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 / NEWS

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant wins a car — moments after he accused Pat Sajak of distracting him

The player did lose everything that he had won but also get another shot and made a stunning recovery.
PUBLISHED FEB 15, 2025
Screenshots showing the contestant blaming Pat Sajak and winning (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshots showing the contestant blaming Pat Sajak and winning (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel Of Fortune)

Pat Sajak was popular with fans of "Wheel Of Fortune" for most part of his decades as host of the show, but sometimes he was blamed for contestants losing out on big wins. During one episode, a player named Michael Bystrzycki complained that Sajak was distracting him, although he still went home with a hefty prize.

Screenshot showing Michael Bystrzycki alongside Pat Sajak
Screenshot showing Michael Bystrzycki alongside Pat Sajak (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

In the episode, Bystrzycki, a master electrician from Drummonds, Tennessee, was facing off against Sarah McCabe, a former English teacher from Mankato, and Lillian Devane, a self-described “word nerd” from Atlantic City. While solving a Crossword puzzle in the $2,000 Toss-Up round, the contestant had to guess four interconnected words all of which had fire as a first word. Bystrzycki had control of the wheel and it seemed like he was ready to solve the puzzle. However, he suddenly stepped back and chose to give the wheel another go. Unfortunately, he landed on the Bankrupt Wedge and lost everything he had won.

Screenshot showing the puzzle
Screenshot showing the puzzle (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Luckily, the round didn't end as the other players couldn't solve the puzzle. Thus, when Bystrzycki got another turn, he correctly solved the puzzle as “Works, Wood, Department, and Pit," after landing on the special Jackpot Wedge. As he celebrated, Sajak asked him, “Which one were you shaky on the first time?” The player promptly said he wasn't shaky at all, and added, “I just looked at you instead of looking at the puzzle, and the words went out of my head. I was like, ‘Ah, he said spin, so I’m spinning. Let’s go.'”

Screenshot showing the contestant pointing at Sajak
Screenshot showing the contestant pointing at Sajak (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Turns out, Sajak was too distracting for the player. The host threw up his arms and said, “It’s always my fault.” Recovering from bankruptcy, Bystrzycki went on to excel in the game. He went on to collect another Jackpot Wedge and solved a second puzzle correctly to become a double jackpot winner. 

Screenshot showing Sajak's reaction
Screenshot showing Sajak's reaction (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Bystrzycki proceeded to the Bonus Round with $21,910 in cash and a trip to the Avila Beach Hotel in Curaçao. He also had a Double Jackpot wedge, which could increase his winnings to $42,500 if he got the final puzzle right. Before the round began, the player introduced his father on stage to the host. Sajak had so much fun playing with Bystrzycki that he wished they could leave the game and go for a beer together.

Screenshot showing the contestant's father
Screenshot showing the contestant's father (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

For the Bonus Round, the master electrician selected the “Phrase” category. With the standard "R, S, T, L, N, and E" and his additional letters "C, D, M, and O" filled in, the Bonus Round gave him a puzzle that read   “_ O C _ E _        _ O R       _ O S _ T _ _ N.”

Screenshot showing the final puzzle
Screenshot showing the final puzzle (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

The Tennessee native once again looked confident with a charm in his eyes. As soon as the ten-second timer started, Bystrzycki quickly answered, “Jockey For Position." The answer turned out to be correct meaning the player had won an impressive $42,500.



 



 

To further sweeten the deal, Sajak revealed that the player had also won a brand new Infiniti QX50, from the golden envelope of the Bonus Round. Thus, he ended up with total winnings worth of  $111,160.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
According to the expert, personal letters and a signature from Tolkien himself added to the value of the book.
7 hours ago
Chistina and Katie Currie won over $88,000 in cash and two exotic vacations with their stunning performance.
8 hours ago
After everyone backed out, the billionaire Shark stepped up to help the founder of Diaper Dust.
1 day ago
Sun kept repeating the incorrect phrase but couldn't identify the error in time.
1 day ago
After almost closing a deal with Mr Wonderful, the founder of 'Simply Good Jars' pivoted hard.
1 day ago
The host thought it was the "worst possible answer" to give even as the team felt it was good enough.
2 days ago
Adding to the controversy, the owner of Dr. Mudd's lapdesk asked Harrison for $100,000.
2 days ago
With just milliseconds to spare, Sarah LaPilusa pulled off an incredible Bonus Round win.
2 days ago
Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles were recalled after the lids of faulty bottles forcefully ejected.
3 days ago
The player laughed and giggled her way through the puzzles to win prizes worth over $57,000.
3 days ago
Scott Riccardi placed an unbelievable wager during Final Jeopardy! to win a massive amount in a day!
3 days ago
The guest got a 200% return on investment on her sculpture that she bought from Macy's.
3 days ago
Jennings had a record-setting winning streak as a contestant before he became the host.
4 days ago
The player, Ron Wheeler, tragically got no clues after his letter picks for the final puzzle.
4 days ago
The former kids champion, Skyler Hornback knew what was coming.
4 days ago
The fans took issue with the clue being too tough and unnecessary for the contestants.
5 days ago
Cuban wanted to strike a deal with the founder of Coconut Girl and gave her an ultimatum.
5 days ago
Although the word did make a lot of difference, some fans felt that the decision was ridiculous.
5 days ago
The guest, who found the item online, didn't think it was the real deal until he heard its value.
6 days ago
The player Samantha secured the first big win of Ryan Seacrest's run on the show.
6 days ago