'Wheel of Fortune' fans feel player was cheated out of winning a car but he says 'it's all good'
Fans on social media were livid and they did not shy away from expressing their disappointment.
July 2 2025, Published 12:47 p.m. ET
As the “Wheel of Fortune” host, Ryan Seacrest has come under fire from fans on several occasions for his antics as well as blunders that possibly cost contestants big wins. His role as the host once again came under scrutiny when a contestant came painfully close to getting the puzzle right, but could not get it right in time. Some fans also believe that a buzzer went off before the timer counted down to 0, which could have played a part.
According to a TV Insider report, Jamel played well throughout the game as he won $40,998 and a trip to Alaska on his way to the Bonus Round. He had chosen the ‘Phrase’ category and was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E as per the rules of the show.
After these were revealed, the contestant had the chance to pick three more consonants and one more vowel. Vanderburg picked the letters W, Y, P, and A. These were excellent choices as a lot of the puzzle opened up. It now read, “‘ALWAYS _N _E_AN_.” He had 10 seconds to get it right, and halfway through it, he said, “Always on demand.” Unfortunately, that was not the correct answer.
As soon as he said that, a buzzer went off, but the contestant had a lot of time left. Vanderburg seemed to stop guessing after the buzzer as Ryan Seacrest said, “No.” He stood there in silence as the timer counted down before the correct answer was revealed. It was ‘Always in demand.’ He had missed out on it by a single letter. One can’t help but wonder if he hadn’t stopped guessing, he might have gotten it right.
The contestant screamed in disappointment, and it was compounded when Sacrest revealed that he could have won a new car. However, the anchor remained upbeat as he had won a lot of money. “But you know what, I got $40,000. I’m going to Alaska. It’s all good,” he said. The host praised him for his positive attitude and energy. Fans of the show, however, had a less positive reaction to the outcome.
Some blamed the show for sounding the buzzer too early, and some even blamed Seacrest. “What just happened on #WheelOfFortune? The buzzer went off, but the clock was still running. Jamel was cheated,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “@WheelofFortune Jamal got screwed! They buzzed him with time still on the clock!” complained another.
“He was so close, but I love his positivity in spite of not winning,” one fan commented on YouTube. “They should have given him a win,” one more suggested. “Wow, that was just...wow! I bet a whole lot of people guessed ALWAYS ON DEMAND as well,” a fan exclaimed.
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