Hey Lucky Jim:

Perhaps someone can confirm ... but with, "Wheel of Fortune" ... the final coin is usually required to make you eligible for the top progressive and the "Wheel of Fortune" bonus round.

If you played only $1 --- you would win whatever came up on the display. As this was a PAY 2x 3x 4x machine -- you would essentially be playing the game without the chance for a bonus round (game ignores the spin symbol). It would be just like playing a PAY 2x 3x 4x without the "Wheel of Fortune" theming.

A payout of 2000-to-1 is pretty good. Congratulations. On most Wheel machines I am familiar with --- you actually have to pay $3 --- with the final coin making you eligible for the SPIN bonus ... in that case, a $2 bet does double the payout.

Hope this helps.

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\