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'Wheel of Fortune' contestant went 'from zero' to winning a Mercedes in stunning comeback

His excitement after winning the car was infectious as he certainly wasn't expecting it.
PUBLISHED APR 14, 2025
Screenshots showing the contestant winning his brand-new car on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshots showing the contestant winning his brand-new car on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Spectacular comebacks always make for good stories, and when people on the brink of a loss end up walking away with big prizes on game shows, viewers are left thrilled. Something like that happened during an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” when a contestant went from zero to winning a brand-new car in the Bonus Round. Despite all the misfortune he might have faced earlier, he made the final round look like a piece of cake.

The name of the contestant was Jason, and he unexpectedly found himself standing beside host Ryan Seacrest in the Bonus Round. Even though he started off with nothing in his account after round one, Jason nailed a puzzle and jumped to $14,000 in the second round, and even after things slowed down for a couple of rounds, he won with $25,000 in the bank.

“From zero to the Bonus Round like that, I love it,” he said. The contestant then introduced his sister and his niece, who were on the stage to support him before spinning the wheel. “Got a car out there too, if we get envelope,” the host added as it landed on the letter A.

Screenshots showing the contestant's sister and niece on
Screenshots showing the contestant's sister and niece on "Wheel of Fortune." (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Jason had chosen the Phrases category and had the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. After these letters were revealed, the puzzle read, “S_ ____ _N _____N.” It was now time for him to choose three consonants and a vowel. He chose the letters C, G, H, and O. These were decent picks, and the puzzle further revealed itself to read, “SO __CH _N CO__ON.”

Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

One may suggest that the last word was the key to getting it right. Jason now had 10 seconds to get it right, and without missing a beat, he said, “So much in common.” That was the correct answer. “Yeah, you got it,” Seacrest said. “I feel like you knew it before the clock started.” It was then time for him to reveal what the contestant had one. Normally, in these cases, $40,000 is the prize, but things were different this time. The host opened up the envelope and said, “And check these out.” The words ‘Mercedes Benz’ were written inside, meaning that the contestant had just won a brand-new luxury car. He was ecstatic with joy as he threw his arms into the air before hugging his sister and niece. Jason then went over the car that he had just won, and it was a Mercedes-Benz GLA 250.

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest revealing the contestant's prize. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest revealing the contestant's prize. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

The contestant sat in the driver’s seat as Vanna White called his loved ones over to celebrate together. Fans of the show loved the moment, and it was clear from their comments on YouTube.



 

“Talk about taking the Express from zero to victory and a brand new Benz! I’m sure he’ll be forever grateful that he chose that C in the Bonus Round!” one user commented. “Now that’s an awesome win to conclude the week of the new year,” quipped another fan. “Way to go, Jason!  Three Bonus Puzzle Solves in a row!  What a great way to start the New Year!” a third user wrote.

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