A custom prize wheel works best when people can read it from several metres away and understand it in a second. Good design is mostly about clarity. Here are the points worth deciding before you send artwork or ask for help.
Start with the goal
Ask what the wheel is for. A giveaway at a trade show needs bold prizes and a visible logo. A game at a school fair may need more fun and colour. The goal tells you how many sections you need and how much text fits on each one.
Choose colours with strong contrast
- Contrast first. Dark text on light sections, or the other way round, is easy to read. Avoid similar shades side by side.
- Use your brand colours, but keep to two or three main colours plus a neutral, so the wheel does not look busy.
- Alternate section colours so neighbouring prizes are easy to tell apart when the wheel is spinning.
Give the logo a clear place
The centre of the wheel or the space around it is the usual home for a logo. Keep it away from the edge, where the pointer and the spinning motion make it harder to see, and leave some empty space around it. A simple, high-resolution file always prints better than a small image taken from a web page.
Pick the number of sections
More sections mean more prize variety but smaller text. For a compact wheel such as the D45, fewer sections keep the text readable. Larger wheels such as the D90 or D120 have room for more. If you are unsure, see our guide to choosing the right size.
Keep the text short
- Two or three words per section is usually enough, for example “Free coffee” or “10% off”.
- Use numbers or short icons if you play in several languages.
- Check spelling twice. A mistake on a printed wheel is hard to fix.
Design it yourself or let a studio do it
You can send your own artwork or ask a studio to prepare the layout. A design made for printing from the start tends to need fewer corrections, so it is worth giving the studio your logo, brand colours and the list of prizes.
Ready to start?
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This article is for general information and inspiration only. It reflects our experience and common practice, not professional, legal or financial advice. Details vary by event, venue and country, so please treat the ideas here as suggestions rather than facts and check what applies to your situation.
