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'Wheel of Fortune' contestant who inherited special talent from his dad wins $40,000 in Bonus Round

"Congratulations Brad on winning the bonus round thanks to his father's help," a fan reacted to the father-son duo.
UPDATED DEC 15, 2025
Vanna White and contestant Brad Vangeli on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Vanna White and contestant Brad Vangeli on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

"Wheel of Fortune" contestants usually rely on luck and puzzle solving skills to win big. But a contestant named Brad Vangeli revealed a family tradition that he inherited from his father, which helped him win the Bonus Round. Vangeli walked away with a total of $72,890, making him the fourth winner of the grand prize in weeks. 

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Brad Vangeli on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

Vangeli stepped into the Bonus Round after earning $32,890 and a wild card for an extra consonant. Host Ryan Seacrest then turned his attention to Vangeli's wonderful family cheering for her. Seacrest gave Vangeli the nickname "Brad the Clapper" because of his energetic style of applause during games, which he credited to his father's influence in the family. "And is Dad the originator of the strong clap?" Seacrest asked. "He must be. And then my brother got it, and I got it," Vangeli disclosed. The contestant also announced that he is soon to be a father, as his wife is pregnant with their first child, prompting a loud round of applause on stage. 

Wheel
Contestant Brad Vangeli's family on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

Brad chose the category "Living Thing" and got the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, E as a head start. He then added C, H, P, O, and used his wild card for the letter F. With the added letters, the puzzle was revealed, and Brad had 10 seconds to solve it. The puzzle board looked L, _, R, _, E, F, O, _, H, O, _, N, _. It seemed like an easy guess. "Large foghorn,

large. Foxhound. Yes. Foxhound," Vangeli excitedly answered after missing out initially. He correctly guessed "Large Foxhound". 

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Brad Vangeli on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

Seacrest then revealed that Vangeli had won the Bonus Round cash prize of $40,000, which brought his total to $72,890. Fans were ecstatic to see a fourth grand prize winner emerge during the Secret Santa week. "4th $40,000 Dollars Winner Congratulations Brad!!!!" @josephconradbulaclac expressed. "The curse is over. Finally got a win. WTG Brad!!!! Hey Brad's dad!!!!" @myles-spikewebby8519 commented about Vangeli's Dad and his contagious cheering habit. "I would never have gotten the second word no matter how much time you gave me. Brad was such a great player & his dad a hoot, too! Best wishes ahead for a healthy baby!!" @loveforeignaccents chimed in. 

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Brad Vangeli on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

"Congratulations Brad on winning the bonus round thanks to his father's help," @Animegamespublishing praised the father-son duo. "His Dad gave him The Clapper! lol" @A_Box_Of_Scraps added. "Way to go, Brad! Great way to end the Secret Santa Week this week! Your family must be so proud!"78th@jamesmcilwee8939 applauded. 

Watch the thrilling moments here. 

More on Market Realist: 

Ryan Seacrest had a painful fall on 'Wheel of Fortune' yet again and Vanna White's reaction said it all

'Wheel of Fortune' new set design has all fans saying the same thing: "Why are there so many..."

Did the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ set accidentally resemble a tragic event? Some fans think so

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