IGT’s Wheel of Fortune is the subject of a class action lawsuit over the alleged deceptive nature of its bonus wheel feature. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Wheel of Fortune is one of the most iconic television game shows of all time, and now the popular slot machine brand of the same name is the subject of a class action lawsuit.

Plaintiffs allege that the IGT title’s bonus wheel feature is intentionally deceptive and prevents people from winning larger prizes. According to the complaint, this gives players a false sense of potential payouts, allowing casinos to “illegally siphon billions of dollars from consumers’ pockets into their own coffers.”

The bonus wheel’s segments appear to be equal in size, but the lawsuit alleges they do not provide players with a fair chance of winning each prize, as the programming causes the wheel to stop more often on lower-value positions.

used the analogy of having a magnet under a roulette wheel’s zero and double-zero positions

The plaintiffs used the analogy of having a magnet under a roulette wheel’s zero and double-zero positions to illustrate their point. They want compensatory damages and casinos to display the actual odds of winning certain prizes on the bonus wheel. Defendants include IGT, MGM Resorts International, and Penn Entertainment.

This news comes just days after IGT experienced a cyberattack. Investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the breach.