Mike B.

Finding out that I had been picked for Wheel of Fortune was the most surreal experience of my life. There was enough time between my last audition and when I found out that I had figured I didn't make the cut. When I got the email that I had been selected, my head was spinning thinking about coordinating travel, work, and childcare. Knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I replied "yes," and with the support of my family, we figured it all out.

I practiced by using the Wheel of Fortune app, watching new episodes every night, and streaming older episodes. The experience was life-changing. It really made me believe that anything is possible. I read that around a million people apply for WOF every year and only about 600 people get to play. My advice to anyone who has ever wanted to play WOF: smile big and bring the energy in your audition tape and interviews. Everyone that I interacted with during this experience, from fellow contestants and production assistants, to craft services and hair and make-up artists, were unbelievably positive. Pat and Vanna gave us words of encouragement before and during the game. The whole experience built a sense of comraderie amongst the contestants. Also what's great is that WOF is one of the few shows where all the contestants can walk away with A LOT of money 🤣.

From the get-go, my wife and I said, "win-or-lose, we're going to Disneyland" the day after filming and that's what we did. All of the puzzles surprised me; I will say solving puzzles from behind the wheel is a lot more difficult than solving from your couch. I have a new respect for anyone playing the game. Be kind to contestants that flub up 😁

I plan on watching the episode with my wife, who was there with me, and my daughter who didn't make the trip out to LA. I think she'll enjoy seeing the Disney characters decked out in their holiday gear for Disney Secret Santa Week! She's three years old, so I'm curious to see how she'll react when she sees me on TV. To be honest, she'll probably be more excited about seeing Minnie Mouse 🤣 WOF is a show that my grandparents watched, my parents watched, and now I watch with my wife and daughter. It brings families together, it's generational, everlasting, and it's America's Game!