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Big Six is the classic Wheel of Fortune game that draws so much attention at the casino. With many wheels measuring six feet in height (or more!), it is an eye-catching but tricky-to-win game. It offers high odds specifically because there are relatively low chances of winning. However, it’s a lot of fun and most casinos offer bets as low as $1 with the potential for relatively high payouts. The key to playing Big Six is understanding the odds of each section of the wheel being chosen in any one spin.
History of Big Six
Big Six shares a common history with roulette and other games involving divided wheels and random chances of hitting any one particular section. The legends claim that Ancient Greeks or Romans played a form of wheel-spinning games by mounting damaged shields on spears with sections marked off on them, then spinning them. However, there is little evidence for this claim. Like most Wheel of Fortune games, Big Six likely dates back to the late 1800s when many of the current era’s most popular casino games were developed and refined during the late Industrial era.
How to Play
A table or display is set up in front of the wheel for betting. Each segment on the wheel is represented with a slot or square. Players place their bets by putting $1 on the slot or square for the segment they want. Most casinos allow players to bet on more than one segment per spin but not more than $1 per segment. After everyone has placed their bets, the wheel is spun. The key is to watch the house edge on the bets, which tends to be the lowest on the low-value bets. Combined with the fact that $1 and $2 bets have the highest odds, players that want to rack up wins tend to stick to lower segments.
Big Six Rules
The highest possible payout is 45:1 or 50:1. These payouts will usually come from the casino’s logo and the joker symbol, or any other two unique symbols on the wheel. Following that, the payouts will roughly follow this schedule:
- 2 $20 slots paying 20:1
- 2 $10 slots paying 10:1
- 8 $5 slots paying 5:1
- 12 $3 or $2 slots paying either 3:1 or 2:1
- 24 even-money slots paying $1
If the Big Six wheel only has 52 sections, it tends to drop a pair of higher value slots rather than the even-money units.
Popular Terms and Fun Facts
- Dice Wheel is a variation on Big Six that is slightly more complicated. The wheel will have 52 to 54 segments with combinations of three six-sided dice on them. Players bet on numbers one through six and receive a payout based on the number of times that number appears on the dice. For example, a set of three six-sided dice would pay the highest possible payout for a player who bet on 6.
- Mississippi Derby Wheel is another version of Big Six. Instead of using monetary amounts or dice, it uses symbols of horses. Players pick a horse to bet on, with usually just six horses to choose from that appear in varying amounts like on the other types of wheels. Again, the key is to choose sections with the lowest house edge and the highest chance of appearance for long-term gain.
- Dealers tend to vary how hard they spin the wheel with each round, making it hard to predict what section of the wheel the pointer will stop on each turn. Online Big Six wheels are based on random number generators, so they won’t develop patterns either. It’s a common misconception that watching the wheel long enough will help you learn the pattern and guess which number is coming next.
Now That You Know the Rules, Let’s Play!
Big Six is a fun game that doesn’t require a big bet and has the potential for a high payout. Players get to control the amount of risk they incur, allowing them to slowly build up wins or bet it all on a big risk. There’s a lot of fun in watching the wheel roll, much like roulette with a slightly different twist. Give Big Six a spin the next time you spot one of the games available at a casino near you.
Play Big Six at RW NYC
Resorts World New York City visitors are welcome to enjoy a game of big six (and more) in its electronic version. Same level of excitement guaranteed!
