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'Wheel of Fortune' player dedicates her $45,000 win to her mother-in-law in sweet TV moment

Ryan Seacrest was surprised that the contestant was able to get it right so quick.
PUBLISHED NOV 6, 2025
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

One thing even better than seeing contestants win big on "Wheel of Fortune" is to see them dedicate that big win to a loved one. That is exactly what happened in a recent episode of the show in which a contestant dedicated her win to her mother-in-law. It was a heartwarming moment that was shared by the family and perhaps even one that made fans smile with them.

The contestant named Delinda had played a fantastic game to get to the final round. She had won $20,650 in cash and prizes leading up to the Bonus Round, and hoped to win a lot more. Delinda was there with her husband and her daughter. Ryan Seacrest took this opportunity to inform the daughter that her mother had a lot of money at that point in time.

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Delinda then gave the wheel a good spin, and it landed on the W. The contestant had chosen the ‘Around The House’ category. As per the rules of the show, she was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E.

Screenshot showing the contestant's husband and daughter. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant's husband and daughter. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Delinda then had the chance to pick four more consonants and one more vowel. She chose the letters M, V, K, and A. These were not the best choices, but as fate would have it, she did not need better letters to get the answer right. The puzzle now read, “_ARM ___LT.” “Talk it out loud, that can be really helpful,” the host advised. However, the contestant already seemed to know what the answer was.

As soon as her 10-second timer started ticking, Delinda said, “For my mother-in-law. Warm quilt.” That was the correct answer, and the host seemed a little surprised by it. “Yeah. Did you know?” he asked. Seacrest then opened up the envelope to reveal that the contestant had won an additional $45,000. That meant that her total prize money for the day was $65,650.

Screenshot showing the contestant's reaction to winning. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant's reaction to winning. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Delinda’s husband and daughter came to celebrate with her on the stage, and Seacrest once again suggested that her daughter take some of her mother’s money. “What do you think? She got more money. Get some,” he said. Fans of the show loved the win and expressed their joy through YouTube comments.

“I got it as soon as her letters popped up.  Congrats to her on the solve and the prizes 👏,” one fan commented. “Way to go, Delinda!  Your mother-in-law will be so proud!” exclaimed another. “The line before Melinda's answer, 'For my mother-in-law,' was so warm and touched my heart. This was the deciding factor, and Melinda won 45k. It was amazing,” a viewer added.

Screenshot showing the family celebrating. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the family celebrating. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Watch the stunning win in the video here.

More on Market Realist:

'Wheel of Fortune' player wins $45,000 in bonus round — plans to pay back her father with it

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant amuses Ryan Seacrest with a blooper but goes on to win big

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant stuns Ryan Seacrest with her choice of letters to win $55,000

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