A spin wheel is only as exciting as what's on it. The best prizes aren't necessarily the most expensive ones — they're the ones that feel personal, surprising, or genuinely useful to the people on your team. A $10 coffee gift card to a remote employee who lives 40 minutes from the nearest Starbucks isn't a prize; it's a consolation. An extra PTO day for someone buried in a tough quarter? That hits different.

The framework below organizes prizes by budget, but don't let cost drive your decisions alone. Think about what your team actually values — flexibility, visibility, fun, food, time — and choose prizes that speak to those things. Mix tiers so there's something worth celebrating at every spin.

How prizes work in Swivel

You create prizes in the Prizes library and assign them to wheel slices with custom win probabilities. Use lower-budget prizes as frequent wins (20–30% probability) and save the big ones for rare slots (1–5%). You can also automate delivery for gift cards via Tango gift cards, Bonusly points, and HeyTaco tacos — no manual fulfillment needed.

Prizes by budget

Free No cost, high value — the best prizes are often the ones money can't buy
🤝
High five from leadershipA public shoutout from the CEO or a department head in Slack
☕
1:1 coffee with the CEO30 minutes of unstructured time with leadership — surprisingly popular
🅿️
Best parking spot for a weekFor in-office teams, this is legitimately contested
🏖️
Extra paid time offHalf a day or a full day off on a date of their choosing
📣
Company social media featureSpotlight the winner on LinkedIn or Instagram — great for personal brand
🕐
Early leave passLeave an hour early on a Friday, no questions asked
📅
Flex weekChoose your own hours for the next 5 business days
✉️
Handwritten note from the teamA physical card signed by their teammates — more meaningful than it sounds
🎯
Pick the next team activityWinner chooses what the team does for the next social or outing
🧑‍🏫
Mentorship sessionA structured 45-minute session with a senior leader of their choice
$10–$25 Everyday treats — high-frequency wins that keep the wheel exciting
☕
Coffee shop gift cardLocal café or a Starbucks/Dunkin' eGift card delivered via Tango
🎬
Movie ticketsA pair of tickets to the local cinema or a streaming credit
🍿
Snack packA curated box from Snacknation or a custom Amazon order
📱
App Store / Google Play credit$15 to spend on apps, games, or subscriptions
🌱
Plant seedlingA small succulent or desk plant delivered to their door
📚
Bookstore gift cardAmazon Books, Kindle credit, or a local bookstore eGift
🎨
Stationery setNotepads, pens, or a desk kit — great for people who love a nice workspace
🍫
Chocolate or candy boxTreats from a premium chocolate brand like Compartés or Vosges
$25–$75 Memorable rewards — worth spinning for, and worth mentioning at dinner
🎮
Arcade or entertainment passDave & Buster's, Top Golf, bowling, or a local experience
🥗
Lunch delivered to the officeThe whole team eats together — winner picks the restaurant
🎧
Bluetooth earbudsAnker or JLab earbuds — practical, loved by everyone
📖
Online course subscriptionA month of Skillshare, Coursera, MasterClass, or LinkedIn Learning
🧘
Fitness class passesA ClassPass credit or local gym class pack
🛒
Amazon gift cardEveryone has a wishlist — let them pick their own prize
🎲
Board gameA popular title like Codenames, Wingspan, or Ticket to Ride
🍕
Food delivery creditDoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub gift card — dinner on the company
$75+ The big wins — rare enough to be exciting, good enough to remember
🏋️
Monthly gym membershipCover one month at the gym of their choice
🏡
Airbnb ExperienceCooking class, guided hike, art workshop — local or virtual
❤️
Charity donation$100 donated to a cause of the winner's choice
🍽️
Dinner gift cardOpenTable credit or a gift card to a nice local restaurant
🔊
Smart home deviceAn Echo Dot, Google Nest Mini, or smart bulb kit
🎧
Quality headphonesSony or Bose over-ear headphones — the kind people actually want
🎫
Sports or concert ticketsTwo tickets to a local team game or upcoming show
🌍
Work from anywhere dayA paid hotel day to work from wherever they want — coworking space, cabin, café

A few tips before you set up your wheel

Mix tiers on every wheel

A wheel with only expensive prizes creates a high bar and risks under-spinning. A wheel with only cheap prizes feels underwhelming. The sweet spot: 3–4 slices of $10–25 prizes at 20–30% odds each, 2–3 slices of $50+ prizes at 5–10% odds, and a couple of free "experience" prizes in the middle. That way every spin feels meaningful and the big wins are genuinely exciting.

Ask your team what they'd actually want

The most creative prize ideas come from your team. Post a quick poll in Slack asking what they'd love to win. You might discover your team cares way more about flexible hours than gift cards — and that's a free prize that costs you nothing but shows you were listening.

Use integrations to automate delivery

For gift cards, Swivel's Tango integration sends a personalized link automatically when someone wins — no manual step. For Bonusly and HeyTaco points, both integrations are available on Premium and fire instantly when a spin lands. Automation removes the follow-up burden and makes the win feel immediate.

Start simple

Most teams do best starting with 6–8 prizes: one big aspirational prize, a few mid-tier rewards, and a handful of everyday wins. You can always add, swap, or retire prizes as you learn what gets your team excited.

Ready to build your wheel?

Add Swivel to Slack, create your prizes, and have your first spin running in under 10 minutes.

Add Swivel to Slack — Free