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Vanna White Visits Tallahassee Promoting Scratch Off Game

Florida Lottery
Posted at 11:58 PM, May 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-14 11:49:00-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - She has probably one of the most recognizable faces in the country. Vanna White has been turning letters for the game show Wheel of Fortune for the last 34 years.

"One of the highlights of my career was getting a star on the Walk of Fame," explains White. "Because when I first got to Hollywood, I walked down it and said, 'one day I want my own star', and I did, so that was huge for me."

Ranking as the longest running syndicated game shows in the U.S., it's so popular that, over the years, it's become a board game, a video game, and most recently, a scratch off game. The Florida Lottery's $5 and $10 tickets are spinning out winners....and prizes.

"We brought the $5 ticket last year, hit a record for $5 tickets, made over $7 million in one week, and followed that with another $7 million week, never done that before, and then brought a $10 ticket and it's been successful!" says Florida Lottery Secretary Tom Delacenserie.

Proceeds from the game, continuing the Lottery's education funding mission.

"Just from the Wheel of Fortune games, we're transferring over $1 million a week to education, just in these two games," says Delacenserie, "and that shows the success of the show and the ticket.

And speaking education, Vanna has never worn the same dress twice on air....so do the math...that's more than 6,500 outfits.

"My designers send about 40 dresses every other week to the show and I try them on, and we do 12 shows in 2 days, so I pick the top 12 from what they sent, and I wear them, and go back and two weeks later, new ones come," explains White. "So I don't get to keep them, but they're fun to wear!"

So what's her Wheel of Advice?

"I had a dream and I didn't give up, and that's what I want to say to all the young people out there or any person out there," says White. "If you want to achieve something, go for it! Don't give up. Keep going."

The Wheel of Fortune scratch off games can be purchased at any authorized Florida Lottery retailers.

Video coming soon. Check back with www.wtxl.tv.