Please take note that this story was first published in January 2024 and is being republished.
Fans of “Wheel of Fortune” are furious, protesting over what they believe is a wrongful denial of $40,000 to Megan, a contestant who might have given a correct answer.
Megan, a high school choir director from California, faced a bonus puzzle in the “Living Thing” category. The puzzle displayed the phrase “_ N’R _ _ _” as host Pat Sajak led Megan to the board.
By carefully selecting her letters, Megan changed the board to read “P_N_’ RC _ D.”
In the final ten seconds, Megan guessed something like “Pink Orchid” or a similar phrase. When the timer rang and the correct answer, “Pink Orchid,” was revealed, Megan showed clear frustration.
Sajak, sensing Megan might have been right, revealed that the prize was $40,000—much more than the $14,007 she had won.
Viewers at home were outraged, believing Megan’s answer was correct. They took to social media to voice their anger.
One viewer tweeted, “The woman got screwed on the #WheelOfFortune bonus puzzle tonight; she totally said ‘PINK ORCHID’ right at the start.”
Another fan said, “I asked the judges right away after she said that! I lip-read and use subtitles because I am deaf in one ear and partially hearing in the other. She said ‘Pink Orchid.’ Without a doubt!”
A third viewer exclaimed, “I’m exploding! She understood; pink orchid, she said! WTF?”
One more angry viewer tweeted, “Good day, @WheelofFortune I rewound the final puzzle after hearing the competitor say ‘pink orchid’ at the beginning. You owe her some $$$.”
Another added, “All right, @WheelofFortune, if you replay tonight’s broadcast, you can plainly hear her say ‘pink orchid’ to solve the final puzzle from the latest airing. The winner was not given due credit. Play it back now. She really did say ‘Pink Orchid.’”
The controversy has fans criticizing “Wheel of Fortune” for other recent mistakes, including a dispute over a rhyme in an Express round on January 22. The issue involved the “Rhyme Time” category, where two contestants were stumped, but the third contestant, Jill, solved it with “Absolutely Positively.”
Fans disagreed, claiming “Absolutely Positively” does not rhyme.
One viewer tweeted, “Hey @WheelofFortune, could you please clarify how these two words rhyme? Because they most definitely do not.”
1 thought on “Fans Outraged After ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Refuses To Give Prize To Woman Who Answered Correctly”
I think if she said it she would have said something right then. But she said awwwww