'Wheel of Fortune' contestant amuses Ryan Seacrest with a blooper but goes on to win big
The contestant said that a lot of people believed she looked like Disney princess Snow White.
Oct. 31 2025, Published 1:34 p.m. ET
A contestant causing a blooper on “Wheel of Fortune” might be rare, but it is not unheard of. There have been several instances of a contestant mistakenly saying something, only for everyone in the studio to laugh at it. But not many of them go on to win big in the Bonus Round. That is exactly what happened in a recent episode of the show in which one contestant made Ryan Seacrest laugh with what she said, but won big.
The contestant was a woman from North Hollywood, California, named Abi McLaughlin, as per a TV Insider report. At one point during the Halloween-themed episode, she said that a lot of people thought that she looked like Snow White thanks to her fair complexion and dark hair. During the normal course of the game, the contestant wanted to buy a vowel for a puzzle. However, she said something totally different.
The contestant ended up saying, “I’d like to buy an owl,” which Seacrest found highly amusing and kept on referencing for the rest of the show. At one point in a later puzzle, he even asked her if she wanted to buy an owl or a vowel. It basically became a running joke for the episode. Apart from that one blooper, McLaughlin was almost perfect with her gameplay. She made it to the Bonus Round with $25,660 in cash and prizes, which included a trip to Italy. She also did well in the final round to win big.
This wasn't the first time someone made that mistake. In an episode of the show from former host Pat Sajak's early days, a contestant ended up blurting out the same. As Vanna White was flipping letters on the puzzle board during that episode, the contestant said, "I'd like to buy an Owl," before quickly correcting himself. But the then host Pat Sajak was quick to pick up on that and said, "We don't sell birds on the show anymore." You can watch the full video here.
A fan on Reddit was also quick to point out the same blooper in the early days of the show.
As for Abi McLaughlin, she cruised through the puzzles with a near perfect selection of letters to win more than $80,000.
Watch the full clip of her game here.
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