diff --git a/picker-wheel/src/components/Wheel.tsx b/picker-wheel/src/components/Wheel.tsx
index 4286206..d01ece7 100644
--- a/picker-wheel/src/components/Wheel.tsx
+++ b/picker-wheel/src/components/Wheel.tsx
@@ -12,15 +12,19 @@ type Props = {
 }
 
 export function Wheel({ options, onWinner, spinning, setSpinning }: Props) {
-  const [rotation, setRotation] = useState(0)
-  const baseRotRef = useRef(0)
+  const [rotation, setRotation] = useState(() => Math.random() * 360)
+  const baseRotRef = useRef(Math.random() * 360)
   const spinButtonRef = useRef<HTMLButtonElement | null>(null)
 
   const slices = useMemo(() => computeSlices(options.map(o => o.label)), [options])
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    // Reset rotation if options change significantly
-    setRotation(prev => prev % 360)
+    // Reset to a new random rotation if options change significantly
+    if (options.length > 0) {
+      const newRandomRotation = Math.random() * 360
+      setRotation(newRandomRotation)
+      baseRotRef.current = newRandomRotation
+    }
   }, [options.length])
 
   const handleSpin = () => {
@@ -34,9 +38,16 @@ export function Wheel({ options, onWinner, spinning, setSpinning }: Props) {
 
   const onTransitionEnd = () => {
     // Determine the winner based on final rotation
-    const normalized = ((rotation % 360) + 360) % 360
-    const landingAngleFromTop = (360 - (normalized % 360)) % 360
-    const idx = angleToIndex(landingAngleFromTop, slices.length)
+    // The pointer is at the top (12 o'clock position)
+    // Since slices now start at the top and go clockwise, we can directly
+    // calculate which slice is under the pointer
+    const normalizedRotation = ((rotation % 360) + 360) % 360
+    
+    // The wheel rotates clockwise, so we need to find which slice
+    // is at the top after rotation
+    const pointerAngle = normalizedRotation % 360
+    const idx = angleToIndex(pointerAngle, slices.length)
+    
     const winner = options[idx]
     if (winner) onWinner(winner)
     setSpinning(false)
@@ -48,8 +59,16 @@ export function Wheel({ options, onWinner, spinning, setSpinning }: Props) {
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col items-center">
       <div className="relative">
+        {/* Pointer - moved outside and made more prominent */}
+        <div className={`absolute left-1/2 top-0 z-10 -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1 transition-all duration-300 ${spinning ? 'animate-pulse scale-110' : 'scale-100'}`}>
+          <div className="flex flex-col items-center">
+            <div className="h-0 w-0 border-l-[16px] border-r-[16px] border-b-[28px] border-l-transparent border-r-transparent border-b-red-500 drop-shadow-lg" aria-hidden="true" />
+            <div className="mt-1 h-3 w-1 bg-red-500 rounded-full" aria-hidden="true" />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
         <div
-          className="mx-auto h-[280px] w-[280px] select-none rounded-full border border-gray-200 shadow-sm"
+          className="mx-auto h-[280px] w-[280px] select-none rounded-full border-2 border-gray-300 shadow-lg"
           style={{
             transform: `rotate(${rotation}deg)`,
             transition: spinning ? 'transform 3.2s cubic-bezier(0.12, 0.11, 0, 1)' : undefined,
@@ -62,7 +81,7 @@ export function Wheel({ options, onWinner, spinning, setSpinning }: Props) {
         >
           <svg viewBox="-100 -100 200 200" width={size} height={size} className="block h-full w-full">
             {slices.map((slice, i) => (
-              <path key={i} d={slice.path} fill={options[i]?.color || slice.color} />
+              <path key={i} d={slice.path} fill={options[i]?.color || slice.color} stroke="#fff" strokeWidth="1" />
             ))}
             {slices.map((slice, i) => (
               <text
@@ -74,28 +93,25 @@ export function Wheel({ options, onWinner, spinning, setSpinning }: Props) {
                 dominantBaseline="middle"
                 fontSize="4"
                 fill="#111827"
+                fontWeight="bold"
               >
                 {options[i]?.label || ''}
               </text>
             ))}
-            <circle cx="0" cy="0" r="99" fill="none" stroke="#e5e7eb" strokeWidth="0.5" />
+            {/* Center circle */}
+            <circle cx="0" cy="0" r="8" fill="#374151" stroke="#fff" strokeWidth="2" />
           </svg>
-
-          {/* Pointer */}
-          <div className="pointer-events-none absolute left-1/2 top-0 -translate-x-1/2">
-            <div className="h-0 w-0 border-l-8 border-r-8 border-b-[14px] border-l-transparent border-r-transparent border-b-rose-500" aria-hidden="true" />
-          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
 
       <button
         ref={spinButtonRef}
         onClick={handleSpin}
-        className="mt-4 rounded-md bg-brand px-5 py-2.5 text-white shadow hover:bg-brand-dark focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand"
+        className="mt-6 rounded-lg bg-brand px-6 py-3 text-lg font-semibold text-white shadow-lg hover:bg-brand-dark focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand transition-colors"
         aria-label="Spin the wheel"
         disabled={spinning || options.length === 0}
       >
-        {spinning ? 'Spinning…' : 'Spin'}
+        {spinning ? 'Spinning…' : 'Spin the Wheel!'}
       </button>
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/picker-wheel/src/components/WinnerAnnouncement.tsx b/picker-wheel/src/components/WinnerAnnouncement.tsx
index 383100c..4dfe07c 100644
--- a/picker-wheel/src/components/WinnerAnnouncement.tsx
+++ b/picker-wheel/src/components/WinnerAnnouncement.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,34 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+
 type Props = { winner: string }
 
 export function WinnerAnnouncement({ winner }: Props) {
+  const [showAnimation, setShowAnimation] = useState(false)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (winner) {
+      setShowAnimation(true)
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => setShowAnimation(false), 2000)
+      return () => clearTimeout(timer)
+    }
+  }, [winner])
+
   return (
-    <div className="mt-6" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true" role="status">
+    <div className="mt-8" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true" role="status">
       {winner ? (
-        <div className="rounded-md border border-green-200 bg-green-50 px-4 py-3 text-green-800">
-          Winner: <strong>{winner}</strong>
+        <div className={`rounded-xl border-2 border-yellow-400 bg-gradient-to-r from-yellow-50 to-orange-50 px-6 py-4 text-center shadow-lg transition-all duration-500 ${showAnimation ? 'scale-105 shadow-xl' : 'scale-100'}`}>
+          <div className="text-2xl mb-2">🎉</div>
+          <div className="text-lg font-bold text-gray-800 mb-1">🏆 Winner! 🏆</div>
+          <div className="text-xl font-extrabold text-orange-600">{winner}</div>
+          <div className="text-sm text-gray-600 mt-2">Congratulations!</div>
         </div>
       ) : (
-        <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">Spin the wheel to pick a winner.</p>
+        <div className="rounded-lg border border-gray-200 bg-gray-50 px-4 py-3 text-center text-gray-600">
+          <div className="text-lg mb-1">🎲</div>
+          <p className="text-sm">Spin the wheel to pick a winner!</p>
+        </div>
       )}
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/picker-wheel/src/lib/__tests__/wheel.test.ts b/picker-wheel/src/lib/__tests__/wheel.test.ts
index 3ff04eb..43336ff 100644
--- a/picker-wheel/src/lib/__tests__/wheel.test.ts
+++ b/picker-wheel/src/lib/__tests__/wheel.test.ts
@@ -8,11 +8,29 @@ describe('wheel math', () => {
     expect(slices[0].path).toContain('A 100 100') // arc command exists
   })
 
-  test('angleToIndex maps angles to indices', () => {
-    expect(angleToIndex(0, 4)).toBe(0)
-    expect(angleToIndex(89.9, 4)).toBe(0)
-    expect(angleToIndex(90, 4)).toBe(1)
-    expect(angleToIndex(359, 4)).toBe(3)
+  test('angleToIndex maps angles to indices correctly', () => {
+    // Test with 4 slices (90 degrees each)
+    expect(angleToIndex(0, 4)).toBe(0)    // First slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(45, 4)).toBe(0)   // Still first slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(89.9, 4)).toBe(0) // Still first slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(90, 4)).toBe(1)   // Second slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(180, 4)).toBe(2)  // Third slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(270, 4)).toBe(3)  // Fourth slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(359, 4)).toBe(3)  // Still fourth slice
+    expect(angleToIndex(360, 4)).toBe(0)  // Back to first slice
+  })
+
+  test('angleToIndex works with different slice counts', () => {
+    // Test with 3 slices (120 degrees each)
+    expect(angleToIndex(0, 3)).toBe(0)
+    expect(angleToIndex(60, 3)).toBe(0)
+    expect(angleToIndex(120, 3)).toBe(1)
+    expect(angleToIndex(240, 3)).toBe(2)
+    
+    // Test with 6 slices (60 degrees each)
+    expect(angleToIndex(30, 6)).toBe(0)
+    expect(angleToIndex(60, 6)).toBe(1)
+    expect(angleToIndex(120, 6)).toBe(2)
   })
 
   test('shuffleArray produces permutation', () => {
diff --git a/picker-wheel/src/lib/wheel.ts b/picker-wheel/src/lib/wheel.ts
index 2fd5908..8540cd5 100644
--- a/picker-wheel/src/lib/wheel.ts
+++ b/picker-wheel/src/lib/wheel.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export type Slice = {
 }
 
 // Create pie slice paths for n options, centered at 0,0 radius 100
+// Slices start at the top (12 o'clock) and go clockwise
 export function computeSlices(labels: string[], colors?: string[]): Slice[] {
   const n = Math.max(1, labels.length)
   const anglePer = 360 / n
@@ -18,8 +19,9 @@ export function computeSlices(labels: string[], colors?: string[]): Slice[] {
   const toRad = (deg: number) => (deg * Math.PI) / 180
 
   return labels.map((label, i) => {
-    const startAngle = i * anglePer
-    const endAngle = (i + 1) * anglePer
+    // Start at -90 degrees to position first slice at top (12 o'clock)
+    const startAngle = i * anglePer - 90
+    const endAngle = (i + 1) * anglePer - 90
 
     const largeArc = endAngle - startAngle > 180 ? 1 : 0