ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

'Wheel of Fortune' player reveals how Ryan Seacrest truly is when cameras are off: "He makes you..."

Cody Munger who won the "Big Tournament Championship" last year, shared his insight on Reddit.
PUBLISHED FEB 1, 2025
Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest on Wheel of Fortune | (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest on Wheel of Fortune | (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Pat Sajak was mostly loved and at times criticized by "Wheel of Fortune" fans, but he was a familiar face who they were comfortable with. Ever since Ryan Seacrest took over the hosting duties of "Wheel Of Fortune,"  he has naturally been compared to the iconic Sajak who led the show for decades. While most like the new host's charm and personality on the show, die-hard fans of Sajak often feel he falls short. Recently, a player who shared the stage with Seacrest on the show shared some insight into how the host is in real life. 

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest alongside contestant Cody Munger (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest alongside contestant Cody Munger (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

In a Reddit thread called “The new guy,” on the show's unofficial forum, fans of "Wheel Of Fortune" discussed Ryan’s performance as the new host.


Posts from the wheeloffortune
community on Reddit

 

Further, lauding the host's looks, one Redditor, u/Aggravating-Body-721 wrote, “He dresses nice, is personable & engaging with all the contestants & their families. I like the new guy!” In the replies to the comment, Cody Munger who appeared on the show's "Big Tournament Championship" last year, chimed in to share his insight. He shared his experience with Ryan off-camera and claimed that the new host has an easygoing personality which is partly responsible for his success.

“I got to play recently and when my friends/family ask me about him, I say that I get why he’s so successful,” u/CodyyeMunger wrote. He further continued that Seacrest was very fun to be around as well. “He was so nice and fun to be around. He makes you comfortable and forget that millions of people are watching you play," he wrote.

The former contestant even attributed his success on the show to the host. “He was a big factor in all of my week having as much fun as we did,” he added. This was evident in Munger's bonus round where Seacrest talked to him like a friend. Going into the bonus round, Munger introduced his buddies Jason and Billy. "Well, let's hope it goes really well tonight. I'd like to meet you up on stage this time around, so don't screw it up," Seacrest told Munger, putting his warmth on display.

Screenshot showing Seacrest and Munger at the wheel
Screenshot showing Seacrest and Munger at the wheel (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Munger emerged victorious in the episode, winning the week-long BetMGM Big Winners Tournament with $27,150 in cash and a prize trip to Atlantic City. Going into the bonus round, he had a  $94,900 jackpot at stake.

The Bonus Round featured a four-word puzzle, which read, "O_T     O_    T_E    _ _ Y" after the standard letters "R, S, T, L, N, E" and Munger's “C, D, Y, O,” were filled in. When the 10-second timer went off, Cody wasted no time to solve it by guessing, “Out of The Way.” While Vanna White immediately started clapping, it took a moment for Seacrest to register the answer. “Cody? That’s it,” Seacrest yelled after an awkward pause. The elated contestant finally threw his head back in relief.



 

“You got it! Congratulations,” Seacrest added as confetti was showered on the stage, and the camera showed the amount close to $100,000 that Munger had just won.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The rising star of the show's Prime Video spinoff could take over as the full time host.
14 hours ago
Rick who couldn't tell the difference between Pokemon and Charizard lost out on a deal of a life.
15 hours ago
The guest later happily gave it away for free to a Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame collection.
16 hours ago
The guest had stumbled into the rare artifact online and didn't have to shell out a lot for it.
1 day ago
Jennings answered the question that was making the rounds on social media for quite some time.
1 day ago
While her letter picks gave her just one clue, Angie nailed the final puzzle in seconds.
2 days ago
While the player wasn't too bothered with the loss, fans didn't seem to let it go.
2 days ago
This wasn't the first time that a contestant made a fool of himself on the show.
3 days ago
Even the stingy star of the show, Rick Harrison couldn't resist paying top dollar for the item.
3 days ago
Kevin O'Leary's deal did offer more capital but didn't align with Strauss's goals.
4 days ago
Harvey was waiting for a long time for someone to give that answer.
5 days ago
All the guest could say was, "I am never going to be able to talk to my wife again."
6 days ago
The TikTok creator claimed that the brand is trying to gain attention, but some viewers disagree.
7 days ago
Harris made a last ditch attempt for the 'Holy Grail' item but it didn't go as he expected it to.
7 days ago
Jay Tope, who lost $75,000 earlier in the week, redeemed himself while playing with the star.
7 days ago
While the question was direct, the entrepreneurs kept beating around the bush.
Apr 15, 2025
Fans are posting videos of the game that they discovered at Costco retail stores.
Apr 15, 2025
Catherine also got some help from her mother who was sitting in the studio audience.
Apr 15, 2025
As David walked up to the host, Carey immediately noticed his clothes and said, "What a great shirt!"
Apr 15, 2025
Even the fans agreed that the answer to the puzzle was just too random for someone to guess.
Apr 14, 2025