Running a prize wheel at a booth or school fair

At a school fair last spring I watched a tablet prize wheel stop three people mid-walk: they heard the spin, saw the slices, and queued before anyone had said hello. A wheel is loud and visual, and everyone thinks they'll land the big prize. That's great for foot traffic. It's less great if you didn't plan the prize mix and you've given away all the good stuff by 11 a.m.

This guide covers running an on-screen prize wheel at a trade show booth, a school fair, a library open day or a shop counter. Most of it is about prizes and money, because that's the part people get wrong.

Photo: Pexels (Pexels License).

The one fact that shapes everything

Every slice on the wheel has the same chance. With 10 slices, each prize has a 1 in 10 chance on every spin. You can't make the grand prize rarer by making its slice thinner, because slices are all the same size. You can't add it as an exact duplicate to make it more common either; duplicate lines are skipped.

So rarity comes from how many slices carry a prize, and how many of that prize you've stocked. Plan from there.

Work out the cost per spin before you buy anything

This is the bit worth ten minutes with a calculator. Say you're running a booth for a local bookstore. You put 10 slices on the wheel:

Add up the cost of every slice: 3 × $0.50 + 2 × $1 + 2 × $0 + $6 + $25 + $0 = $34.50. Divide by 10 slices: $3.45 per spin, on average.

If you expect 200 spins over the day, budget about $690 in prizes. That's probably more than the bookstore wants to spend, mostly because of that one gift card slice. Over 200 spins, it'll come up about 20 times. Twenty $25 gift cards is $500.

Two honest ways to fix it:

1. Swap the gift card for something cheaper, like a $5 voucher, and save the big prize for an end-of-day draw (more on that below).
2. Stock a fixed number of the big prize, say three, and remove the slice from the wheel when they're gone. Say so out loud and on your sign: "Gift cards: 3 available today." That's honest. Quietly running out and pretending the slice is still live isn't.

The "Spin again" slice costs nothing, but it doesn't really reduce your cost per spin either. It just delays the spin that does count. Treat it as fun, not as a budget tool.

Choosing the prize mix

Short, specific, physical prizes work best at an event. People want to walk away holding something.

• For a business booth: branded pens, stickers, a discount code, a coffee voucher, a tote bag, a free trial.
• For a school fair: pencils, erasers, a small toy, "pick a book from the box," a homework pass if the school agrees, a ticket for the main raffle.
• For a shop counter: a percentage off today, a free add-on, a sample, a loyalty stamp.

Keep labels short so they fit on the slice and can be read from a few feet away. "10% off" beats "10% off your next purchase over $20."

Be careful with "No prize" slices. Some events use them to stretch stock, and that's fine if it's on the sign. But a kid who spins "No prize" at a school fair is a sad kid. I'd always give a small consolation, even if it's just a sticker.

Photo: Pexels (Pexels License).

Setting up the screen

• Use a laptop or tablet facing the visitor, not you. Let them press SPIN. It's more fun and it shows you're not choosing.
• Load the Prize rewards example and edit it, or type your own list one per line. The wheel holds up to 60 slices, but 8 to 12 reads much better on a small screen.
• Zoom the browser if the wheel looks small from where visitors stand.
• Plug in the charger. A day of spins drains a laptop.
• Your list stays in that browser. If the laptop restarts, the list is still there. If you set the wheel up the night before on a different machine, press Copy share link and open the link on the booth laptop.

A rules sign you can copy

Print this and put it next to the screen. Change the details to match yours.

Spin to win! One spin per person. Every slice has the same chance. Prizes while stocks last. When a prize runs out, we'll take it off the wheel. "Spin again" means one more spin, once. Ask us if you have any questions.

The sign does two jobs. It answers the questions before anyone asks, and it means the rules were public before the first spin, so nobody can say you changed them.

If people pay to spin

Free spins for visitors are one thing. Charging money for a chance at a prize is something else, and in many places that counts as gambling or a lottery, with its own rules or permits. If you're thinking about "$1 a spin" for a fundraiser, check your local rules first. A raffle with a permit, or a free spin with purchase where that's allowed, may be the simpler route.

Add an end-of-day draw for the big prize

Instead of putting your best prize on the wheel, collect names or business cards from visitors through the day and draw one winner at closing. It's cheaper, it builds a contact list (with permission), and it gives people a reason to come back.

For a small list, under 60 names, tap Entrant names on the prize wheel, paste the names, and spin. For a bigger list, or if you want a few winners and some alternates in case a winner has left, use the raffle generator. It draws one entry at a time from those still in the draw, each with an equal chance, and a winner leaves the draw by default.

During the event

• Restock or edit as you go. If the tote bags are gone, delete the slice and say so.
• Keep a tally on paper of what's been won. It helps you restock, and it's useful when your manager asks how the day went.
• Let the line move. One spin each, a quick handover, next person. A booth wheel works best when it's fast.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the big prize less likely on the prize wheel?

Not by changing the slice size; every slice is equal. Use fewer big-prize slices and more small ones, stock a limited number, or move the big prize to an end-of-day draw.

How many slices should a booth prize wheel have?

Eight to twelve is a good range. It's readable on a laptop screen, and it gives you enough room for a sensible prize mix. The wheel itself takes up to 60.

Do I need internet at the booth?

You need a connection to load the page, so test it on the venue's Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot before visitors arrive. Your list is saved in that browser, so you won't have to retype it if the page reloads.

What should "Spin again" mean?

Whatever your sign says. A common rule is one extra spin, once. Decide before the event and stick to it.

Can I use the prize wheel for a giveaway draw at the end of the day?

Yes. Tap Entrant names, paste up to 60 names and spin with remove winner on if you're drawing more than one. For bigger lists or alternates, use the raffle generator.