Why do they reset The Price Is Right big wheel to .05 cents after a contestant has won a thousand dollars?

Question

This is a question asked to me by my son. I couldn't give him an honest answer other than "I don't know." Now it has me curious. Why don't they just reset it to 1.00? What difference does it make?

Answer 1

That way everybody has the same odd's on hitting a $1.00.  It would probably break the house if it was never reset to the .05 cent mark. Think of it this way, if it wasn't reset would you want to be the one who spins first or second? Would you get upset if you went first and the person after you, hit the $1.00! I would, That's why they reset it everytime!

Answer 2

The wheel has to go around exactly 1 time or it does not count and you don't get to try again. If the player hits $1, .05 or .10 (or .15, I don't remember what's on the other side of $1) they win money. With the wheel set at .05, exactly one rotation of the wheel gets to the .05, and they win. If they started it at the $1, they would have to spin the wheel at least 2 rotations (minus one slot) to get to the .05.  If a person attempts to guide the wheel exactly one spin, or they're too weak to spin it around twice, .05 is effectively eliminated, which isn't really fair. .05 is is simply the best and most fair place to start the wheel.

Answer 3

The wheel is set at the same place for each contestant. One has to start somewhere so the 5 is as good as any. That may have started with the first " Price is Right" show and continued as part of the routine.