Additional Coverage:
- ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans are frustrated after contestant loses $55,000 — say ‘this needs to stop’ (marketrealist.com)
“Wheel of Fortune” Fans Fume After Contestant Misses Out on $55,000 Bonus
Los Angeles, CA – “Wheel of Fortune” viewers are once again voicing their frustrations after a recent contestant, Zack, narrowly missed out on a substantial $55,000 prize in the bonus round. Despite Zack’s good spirits and impressive $26,740 win in the main game, fans online are lamenting what they perceive as a growing trend of bonus round losses.
Zack, cheered on by his mother Ellen and boyfriend Stephen, entered the final round with high hopes. Opting for the “Phrase” category, the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E revealed only a few scattered letters in the puzzle. His subsequent choices of M, C, P, and A added just two more, leaving the board as “___ _A_E T_ __C_S.”
Despite his valiant attempts, guessing phrases like “Game to focus” and “Big wave to focus,” Zack couldn’t crack the code. The answer, “You have to focus,” proved to be a simpler solution than he’d anticipated. Host Ryan Seacrest then unveiled the dreaded envelope, confirming Zack’s miss on the $55,000.
While Zack remained unfazed, grateful for his significant winnings, fans on social media were far less forgiving. Comments on YouTube quickly filled with disappointment.
“This needs to stop tomorrow,” one user demanded, referring to the string of bonus round failures. Another observed, “The frustration in the bonus round continues to grow, 1 winner in 9 shows, and a week and a half with just one winner in that span…
Not been a kind week and a half when it comes to the bonus round.” A sympathetic viewer added, “That was a tough puzzle.
Hope someone wins tomorrow night.”
The incident adds to a series of recent bonus round disappointments that have left many loyal “Wheel of Fortune” viewers feeling shortchanged.