Whenever Vanna White visits Las Vegas, the glamorous television game show host moonlights as a surprise good luck charm.

“When I see people playing Wheel of Fortune slots, I go up to them, I rub my hand on the slot machine and I say, ‘This is for good luck. Hi, I’m Vanna.’ And then I walk off,” White tells the Weekly. “They just freak out. Because there they are, minding their own business, playing their game, and then I show up.”

White was in town recently to celebrate the 25th anniversary of IGT’s Wheel of Fortune slot franchise at this year’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E). “It’s incredible,” White says. “I can’t believe that it’s been 25 years, and it’s still going strong. It’s still just as fun as it was on day one.”

The anniversary isn’t just an achievement for gaming company IGT or for a game show that has been on air since 1975; it’s a piece of Las Vegas history. Wheel of Fortune was the first-ever licensed, branded game on the casino floor, according to Boris Hallerbach, director of premium content for IGT. Countless TV shows, movies and celebrity brands have since followed suit.

And unlike, say, a sitcom-branded slot machine, Wheel of Fortune has a natural connection to gaming. “I think the biggest draw for Wheel of Fortune slot players is spinning the wheel,” Hallerbach says. “If they’re a fan of the TV show, [they] dream of spinning the wheel on TV, and this gets them close to that.”

White sees even more reasons for players to connect. “When you think of Wheel of Fortune, you think of winning money and having fun, and it’s the same with the slot machines,” White says. “It’s almost like it’s one big, happy family. You feel like you’re part of Wheel of Fortune when you’re playing that. I was playing it yesterday and just the music, it’s like, oh my gosh, I feel like I’m at work.”

Wheel of Fortune is now in its 39th season on television, and Hallerbach says parent company Sony keeps the show fresh by evolving with the times: “They’ve kept their style guide up-to-date. … The puzzles are relevant and current.”

IGT has done the same. “We’ve taken that style guide, we’ve applied it to slot mechanics that we know work for players,” Hallerbach says. “As slot players have evolved over the years, we’ve evolved the game mechanics.”

Among the latest innovations is a 4D slot machine, which combines 3D visuals with the ability to swipe in midair to spin the wheel. Video, audio and music complete the experience. “We’re authentic to the sounds, the Wheel of Fortune chant,” Hallerbach says. “If you walk through the airport, you’ll hear that Wheel of Fortune chant.”

There’s no reason to mess with success, as they say, so expect the wheel to continue spinning. “As long as we have the license with Sony, we’re gonna keep putting R&D development into it,” Hallerbach says. “It’s been such a great brand for us.”

Quick hitters with Vanna White

What’s your favorite part of being in a slot machine? Making people happy and rich. And having fun.

Do you ever gamble yourself? Yes. I think playing slots is fun. … I like a little bit of everything to tell you the truth. I get bored. I like to move around.

How often do you visit Las Vegas? Not as often as I’d like. I love Las Vegas. I love their food. I love their entertainment. I love their gambling. The people are so nice. … It’s a great escape. And fortunately, in Los Angeles, I don’t live far.

What is your favorite game show, other than your own? I love Jeopardy. And I’m not saying that because it’s part of our show. I’ve watched Jeopardy for years and years and years.

As a Wheel of Fortune co-host, how often are you tempted to yell out the puzzle answers? It’s hard not to, because I do know the answers beforehand. I have to know where to go, where the letters are. But I’m always trying to send telepathic letters to [contestants], especially in the bonus round. It’s like, “Call the P!” I can’t say that, of course. But in my head, I’m [telling] them to call the letters that are in the puzzle.

How do your famous on-air outfits work? I have a stylist, and we have contracts with several designers. They send their clothes to the studio. ... They let me borrow them for 30 minutes. I’ve worn over 7,000 dresses. … But my shoes are my own!

Any favorite dresses? My favorite ones are the loose-fitting ones. … I kinda like the short ones, too. The long ones are absolutely gorgeous … but sometimes it’s hard to walk. I’m afraid I’m going to trip or something. But they’re still fun to wear.

How do you stay so fit and fabulous? I have to stay the same size, because I wear sample dresses. My biggest fear is—we do fittings every two or three weeks—am I gonna be able to fit into this? That has inspired me to stay in shape. I do Pilates, yoga, I spin on a bike and do weights usually four or five times a week.

What’s it like working with Pat Sajak? Fortunately, we like each other. For 39 years, we have been together, and it’s like a great brother-sister team. … I can look at him, when he comes in, and tell if he’s in a bad mood or good mood. He can tell, when we walk out, if I like the dress I’m wearing, like if it’s uncomfortable or something.

Why did they change the puzzle letters from physical to digital on the TV show? In 1997, I said, ‘Is there any way you can make my job easier?’ No, I didn’t really say that. I promise. The reason why they changed it to the computerized [letters] is because it saved a lot of production time with the show.

What do you do for fun? I have my own line of yarn! It’s called Vanna’s Choice. I donate half my proceeds to St. Jude [Children’s Research Hospital]. I’ve donated over $2 million to them. I think it’s important to give back. And I’m so thankful for all these years of being able to be on the show

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