Renee Jones, a high school teacher from Atlanta, had a bumpy start to her ‘Wheel of Fortune’ journey

Screenshot of Ryan Seacrest and Renee Jones from ‘Wheel of Fortune’ (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Renee Jones’s emotional reaction on a September 2024 episode of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is one for the books. Contestants often get excited about winning big, but Jones’ reaction after solving the Bonus Round puzzle was unforgettable. A high school teacher from Atlanta, Jones let it all out, screaming with glee as she celebrated her massive win with host Ryan Seacrest. Her Bonus Round solve won her an additional $50,000. What made her win more memorable was the incredible comeback she had on the show.

According to Market Realist, Jones had a bumpy start; however, she quickly recovered, earning $5,150 in cash as she competed against Joshua Porter from Jarrell, Texas, and Kari Scheer from Goddard, Kansas. Initially, Scheer was leading the game in the PR Round and had won a trip to the Oceans at Divi Little Bay in St. Maarten, worth $9,500. However, towards the Triple Toss Up and the Speed Round, Jones left everyone startled, solving the puzzles effortlessly. With her captivating gameplay, Jones earned $16,650 in cash, emerging as the winner. Meanwhile, Scheer was the runner-up, returning home with $15,550. Heading to the Bonus Round, Jones chose ‘Phrase’ as her category.

After she spun the wheel and picked up the Golden Envelope, Jones was presented with the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. She went on to choose H, P, M, and A as her additional letters for the four-word puzzle. Her guesses were on spot, and the puzzle on the board now read: “THAT’S THE  _ H _ LE  _ _ EA.” Her 10-second timer began as Seacrest wished her good luck. But even before the timer started, Jones seemed to have guessed the idea. “That’s the whole idea,” she answered with a smile. “That’s right!” Seacrest exclaimed, and Jones shrieked in celebration.

As Jones clapped and jumped, celebrating her win on stage, Seacrest opened the Golden Envelope, revealing she had just won an additional $50,000. “Woo! Oh my God!” the Atlanta high-school teacher screamed and hugged Seacrest. With her Bonus Round prize, Jones took home a total of $66,000. ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans took to the comments section to congratulate Jones on her win. “Way to go, Renee! You did a great job tonight! Another easy puzzle! Plus $50,000 won tonight!” one user wrote. “We miss u, teacher of the year 2020,” another user, a former student of Jones, commented. “Not my old teacher of one year,” another student wrote. “Congratulations renee on winning $50,000 for a total of $66,650 well done,” a fourth user commented, while a fifth wrote, “Renee, I can’t hear you! Here is $50,000!! Congratulations on your big win!!”