A Wheel of Fortune contestant came up short during her Bonus Round, but fans of the show think she got the short end of the stick.
The contestant, named Megan, a high school choir director from California, tried her hand at a Bonus Round puzzle in the “Living Thing” category.
After she chose her letters and the customary R, S, T, L, N, and E were added to the board, Megan was left with “P _ N _ / _ R C _ _ D.”
“You have 10 seconds to try to tell us what’s up there,” host Pat Sajak told Megan before the timer began. “Good luck.”
Off the bat, Megan knew the second word in the puzzle was “orchid” and said aloud, “Something orchid…” However, she had trouble coming up with the first word in the puzzle.
Megan’s 10 seconds were up when the buzzer sounded, and she wasn’t able to come up with the correct answer, “Pink Orchid.”
Megan loses out on $40,000 when she fails to solve the Wheel of Fortune Bonus Round
As Pat told her, “You might have been overthinking. Think of a type of orchid.”
“Pink!” Megan exclaimed as she realized the correct answer.
Pat expressed that he was sorry it didn’t work out for Megan and revealed that she had lost out on a $40,000 cash prize.
Megan was a good sport about her loss, but Wheel of Fortune viewers at home, not so much.
Many spectators at home were certain they heard Megan say, “Pink orchid” on her first guess, although she clearly stated, “Something orchid.”
Wheel of Fortune viewers are outraged and swear Megan said the correct answer
Believing Megan was cheated, disgruntled Wheel of Fortune watchers took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their outrage.
An X user with the handle @ashleeeeeejune wrote, “There is no question, she absolutely said ‘pink orchid’. Please give this girl her winnings!” also tagging Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak, his trusty sidekick, Vanna White, and his daughter, Maggie Sajak on the social media platform.
“Rooting for you, Megan!” she added.
Another discontented Wheel of Fortune fan voiced their outrage, certain that Megan was robbed of winning $40,000.
“@WheelofFortune producers totally screwed Megan out of her bonus round win last evening!” they penned.
“She had the bonus round puzzle and they buzzed her out robbing her of a $40,000 prize!” they added, including the hashtag #GiveMegantheMoney.
“We listened 5 times at high volume and will swear that Megan said ‘pink orchid’ for her first guess in the prize round Jan. 30th,” claimed another viewer. “Anyone else?”
There was someone else who agreed, complaining, “I heard it too! Pat & the judges need to get their hearing checked!!”
“The woman got screwed on #WheelOfFortune bonus puzzle tonight,” griped another Wheel of Fortune fan. “She totally said ‘PINK ORCHID’ right at the start.
Others agreed with @TimmyMKE, replying, “Exactly!!!” and “Totally. But why didnt she say anything?!?”
“I wouldve told Pat to rewind that mf tape!” they claimed. “They better give her the $40k.”
Wheel of Fortune armchair experts take aim at the show’s producers and host Pat Sajak
Wheel of Fortune viewers have been outspoken in recent months, grumbling not only about Pat Sajak and the show’s producers but also about contestants’ performances.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, viewers have grown impatient with contestants who are unable to solve puzzles correctly, not taking into account they have much more pressure on them in front of a live audience.
Not only have fans of the game been speaking out in recent months, but so has longtime host Pat Sajak himself.
In his last year as Wheel of Fortune’s host for Season 41, Pat has taken some jabs at contestants who have fallen short, unafraid to call them out on national television.