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 pulls off a clever prank on viewers before walking away with $50,000

The puzzle pretty much solved itself after the bold choice made by the contestant.
PUBLISHED FEB 8, 2025
Screenshots showing the contestant and Ryan Seacrest on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshots showing the contestant and Ryan Seacrest on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

“Wheel of Fortune” has been on the air for decades now and generations have grown up watching it and aspiring to be a part of it someday. Fans who watch games on the show closely, also come up with strategies and hacks that they share on the internet or deploy when they reach the show. Contestants are given the letters R, S, T, L, and E and they then get to choose three consonants and one vowel more. Most people choose letters at the beginning or the middle of the alphabet. The likes of X, Y, and Z are rarely ever chosen. However, one contestant decided to take a chance with those, and it paid off for him.

The contestant was Brandon Shields, a former marine from Wilmington, Delaware according to a report in TV Insider. Before he chose his four letters, the puzzle read, “L____N_ __R __ _E_S.” It was probably the last word that gave it away to the army veteran as he picked the letters Y, K, F, and O. The puzzle then almost fully revealed itself as it read, “LOOK_N_ FOR _Y KEYS.”

Screenshot showing the puzzle on
Screenshot showing the puzzle on "Wheel of Fortune" (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

It took Brandon less than 10 seconds to figure out that it was ‘Looking For My Keys.’ Even before he said it, the contestant glanced at host Ryan Seacrest who said, “Don’t look at me yet. Let me say what I’ve got to say.” The army veteran chuckled and guessed the correct answer. He won $50,000 and his family rushed to the stage to celebrate with him.

Fans on YouTube were also impressed and showered praises on him for the clever trick he pulled on them. “He picked letters you don't see often in the bonus round, and they all worked out. Well done,” a user called @kylemandarano615 commented. “Unusual letter picks that paid off...literally! Such a beautiful family,” quipped another user named @lnl3237. Apart from the $50,000, Brandon also won $22,400 in cash and a trip to St. Maarten.



 

The Bonus Round often leaves contestants stumped but sometimes, it’s as easy as it gets. This was seen in an earlier episode of the show when Pat Sajak was still the host. In this case, the contestant’s name was Kyle and things got even better for him as he had a wild card, allowing him to pick an additional consonant apart from the four. This immediately swung the game in his favor.

After the R, S, T, L, and E, Kyle picked B, D, C, A, and M. The puzzle pretty much fully revealed itself due to just one letter that would appear twice. Before he answered, it read, “BARBEC_E SA_CE.” There was a big smile on his face when Sajak said, “Oh stop, let me try to build a little tension here.” The host’s efforts were in vain as Kyle immediately answered, “Barbecue sauce.”



 

It was the correct answer and the contestant won a brand-new Ford Mustang Convertible. “Looks like he was dressed to win a Mustang,” a user named @khadiharamain pointed out in the comments on YouTube. “Imagine if he was allowed to choose U in the wildcard,” quipped another user named @julek2105.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The 51-year-old was paired with Matt Damon for the episode which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
6 hours ago
The 11-year-old hoped to get half a million dollars for what he believed was the heat shield from the Apollo mission.
7 hours ago
She could have also won an all-expense paid trip to India along with the prize money.
9 hours ago
The guest wanted $10,000 for the star note despite not knowing much about its valuation in the first place.
10 hours ago
Daymond John loved the product from the moment he tasted it and was eager to get involved with the company.
12 hours ago
This was a rare occasion in the history of the game show that a car wasn't the most valuable prize.
1 day ago
No such rule has ever been confirmed by the show but fans have their doubts.
1 day ago
The pawn shop owner seemed to have gotten a good deal for the set on the day.
1 day ago
An insider claimed that these changes were meant to jazz up the newest season of the show.
2 days ago
The pawn shop owner wanted to fix the car with his son, but failed to do one of the first things needed.
2 days ago
The contestant's wife also stated what she wanted when it was her turn to answer.
2 days ago
The funniest part of it all was that the shocked contestants were actually from New Jersey.
3 days ago
The entrepreneurs got him in to invest two of his buisnesses rather than one.
3 days ago
Jonathan Hugendubler pulled off a generational upset on the show to beat Scott Riccardi.
3 days ago
Steve Harvey saw an opportunity to turn it into a hilarious segment, and he was more than successful.
4 days ago
Mr. Wonderful seemed to have been highly impressed by the company and wanted a piece of it.
4 days ago
Her mother was a massive fan of the show and had passed away around the time her episode was taped.
4 days ago
The expert was also in awe of the one-of-a-kind item that was part of the set of medals.
4 days ago
Steve Harvey can be a ruthless game show host if the time calls for it.
5 days ago
The guest at one point might have even believed that his bill was worth a five-figure sum.
5 days ago