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 / ECONOMY & WORK

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant loses out on $40,000 after picking terrible choice of letters

This was perhaps one of the cruelest Bonus Round puzzles that the show has seen in a while.
PUBLISHED JUN 26, 2025
The contestant getting to see the phrase that he failed to guess (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
The contestant getting to see the phrase that he failed to guess (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

“Wheel of Fortune” isn't all about luck, and solving puzzles on the show requires some skills with words as well. Although the losing streak in the bonus round was broken after 19 games, players still can't win the games with just a lucky guess. One contestant realized that after losing out on an opportunity to take home $67,000, because he chose the wrong letters.

According to TV Insider, the contestant named Clayton had already won $27,548 and a trip to Japan on his way to the Bonus Round. He chose the ‘Around The House’ category and was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E as per the rules. The contestant then had to pick three more consonants and one more vowel.

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

Clayton chose the letters C, K, D, and A. This was an absolute disaster since not a single one of the letters that he chose appeared in the puzzle even once, and the contestant was left with an almost insurmountable task. The puzzle now read, “_L_ _ER  _ _ _ES,” and he had 10 seconds to get it right. Only a miracle could have helped him win this game, and that simply did not happen.

The correct answer was ‘Flower Boxes’, but Clayton wasn’t even close. “I think you needed a head start there,” Seacrest said before revealing that the contestant lost out on an additional $40,000. That would have taken his day’s winnings to more than $67,000. The contestant was a bit disappointed, but that did not last long as he was still going home with a lot of money.



 

Fans of the show acknowledged that it was a tough puzzle and expressed the same in the comments on YouTube. “Ugh, that was a brutal bonus round; we may have a skunked bonus round week,” one fan wrote. “I would not have gotten that. Flower Boxes are an old school house staple, but I wouldn't have thought that first,” added another. “That puzzle was designed to be a loss,” one more fan commented.

Fans of the show aren't very happy about Bonus Round puzzles that, in their opinion, are just ridiculous. That’s what happened on a different episode of the show when a contestant named Sheree was up to play the round with a Wild Card. Having a Wild Card means that you’ll get to choose an extra consonant. The contestant chose the letters C, D, M, I, and P.



 

The puzzle read, “_  _  _  _ P    IT     _P,” but the contestant was not able to get the correct answer in time. The right answer was revealed to be ‘Whoop It Up,’ and fans were not happy about it. "I swear to God, since Ryan has come to the show, Wheel is creating their own words or using slang words," one user wrote. "I’ve never heard of this phrase before, let alone hear it being used in conversation," one more said.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
A Michigan couple’s viral membership photo struck a chord online as shoppers shared decades-old stories featuring their kids and even pets.
4 days ago
A shift to electronic payments is slowing refunds for some filers, even as the IRS grapples with staffing cuts and a heavy tax season workload.
4 days ago
The warehouse retailer is urging customers not to consume these ready-to-eat meals sold earlier this month
4 days ago
The product was distributed in several but no illness has yet been reported.
6 days ago
While most people disagreed with what the mall did, there were some who understood the reason.
6 days ago
People are seemingly having a hard time saving apart from their retirement funds.
6 days ago
“These people are working and contributing and helping to reduce the debt and deficit,” an economic expert said.
6 days ago
As per a provision in US laws, the IRS had no right to levy penalties in the pandemic years.
6 days ago
The US had sanctioned Russia heavily over its military exercise in Ukraine.
6 days ago
While gas prices have jumped, diesel prices have skyrocketed across the country, averaging at $4.78
7 days ago
Last year, Buffett stepped down as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
7 days ago
Many who feel financially behind are embracing “financial nihilism,” placing bets on high-risk options instead of traditional investing.
7 days ago
It was one of the rarest instances in the show in which a contestant had won two cars in one episode
7 days ago
Housing search data flags a shift in buyer sentiment as Californians look beyond Las Vegas for cheaper housing.
7 days ago
The company is doing whatever it can to stay ahead of its competitors in the field of AI.
7 days ago
Industry leaders warn that the Iran conflict could push fertilizer costs higher and eventually drive food inflation.
7 days ago
This could lead to domestic migration of the wealthy from the state before the law takes effect
7 days ago
Karoline Leavitt says it won’t affect married women, but critics argue name-change documentation could create new barriers.
7 days ago
As regulators tighten rules and refineries shut down, the Golden State, also known as the ‘fuel island’, grapples with extremely high gas prices.
Mar 12, 2026
The answer isn't clear yet, but early signs point to his policy backfiring in a bad way.
Mar 12, 2026