Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White will be back when Wheel of Fortune returns to the 2026 TV schedule in a couple of weeks, but those tuning into the Season 44 premiere should brace themselves for a big change in the game’s format. A new “Toss-Up Sprint” is reportedly being introduced to start the game, and I actually love that it’s going to get us to the puzzle-solving fun so much faster.Season 44 has already begun filming, and those who have attended tapings are reporting that a new round will replace the two toss-up puzzles that have started each game for many years. New episodes will feature the Toss-Up Sprint, where the three contestants race to solve as many toss-up puzzles as they can in 30 seconds, according to sources for BuzzerBlog.How Will The Toss-Up Sprint Work?Each toss-up puzzle in the 30-second sprint is worth $1,000, and the biggest change here is that only one guess is allowed per puzzle. If the first contestant to buzz in gets it right, they get their money and a new puzzle pops up. If they get it wrong, however, the correct answer is quickly revealed and a new puzzle appears, with no money added or taken away. The other two contestants do not get a chance to solve it.The clock doesn’t stop until 30 seconds have passed and, according to those who have reportedly seen the Toss-Up Sprint in action, we can expect to see about five or six puzzles on any given night.Unlike Wheel of Fortune’s previous introductory toss-ups, the sprint theoretically allows every contestant the opportunity to start the game with money. It also seemingly allows for some wild failures. There’s no penalty for wrong answers, other than having that puzzle removed from play. No money is lost during the Toss-Up Sprint, and players aren’t locked out for incorrect guesses. This means we may see one player stack up the cash in the beginning, or conversely, see one player misstep over and over.Contestant Chats Are Also Changing In Season 44The contestant chats are one area that’s been debated by fans for years, especially when Ryan Seacrest took over and the chats got longer. I’m not sure the chat length will change in Wheel of Fortune Season 44, but where they fall in the game will.Contestant chats previously happened between the two toss-up rounds that started the episode. However, moving forward, the Toss-Up Sprint will be followed immediately by the first standard puzzle round, with the last person to correctly solve a toss-up gaining control for Round 1. The chats will come between the first and second standard puzzles.Why I Love This Change For Wheel Of FortuneWhile many of us develop a rooting interest in Wheel of Fortune’s contestants, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are watching in order to play along and try to solve the puzzles ourselves. What I love about the idea of the Toss-Up Sprint is that we’ll possibly get five or six puzzles in the episode’s first minutes (though we’ll have to be thinking quickly to solve them before someone buzzes in).We also get to jump right into the game, with the entire sprint round and first puzzle happening before Ryan Seacrest pauses the action to introduce the contestants. I know change can be difficult for some Wheel of Fortune fans, and I have no doubt there will be critics of the new Toss-Up Sprint. It might take some getting used to (just like last year’s crazy Toss-Up Bonus Round), but I’m excited to see how this works out. Tune in to Wheel of Fortune’s Season 44 premiere on Monday, September 14 (check local listings for time and channel). Episodes can also be streamed the next day with a Hulu subscription or Peacock subscription.