'Wheel Of Fortune' Rolls To Detroit In Search Of Contestants

DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit's riverfront was abuzz Friday with people testing their luck in a chance to be awarded a trip to the iconic game show, Wheel of Fortune.

Chene Park Amphitheatre filled with hopeful contestants looking to win their ticket to take a spin as the game show came to Detroit in search of new word wizards.

One of the contestants, Micki Baumgart of Lakeland, Mich., a "big fan" of the show, drove from more than an hour away and claimed that she knows the secret of how to win.

"I think that it's people who work with words -- that have word magic in their heads," Baumgart said.

Baumgart claimed that working as a sign-language interpreter gives her an upper hand when looking to compete in the world of word puzzles.

As a part of the "Wheel Watchers Club", Josh Barnett of Plymouth, Mich. said he has copies of the game for the original Nintendo console and knows exactly what to do after spinning the wheel.

"Definitely go with 'R, S, T, L, N, E'," Barnett claimed.

Barnett said that the sweet-spot to stand during the competition is in-between the other contestants.

"We think that being towards the middle is the advantage because then it gets one full round and then a couple more back to the middle," Barnett continued.

Wheel of Fortune brought its 36-foot Winnebago, the "Wheelmobile", which tours the country in search of "good game players who are energetic, enthusiastic and fun" down to Detroit's Riverfront to give Metro Detroiters a chance to be a contestant on the game show.

After filling out an application, fans were called up at random to take part in a simulation of the popular game show. Contestants could win prizes and even a chance to be a part of the broadcast version of the competition.

The search for contestants continues Saturday at Chene Park Detroit Amphitheatre from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.