Games of chance at carnivals and even the iconic "Wheel of Fortune" are often exactly their namesakes -- completely left to chance. But designing a game of chance doesn't have to be when you use Microsoft Excel. Excel's chart-rendering capability means you simply input a couple of numbers and then generate the lottery wheel image. Excel gives you complete customisation control not only in the number of slices in the wheel, but their labels and appearance as well. Take your chances with Microsoft Excel.
- Games of chance at carnivals and even the iconic "Wheel of Fortune" are often exactly their namesakes -- completely left to chance.
- But designing a game of chance doesn't have to be when you use Microsoft Excel.
Open Microsoft Excel. Click into the first cell, A1, on the spreadsheet. Type a number into the cell. The number doesn't matter as all slices on the lottery wheel are going to be the same size.
Press the "Enter" key to drop to the cell below, A2. Type the same number into the cell. Press the "Enter" key, add the same number to next cell, A3, and repeat the process until you have as many cells as places on the lottery wheel you want.
- Press the "Enter" key to drop to the cell below, A2.
- Press the "Enter" key, add the same number to next cell, A3, and repeat the process until you have as many cells as places on the lottery wheel you want.
Highlight the cells with the numbers with the cursor. Click the "Insert" tab at the top of the workspace.
Click the small drop-down arrow under the "Pie" button. Choose the first option under "3-D Pie." Excel automatically renders the lottery wheel with each slice a different colour. Click the legend to the right of the wheel and press the "Delete" key to remove it.
Click the green "Chart Tools" tab at the top of the work area. Scroll through the "Chart Styles" section to recolor the pie chart -- this is optional.
Click the "Insert" tab again. Click the "Text Box" button on the ribbon. The cursor becomes an upside down cross. Draw a text box on one of the slices of the lottery wheel.
Type that slice's number, prize or message. Click the text box and press the "Ctrl" and "C" keys to copy it. Press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste it, then drag it onto the next slice. Click into the text box, highlight the text and change it to the next number or prize.
- Click the green "Chart Tools" tab at the top of the work area.
- Click into the text box, highlight the text and change it to the next number or prize.
Press "Ctrl" and "V" to paste additional copies of the text box, position them on each slice of the wheel and update them as desired.
Click the "File" tab. Click "Save As." Type a name for the lottery wheel image and click the "Save" button.