Ryan Seacrest’s Contract for ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Is Already a Hot Topic

Ryan Seacrest has only been the TV host of Wheel of Fortune for three months so far, but viewers are responding favorably to the change after Pat Sajak retired. Seacrest and co-host Vanna White ushered in the most-watched entertainment show on TV for the month of September, per Nielsen ratings, via Variety.

That success has reportedly led show producers to try and lock down Seacrest for as long as he wants to host the show — but there might be a catch! “The powers that be over at Wheel of Fortune don’t want him stretched to the limit and want his full and undivided attention on the show,” a source told Closer Weekly. That exclusivity might be a hard thing to achieve because the 49-year-old TV personality likes to stay busy with American Idol, his radio show, and the upcoming Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special. 

Seacrest has a lucrative contract that takes him through the early 2030s, per The New York Times, but there could be more in the cards for him. RadarOnline seems to think that if he “scales back” on his other projects, Seacrest stands to increase his salary substantially. “That success is going to translate into a longer-term deal than his current two-year contract and we’re talking BIG. Ryan could be the first game show host to make $50 million a year,” a source claimed to the media outlet.

Seacrest reportedly makes $28 million a year now which was a notable increase from Sajak’s $15 million a year. Still, the producers apparently want him to take a more active role behind the scenes like his predecessor did. “Back in the day, Pat was more a part of the fabric of the show behind the scenes than Ryan has the schedule or availability for. Pat would even sit in on contestant auditions and meet with advertisers because the show became his life,” the insider added.

The salaries of both Seacrest and White have become hot topics because she didn’t see a raise for 18 years, making significantly less than Sajak. With the change of guard, the Wheel of Fortune co-host hired Hollywood hotshot lawyer Bryan Freedman to negotiate her new two-year contract with a pay bump. With the newfound success of the long-running game show, the hosts deserve all the accolades — and money — coming their way.

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Wheel of Fortune Fans Call Out Ryan Seacrest For Making Subtle Changes To Show

Ryan Seacrest took over for Pat Sajak in September 2024. He received a mixed reaction. However, the ratings for Wheel of Fortune exploded during his first week as host. Most fans have gotten to Seacrest’s hosting style. Meanwhile, others accused him of making changes to the game.

Quiet Changes

One WoF fan took to Reddit to post a list of the supposed changes Seacrest made to the show. This viewer has been taking elaborate notes. Seacrest didn’t announce these changes. Yet, fans wondered if he was bringing a new style to the game format. Some of the changes include allowing contestants to spin more bankrupts and spin the wheel for the final round.

The original poster also noticed that the person who wins the prize puzzle ends up winning the game. It could be because the trips are worth more money. Another change is that Seacrest’s co-host, Vanna White, has changed her style. The observant watcher noticed that she’s been wearing more pants lately. “How is everyone feeling about Ryan? I miss Pat, though I think Ryan is engaging and interesting. He’s light-hearted and has quick comebacks,” the user concluded.

What Do Wheel Watchers Think?

Other fans took their thoughts to the Reddit thread. Most noted that the original poster hasn’t been paying attention to these changes, which were made over the years. Some of them took place long before Seacrest took over Sajak’s position.

“There are the same number of bankrupts on the wheel. If they hit more recently, it’s just by chance. The person who wins the prize puzzle has almost always won the game. That’s not new. The contestant has spun the wheel for the final round for several years now. Pat did it a long time ago. Vanna definitely wears pants more now, but it was not unheard of with Pat,” one user responded.

In the past, the host would spin the wheel for the final round. However, that changed after the COVID pandemic. Sajak never spun the wheel for the final round after that. He felt that it gave the contestants more control over the game.

“I think you weren’t paying attention before. 😂 The person who wins the prize puzzle, more times than not, goes to the bonus puzzle as that’s a quick 10k plus added to their bank. It’s been since season 39 when Pat quit spinning. He felt it gave him too much control over who could win. Vanna definitely wore pantsuits before, but they were fewer and further between,” another user noted.

Seacrest doesn’t have complete control of the show as fans thought. However, he revealed that he wanted to make it feel more nostalgic. What changes have you noticed with WoF? Let us know in the comment section.