April 22, 2012 'Wheel of Fortune' hopefuls fill Nitro casino
Lawrence Pierce
Amy Cobb gets a high five from host Marty Lublin for solving the puzzle at the Wheel of Fortune auditions Sunday at the Mardi Gras Casino and Resort in Cross Lanes.
By Lori Kersey, Charleston Gazette
Lawrence Pierce
The crowd cheers at the Wheel of Fortune auditions Sunday afternoon.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- "Wheel of Fortune" fans poured into the Mardi Gras Casino and Resort bright and early Sunday morning for their chance to be a contestant on the popular television game show.
The "Wheel of Fortune" "Wheel Mobile" -- a 39-foot Winnebago that tours nationwide in search of contests for the television game show -- drew a huge crowd during its first stop ever in West Virginia. The first man to show up for auditions got to the casino at 7:30 a.m. for a 2 p.m. audition, Bob Lagg, general manager of the casino, said.
Between 700 and 750 people showed up for the first audition. All three rounds of Sunday's auditions were held in a tent outside the casino.
Lagg said the game show had originally wanted to be in Charleston but chose the Nitro casino because the circus was at the Civic Center this weekend.
"I guess we were the bridesmaid," Lagg said.
Still, Lagg said having "Wheel of Fortune" at the casino has been great exposure for the facility and the Kanawha Valley.
"My guess is that a lot of [those trying out] haven't been here before," Lagg said. "It's great exposure for Charleston and the surrounding area and with any luck they'll gamble with us. My guess is they came for Wheel but maybe they'll come back."
Lagg said there were more vehicles than usual with out-of-state licenses plates in the parking lot. That would hint that people have come from long distances to try out for the show, he said.
"The Wheel is America's most popular game and we get to show off West Virginia's greatest asset, which is the hospitality of its people."
Although Pat Sajak and Vanna White were not at Sunday's auditions, contestants were excited for a chance to get on stage with traveling host Marty Lublin.
Would-be contestants were picked randomly from a "Drum of Dreams," and were then give the chance to possibly win their way onto the show during a mock game. Amy Cobb, 35, of Barboursville, was one of the lucky ones who auditioned. She said she watches the show every night with her husband.
"It would be awesome [to be a contestant]," Cobb said. "It's not easy to get picked. That would be a nice bucket list thing to cross off."
Hannah Bury, a banker who recently moved to Charleston from Cincinnati, also auditioned.
"My mom and I have watched since I was little," Bury said. Though she won't know for a while whether or not she's chosen for the show, Bury is already looking forward to the prizes.
"I would love to win a trip somewhere because I love to travel," she said.
Father and daughter Bob Baltzley and Terri Allen drove two hours from Bridgeport for their chance at auditioning. With one more audition to go, their names had not been called yet, but they were still hoping. They wore hand-made signs that read "Why not pick me for the game?" and "I want to be on Wheel of Fortune."
"I've been watching since I was 10 and Chuck Woolery was hosting," Allen said. "I always said I'm going to marry him. He did marry a Teri, just the wrong one."
The auditions continue Monday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the casino.
Reach Lori Kersey at [email protected] or 304-348-1240.