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' player loses $100K as time ran out just when she guessed the right answer

"She was THAT close to win the bonus round, just ran out of time. That’s gotta hurt," a fan reacted.
UPDATED DEC 8, 2025
Vanna White and contestant Amanda Blue on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune)
Vanna White and contestant Amanda Blue on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune)

"Wheel of Fortune" contestants are having a challenging 'Secret Santa' week lately. A dedicated and passionate doctor, Amanda Blue, reached the Bonus Round but couldn't gather her wits to solve the crafty puzzle in time. The mother of two could have won the coveted $100,000 but walked away with $22,878 instead. Fans couldn't hide their disdain for the unexpected puzzle and complained that Blue was close to becoming the winner if it hadn't been for bad timing. 

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Amanda Blue on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune)

Blue's lovely family caught the attention as they cheered her from backstage. "You got a beautiful family over here. Introduce them," Seacrest said. "So I have my awesome husband, Joe, my wonderful mother, Crystal, and my beautiful daughters, Alexis and Jordan. And Stitch," the contestant introduced in a light-hearted move. Meanwhile, Seacrest joked and asked the little girls to beware of "troublemaker Stitch". "Let's try to make you $100,000 winner with an envelope," Seacrest encouraged as Blue spun the Wheel. She then chose the "Food and Drink" and got the traditional letters  R, S, T, L, N, and E  displayed on the board. 

Wheel of fortune
Contestant Amanda Blue's family on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

After a thoughtful moment, the contestant chose P, M, H, and A. The puzzle board looked easy to solve with "M, A, P, L, E, T, A,_,_,_." As the ten-second buzzer started ticking, Blue's made several attempts to guess the right answer. "Maple Take? Maple Take? Maple tazzy. Maple tacky. Taffy. Maple taffy," she said. Unfortunately, she couldn't clock the answer in time. Did she get it in time? We're going to the judges on that one. No, not until- well, you got- It is maple taffy. Not quite in time in the 10 seconds.Nice effort," a disappointed Seacrest reacted. 

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Amanda Blue on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

Seacrest then reached out for the golden envelope reveal and stated that Blue had lost the $40,000 Bonus prize. "You talked it out. And here's what was in the envelope," he said. "But you're walking away with $22,878," he added as Blue stood visibly disappointed yet tried to appear cheerful. Fans called it unfair and wished the game had given her a grace chance to win. "W** is Maple taffy?? I think we all lost with that answer. Canadian thing?" a fan @alexsnell8177 asked in disbelief. 

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Amanda Blue on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune)

"They should have went to the commercial & check to see if the buzzer or her solve came first." @chris.twentynine pointed out. "Ooh, she was that close, but she couldn't even solve that puzzle on time!" @anthonywalker1044 lamented. "She started ON the buzzer. Legal solve in Wheel's rulebook, she was robbed. She should appeal. 'Moving Company' solve was equivalent, and Wheel gave him the good solve," @J_NoNamesLeft73 complained. "She was THAT close to win the bonus round, just ran out of time. That’s gotta hurt," @zaidarodriguez8455 shared. 

You can watch Amanda Blue failing to answer here

More on Market Realist:

'Wheel of Fortune' player wins a car and surprises viewers with an unexpected detail about her life

Resurfaced clip shows a teen contestant on 'Wheel of Fortune' — today he's famous and worth $120 million

'Wheel of Fortune' player fails to answer the most obvious word in a Christmas-themed puzzle

RELATED TOPICS WHEEL OF FORTUNE
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The President has a desire to take control of Greenland, threatening allies with tariffs.
1 hour ago
It seems like the people of Denmark are replying to the US by using their own tactics.
1 hour ago
It is part of a program running from 2017 which has seen almost $7 billion in payouts.
3 hours ago
"And yes, I can want an autograph, and a new car. First car win in 2026, and it's a Nissan," a fan reacted.
10 hours ago
The President has threatened EU countries with tariffs, which could lead to retaliatory measures.
21 hours ago
She travelled all the way back to 2016 to get some of her guesses spot on.
21 hours ago
The contestant has automatically qualified for the 2027 Tournament of Champions.
23 hours ago
Research from Kiel Institute found foreign trade partners are bearing only 4% of the added costs.
23 hours ago
A large percentage of people admitted to regretting impulse buys made thanks to social media.
1 day ago
The product was reportedly distributed in seven states but no illness has been reported yet.
1 day ago
The absence of state income tax, in contrast to other tax havens, is a major lure for elites who live there for more than 183 days a year.
1 day ago
"Well, a strong player tonight in the main round, but not in the bonus round. Maybe we will have a Winner tomorrow," a fan reacted.
1 day ago
Treasury chief expects judges to avoid blocking Trump’s signature tariff policy
1 day ago
More big names in retail are shutting their doors as they struggle to ensure affordability while making a profit.
2 days ago
A viral receipt revealed a little-known surcharge at some Chick-fil-A locations
2 days ago
Troops from several European nations are currently deployed in Greenland at the moment.
3 days ago
Over half of the American population polled does not believe that Trump is prioritizing the right issues.
3 days ago
Drew Carey had his jaw drop in shock after the heartbreaking loss.
3 days ago
This will come as a relief to many Americans, but it could have consequences post-retirement.
4 days ago
The company did not specify what the water was contaminated with or how many it affected.
4 days ago