | 7.69% |
| Platypus | 23 | 2 | 3.85% | 7.69% |
| Emu | 47 | 1 | 1.92% | 7.69% |
| Kangaroo | 47 | 1 | 1.92% | 7.69% |
Aruze & Interblock Lucky Big Wheel
Aruze and Interblock are makers of electronic table games. They both make a Big Six wheel that are mathematically equivalent. The following tables show the bets available, the number of stops for each one, the probability of winning, and house edge.
Aruze and Interblock Big Six Wheel
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | 1 | 26 | 48.15% | 3.70% |
| $3 | 3 | 13 | 24.07% | 3.70% |
| $6 | 6 | 7 | 12.96% | 9.26% |
| $12 | 12 | 4 | 7.41% | 3.70% |
| $25 | 25 | 2 | 3.70% | 3.70% |
| Flag | 50 | 1 | 1.85% | 5.56% |
| Joker | 50 | 1 | 1.85% | 5.56% |
| Total | 54 | 100.00% |
In addition, Aruze makes another version with a $6.50 symbol instead of $6 and the Joker and Flag bets pay 52 instead of 50. This more liberal wheel I've seen at the Star City casino in Sydney, Australia. The full odds are below.
Aruze Lucky Big Wheel — Australian Version
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 26 | 48.15% | 3.70% |
| 3 | 3 | 13 | 24.07% | 3.70% |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 7 | 12.96% | 2.78% |
| 12 | 12 | 4 | 7.41% | 3.70% |
| 25 | 25 | 2 | 3.70% | 3.70% |
| Joker | 52 | 1 | 1.85% | 1.85% |
| Flag | 52 | 1 | 1.85% | 1.85% |
| Total | 54 | 100.00% |
The house edge on both versions of the Aruze game is significantly less than standard Big Six, with a live dealer.
Gamesys
Internet casinos using Gamesys software have two wheel of fortune games. Both have a 49-stop wheel with prizes of $1, $3, $7, $15, $23, and $47. The following table shows the number of stops of each win, what it pays, probability of winning, and house edge. As you can see, every bet has a house edge of 2.04%. That is the best Big Six/Wheel of Fortune game I've ever seen, by far.
Gamesys Version
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 24 | 0.489796 | 0.020408 |
| 3 | 3 | 12 | 0.244898 | 0.020408 |
| 7 | 7 | 6 | 0.122449 | 0.020408 |
| 15 | 15 | 3 | 0.061224 | 0.020408 |
| 23 | 23 | 2 | 0.040816 | 0.020408 |
| Logo | 47 | 1 | 0.020408 | 0.020408 |
| Joker | 47 | 1 | 0.020408 | 0.020408 |
| Total | 49 | 1.000000 |
The also have a "zero house edge" version. In that game the rules are the same, except:
- If the wheel stops on the Logo, then any bet besides the Logo shall push, instead of lose.
- If the wheel stops on the Joker, then any bet on the Logo shall push, instead of lose.
By changing one stop from a loss to a push on all bets, that does indeed make the house edge exactly 0.00%. However, there is a catch. The player must pay a 10% commission on any net win per "gambling session." Any break between bets of an hour or more shall end a session and no session may last over 24 hours.
KGM
I saw this machine at the 2018 Global Gaming Expo. The Bonus issues prizes on a separate prize wheel of 5, 20, 50, 100, 250, and 100. I have no idea how they are weighted, so am leaving the return on that one a question mark.
Aruze Lucky Big Wheel — American Version
| Bet | Number on Wheel |
Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2 | 24 | 46.15% | 7.69% |
| $4 | 12 | 23.08% | 7.69% |
| $6 | 8 | 15.38% | 7.69% |
| $16 | 3 | 5.77% | 7.69% |
| $24 | 2 | 3.85% | 7.69% |
| $48 | 1 | 1.92% | 7.69% |
| Bonus | 2 | 3.85% | ? |
| Total | 52 | 100.00% |
Interblock Big Six
Yet another Interblock product is titled "Big Six." It follows the same rules as the Australian version, except adds two more slices to the wheel titled "Super Spin." If the player bets on Super Spin and the wheel lands in one of those two slices on the wheel, then an electronic wheel in the middle of the big wheel will spin to determine the win. Possible wins are 20, 50, 75, 100, 500, and 1000. I do not know how this inner wheel is weighted. Company literature I obtained at the 2019 Global Gaming Expo indicated there are five different pay tables for the Super Spin Feature. Since then, I saw the game at the Resorts World casino in New York City.
The following table shows the return of each bet. Wins are on a "to one" basis. The table shows a return of 88.89% on all bets (or 11.11% house edge) except the Super Spin, which I can't quantify without knowing the wheel weightings.
Interblock Big Six
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 24 | 44.44% | 88.89% |
| 3 | 3 | 12 | 22.22% | 88.89% |
| 5 | 5 | 8 | 14.81% | 88.89% |
| 11 | 11 | 4 | 7.41% | 88.89% |
| 23 | 23 | 2 | 3.70% | 88.89% |
| Red Diamond | 47 | 1 | 1.85% | 88.89% |
| Yellow Diamond | 47 | 1 | 1.85% | 88.89% |
| Super Spin | ? | 2 | 3.70% | ? |
| Total | 54 | 100.00% |
Wheel
There is a game at BetFury.io called Wheel that is another forum of Big Six. I believe it is made in house. Wheel has four different bet options. The following table breaks down the number of slices for each bet and the odds.
Wheel
| Bet | Pays | Number on Wheel |
Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 2 | 26 | 0.481481 | 0.962963 |
| Red | 3 | 17 | 0.314815 | 0.944444 |
| Green | 5 | 10 | 0.185185 | 0.925926 |
| Yellow | 50 | 1 | 0.018519 | 0.925926 |
| Total | 54 | 1.000000 |
Other Wheel Games
- Money Wheel is a similar game to Big Six, but involves multipliers and extra spins.
- Wheel looks like Big Six but plays more like roulette on a wheel with 19 possible outcomes. It is a live dealer game by BetGames.tv.
- Dream Catcher, by Evolution Gaming, plays like Big Six, but offers 2x and 7x multipliers.
Written by:Michael Shackleford
