Prize wheels for brand activations: sizes, odds and the queue

Chocolate wheel, prize wheel or spin to win: what's the difference?

The chocolate wheel has a long history in Australia. Museums of History NSW describes it as a game of chance in which players bought numbered tickets matching the numbers on the wheel, and notes it was very popular at community fundraisers in the first half of the 20th century, and that using one "then, as now, required a permit".

A brand spin-to-win wheel uses the same kind of wheel without the tickets: people earn a spin by registering, sampling or buying the product, spin it themselves, and the segment it stops on decides the prize. Prize wheel, chocolate wheel, spin-the-wheel and promotional wheel all describe the same physical wheel, with a pointer that clicks over pegs until it stops on a segment.

Prize wheel sizes: floor-standing, counter-top and off-the-shelf

Displays 2 Go offers three styles. Prices exclude GST and freight.

Lead times run from order and print-ready artwork. Allow extra time for freight.

Floor-standing wheels are the largest style and the one to choose when the wheel has to be seen across a concourse or exhibition aisle. They are built in our Australian workshop on a heavy steel base for stability when spinning. A collapsible version breaks into several pieces for transport, and the product page shows custom wheels as large as 1,200mm.

Counter-top wheels suit a sampling table, bar or reception desk. They have a round steel base, a loud clicker and a one-year warranty on non-graphic components. Add a printed portable plinth for a simple, easy-to-transport stand-alone unit.

Off-the-shelf wheels suit a promotion that needs a wheel this week. They have 14 coloured segments under clear acrylic that you write on with a whiteboard marker, with an optional printed face graphic. They arrive flat-packed, take about 5 minutes to assemble the first time and can't be customised.

Custom prize wheels: segments, artwork and reuse

Custom wheels can have a different segment count from the standard design. The product pages carry artwork templates from 6 to 32 printed segments on the 420mm, 800mm and 1,000mm wheels, and up to 36 removable segments on the 1,000mm wheel.

Make two decisions before artwork starts:

1. Printed or interchangeable segments. Printed graphics are permanent. Removable, interchangeable segments let you change prizes or branding for the next campaign, so one wheel does several jobs.
2. How many segments. More segments means narrower ones. Around the rim, a 420mm wheel gives each segment about 132mm with 10 segments but only about 41mm with 32. Narrow segments are hard to read from the back of a queue, so keep prize names short.

You can supply print-ready artwork or brief our in-house design studio.

How to set the odds on a prize wheel

On a balanced wheel with equal segments, each segment has the same chance of landing. The odds for a prize are the number of segments it gets divided by the total. Here is an "every spin wins" example on a 16-segment wheel:

• Odds are averages. A physical wheel can land on the hero prize twice in a row. Stock above the expected number, and state in your rules what happens if a prize runs out.
• Never weight the wheel. A wheel that isn't truly random invites disputes.
• Test before you go live. Spin it repeatedly and check it stops cleanly on every segment.

Running the queue at a brand activation

A lively host matters as much as the wheel itself. Set the wheel where passing traffic sees it first, with the prizes on display and the queue able to watch each spin.

• Two roles, not one. The host draws people in and runs the spin. A second person captures details, checks proof of purchase and hands over prizes. One person doing both slows the line.
• Capture first, spin second. Register, scan or check the receipt before the spin, so every spin is a lead or a sale. If the details will be used for marketing, ask for consent at the same time.
• One spin per person per visit, written into the rules and applied every time.
• Queue along your frontage, not across the aisle. Agree queue space with the organiser or centre beforehand.
• Prizes on show, stock out of reach. Put one of each prize on the prize board and keep the rest behind the counter.

At pack-down, inspect the pegs, pointer and graphics, then pack the wheel into a carry case (sold separately) so the wheel and its parts stay together between events.

Prizes that attract buyers, not prize hunters

Generic high-value prizes draw a crowd with no interest in your brand. Prizes tied to your product draw likely buyers.

• Tie the spin to the action you want. One Keen's activation in our gallery ran "Purchase 2 Keen's recipe bases to spin the wheel" with "Every spin wins". The prizes were cookbooks, tea towels, shopping lists and a $50 voucher. In NSW, entry by buying goods at their normal retail value is allowed for trade promotions.
• Make the prize a trial. A beauty wheel in our gallery offers a facial, a hand massage and hand cream samples, so every win puts the product in someone's hands.
• Use branded merchandise for the lower tiers. Our prize wheel merchandise range includes caps, tumblers, stubby holders, badges and plush toys printed with your logo.
• Make the hero prize about the brand, such as a year's supply or an experience built around the product.

Do you need a permit for a spin-to-win promotion?

Treat a prize wheel as a game of chance. The rules vary by state, so check with the regulator in each state or territory where the promotion runs or where entrants live. Adding a quiz question before the spin may not change that. The ACT regulator counts winners decided by "a mixture of chance and skill" as a trade promotion lottery, and Victoria's regulator says its rules apply "even if the event includes skill-based activities".

What the official sites say:

Check prizes too. NSW prohibits some prizes, including more than 20 litres of liquor at 20% alcohol or less, or more than 5 litres above 20%, which matters for liquor tastings. NSW also says advertising must not suggest that winning is a definite outcome, so have your legal team review lines such as "every spin wins" before they go on a plinth. Your promotions or legal team owns the terms and conditions. We build the wheel to suit them.

Physical or digital prize wheel?

Every wheel in our range is a physical wheel with a clicking pointer. With prize wheels, noise equals attention. For other ways to engage a crowd, see our interactive games.

Prize wheel hire or buy?

We sell prize wheels; we don't hire them. For a one-off promotion, the in-stock off-the-shelf wheel is the low-cost option. For a campaign that tours, a custom wheel with interchangeable segments and a carry case can be refreshed rather than replaced. Wheels ship Australia-wide.

Frequently asked questions

How many segments should a prize wheel have? Our standard designs use 16 on floor-standing wheels and 10 on counter-top wheels. Use fewer if prizes must be read from a distance.

Next step

Compare the formats on our prize wheels page. Then send your promotion date, prize list and location through the enquiry form on any wheel page, or call 1300 240 250, and we'll confirm what's achievable.