Shockwaves Hit ‘Wheel of Fortune’ When a Contestant Let Out a Groan of Pure Horror After Losing a Brand-New Luxury Car in the Final Round. The Studio Fell Silent as Viewers Watched the Heartbreaking Moment Unfold, a Split-Second Mistake Costing the Player the Prize of a Lifetime. Fans Everywhere Are Still Talking About the Crushing Loss, Calling It One of the Most Dramatic and Emotional Moments in the Show’s History.


Wheel of Fortune/YouTube

A Wheel of Fortune contestant groaned in frustration after missing out on a brand new car in a tricky Bonus Round. But still, she managed to walk away with more than $20,000 cash and a luxury trip.

Wanda Ruff, from Chicago, played against Joyce Underwood, from Broadview, Illinois, and Terri Houston, from North Riverside, Illinois, on the episode which re-aired on August 29. It was originally broadcast on May 16. The show ended Bragging Rights week, which had friends competing against each other instead of strangers.

Ruff won the game with $21,398 and a trip to Portugal. Houston left with $7,700. Underwood was in last with $2,000. This meant that Ruff advanced to the Bonus Round, where she chose “Thing.”

After being given “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” she chose “H,C,D, and A.” Her puzzle then looked like “A  _ATCH  _ _  TH_C_  _ _ _.”

When the timer counted down, Ruff guessed “A patch of thick…,” but couldn’t get the last word. “A match of thick, a watch of thick…”

“You were on to something there,” host Ryan Seacrest said. The puzzle was revealed to be “A PATCH OF THICK FOG.”

Seacrest showed Ruff the envelope, which had “Mercedes Benz” in it. Ruff turned around and groaned loudly. She threw her hands up and shook them to the sky. The audience let out a low “Oooo.”

Seacrest told her that she shouldn’t be disappointed because she was going home with $21,000.

‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season 43 Changes Revealed in New Video

“BEST CONTESTANTS EVER!! They were so fun & their laughs were contagious lol. If WOF does fan favorites again, they should definitely be considered,” a YouTube user said.

“These puzzles are becoming confusing and hard to solve!” a fan wrote.

“Never pick ‘thing’ as a category. Way too vague, and it could be anything, even something intangible,”a Wheel fan commented.

“I wouldn’t have gotten that at all. That sounds more phrase-like than an actual thing,” said another.