“Wheel of Fortune” Fans Left Stunned After Contestant Blows 2 Chances at $1 Million Bonus
Viewers of the game show were shocked on Thursday after contestant Tara Brown lost her shot at keeping the $1 million wedge
Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty
'Wheel of Fortune'Wheel of Fortuneviewers were left stunned after a contestant on Thursday night’s episode lost out on two chances at the $1 million bonus.
During the crossword round of last night’s episode, contestant Tara Brown, originally from Hopkins, South Carolina, was up against Rhode Island-based teacher Zoe Tsongalis and father-of-two Vincent Lassiter, from Alexandria, Virginia, with the chance to snag the $1 million prize.
The category, titled “Let There Be Light!,” had two letter spaces available, with the board reading: “BULB, BEA_ _ N, SUN, STARS.”
To keep the $1 million piece, Brown had to either give one correct letter or complete the puzzle. Much to some fans’ dismay, she guessed the letter “H,” which was incorrect.
During the episode, the crowd could be heard reacting loudly at the missed answer — and one viewer even loudly shouted, “Oh no!”
Host Pat Sajak then handed the wedge to Tsongalis, who correctly guessed the full puzzle, reading out: “BULB, BEACON, SUN, STARS.”
Related: Wheel of Fortune Contestant Robbed of Win After Mispronouncing 1 Word of Puzzle She Just Solved
The contestant later had a second shot when she snagged the $1 million piece once again — answering correctly and entering the bonus round with an opportunity to win another $1 million instead of $100,000 — but she lost out with another wrong answer.
Following the episode, viewers at home shared their thoughts about the loss to social media.
“Who screens these people?” one X (formerly Twitter) user questioned, while another simply asked, “H?”
Another chimed in with a GIF, showing a frustrated person throwing out some expletives.
Ricky Middlesworth/ABC via Getty
Pat Sajak and Vanna White on 'Wheel of Fortune'This isn’t the first time audiences have been upset when a contestant lost out on an answer in the game show world. Just last month, fans were in disbelief after one Wheel of Fortune player missed out on $40,000 when she couldn’t come up with “PINK” alongside the clue “P_N_ ORCHID.
Related: Pat Sajak Announces His Retirement from 'Wheel of Fortune' After 41 Seasons: 'The Time Has Come'
The contestant, mom Megan Carvale, caused confusion after some viewers thought she had mumbled the correct answer, but she later told Good Morning America that she had not said “PINK.”
“The whole way home from L.A. [her 8-year-old said], ‘Mom, I can't believe you didn't get pink. I can't believe you didn't get pink,’” she shared. “That word has already been haunting me and now all of America believes that I said it but I didn't.”
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Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights (check local listings).
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