Wheel! Of! Fortune!
After winning the Wheel of Fortune Second Chance promotion, two Nebraska Lottery players were whisked off to Los Angeles for a once in a lifetime chance to spin the big wheel!
Sandy Billings of Washington, Nebraska, and Jean Williams from Papillion joined players from eight different states to try their hand at winning some cash and soaking in some Southern California flavor. They won a trip that included roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles, three nights hotel accommodations, $1,500 cash and more!
The Wheel of Fortune Second Chance promotion ran from April 29 through September 4, 2019, and winners were chosen on September 5. Players entered non-winning Nebraska Wheel of Fortune Scratch tickets through the Nebraska Lottery’s MVP Club at nelottery.com.
After their names were drawn, Sandy and Jean were flown down to Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7 for three days of fun. They were picked up at the airport in a limo and driven to the Marina Del Rey Marriott.
The next day, winners were picked up on buses for a tour through Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood and finally stopped for lunch at L.A.’s famous Farmer’s Market.
That afternoon winners took a walking tour of Sony Studios in Culver City, checking out sets of movies and TV shows as well as the home of Wheel of Fortune.
The following day was the big one. Contestants loaded onto buses and headed to Sony Studios to watch three live tapings of Wheel of Fortune. Then contestants were led up to the stage for their turn to spin the wheel.
“It was heavy,” Sandy said.
Spinning the 2,400 pound wheel took some effort, both winners said. They were allowed to give the wheel a test spin before spinning for real.
“You have to hold onto the wheel from one spoke and spin,” Jean said. “Before I’d watch and say, ‘Why’d you do it like that?’ Now I know.”
After their spins—Jean won $6,500 and Sandra won $6,000—all of the contestants got a chance to take a photo with hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Jean even got a chance to high-five Vanna.
“They thought of everything,” Jean said. “It was way above what I expected.”
After spending several days with the other winners, Sandy said they’d grown pretty close.
“It felt like you were there with friends,” she said.
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