In a matter of months, Pat Sajak will depart Wheel of Fortune, causing the gameshow to search for its first new host in over 40 years. Early reports suggest Ryan Seacrest could be a frontrunner for the position, though it’s unclear if those talks have solidified as of this writing. Now, the job search has made it to Las Vegas where odds makers are discussing the most likely candidates to replace Sajak—and some of the frontrunners might surprise you.
As you might expect, Seacrest has the best odds of the bunch at 2/1, but he’s followed by Vanna White—Sajak’s long-time Wheel cohort—at 4/1 odds. Sajak’s daughter Maggie follows third in line with 5/1 odds while Terry Crews (6/1) and Wayne Brady (7/1) round out the top five.
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“Wheel of Fortune is an American institution, and if we are honest, so is betting,” BetUS public affairs director Tim Williams said in a release. “We are excited to provide this unique betting market to our users. With a range of personalities to choose from, it is going to be intriguing to see who the betting public puts their money behind.”
Sajak himself announced his retirement through Twitter earlier this month, saying the upcoming Season 41 would be his last with the evening game show.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak said in a statement shared to his Twitter. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
It’s also not surprising the host is departing the project, given he’s talked exhaustively about retirement in the months leading up to his official announcement.
“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” Sajak said last year of Wheel of Fortune, which debuted in 1975. “It appears I may go before the show. Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end. It’s been a long [time]. We’re not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near. It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We’re happy and proud.”
Wheel of Fortune is streaming on Pluto.
