Screenshot showing a Wheel of Fortune contestant with a Wild Card (Cover image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Ryan Seacrest has been facing scrutiny ever since he took over as “Wheel of Fortune” host from Pat Sajak, and almost anything he does irks fans loyal to his predecessor. This time, viewers took to Reddit to discuss the issue of Seacrest forgetting to remind the players of using their Wild Card during the game. Fans complained that this major fluke cost one contestant dearly as he lost all his winnings up to that point on the show.

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest talking to a contestant with a Wild Card (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
In a May 20 Reddit post, user @pink_faerie_kitten posted a thread to gather opinions on the issue. “Ryan’s great mostly, but he hardly ever reminds contestants with a WC that they can exchange it for another letter call when they land on a sparkly wedge,” they wrote. The user cited the example of the contestant named Chad who lost $3,500 after landing on the bankrupt wedge. “Chad had a Wild Card, then landed on $3500, called a ‘J’ and spun without Ryan telling him. He landed on $3500 again, called an ‘R’, and got two. And again Ryan said nothing! He spun without Ryan ever reminding him that he could’ve given up the WC for another guess. Instead, he landed bankrupt 😭 I know it would be nice if contestants remembered on their own, but it’s kind of a rare event to have a WC and land on a sparkly wedge that I think the host should remind them,” the fan added.

Turns out, the Redditor wasn’t alone who noticed this flaw in Seacrest’s hosting. “I have to agree that Ryan excessively does not remind players to exchange their Wild Card for another consonant,” wrote another viewer, @Any_Drawer_2059. However, a few fans disagreed as they thought not reminding the contestant was the best thing to do, as the Wild Card is more valuable in the Bonus Round. “I hated when Pat would do this. Unless you are far behind and need to catch up, that wild card is far more valuable in the bonus round,” @mel34760 suggested.

This was best demonstrated in the game of a contestant named Carmetta, who saved her Wild Card for the Bonus Round and won $40,000. Carmetta was faced with a three-word puzzle, and she used her Wild Card to good effect as it gave her two extra letters on the board. She then guessed the puzzle, “I HAVE AN IDEA,” and walked away with a total of over $68,000.

However, this wasn’t the first time that fans complained about the host’s habit. In an older Reddit thread, viewers cited more examples where the mistake cost players big money. Fans complained that his predecessor, Pat Sajak, used to remind players of the Wild Card, possibly saving them from an early exit. “And tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to say something when she said ‘I’d like to solve.’  He should step in and say you might want to guess a letter first. Irritating,” commented a viewer @andrewchicago63 on the thread.

While his hosting style may have fetched mixed reviews from the fans of the “Wheel of Fortune,” Seacrest is certainly a hit on his other gig, “American Idol.” Recently, Seacrest revealed how he became the face of the show.