The game show Wheel of Fortune turns 40 years old this year. The original host was Chuck Woolery and the letter turner was Susan Stafford. The name of the show was Shopper’s Bazaar. Woolery, in a contract dispute, left the show in 1981 and was replaced by Pat Sajak. Vanna White joined shortly after.

Here are some things you may not know about the Wheel of Fortune:

--The wheel is heavy, 2,400 pounds, when you see contestants spin the wheel and it looks like they are having a hard time, they are.

--Vanna White has worn over 6,000 dresses on the show and Pat Sajak matches his tie to Vanna’s dress.

--More than 10,000 people a year try out for the show but fewer than 600 get on the show.

--The puzzle board Vanna touches in made up of 52 touch-screen TV monitors. There are 12 across the top and bottom and 14 across the two middle rows.

--the first letter Vanna ever turned was a ‘T’.

--The biggest winner was Michelle Loewenstein in October of 2008 who won $1,026,080 in cash and prizes.

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