ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
Β© 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' host Ryan Seacrest called out over his annoying on-air habit: 'He hardly ever...'

Fans took to Reddit to discuss the issue with Seacrest not reminding the players of one crucial element.
PUBLISHED MAY 30, 2025
Screenshot showing a Wheel of Fortune contestant with a Wild Card (Cover image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshot showing a Wheel of Fortune contestant with a Wild Card (Cover image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

Ryan Seacrest has been facing scrutiny ever since he took over as "Wheel of Fortune" host from Pat Sajak, and almost anything he does irks fans loyal to his predecessor. This time, viewers took to Reddit to discuss the issue of Seacrest forgetting to remind the players of using their Wild Card during the game. Fans complained that this major fluke cost one contestant dearly as he lost all his winnings up to that point on the show.

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest talking to a contestant with a Wild Card (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest talking to a contestant with a Wild Card (Image source: YouTube/Wheel Of Fortune)

In a May 20 Reddit post, user @pink_faerie_kitten posted a thread to gather opinions on the issue. "Ryan's great mostly, but he hardly ever reminds contestants with a WC that they can exchange it for another letter call when they land on a sparkly wedge," they wrote. The user cited the example of the contestant named Chad who lost $3,500 after landing on the bankrupt wedge. "Chad had a Wild Card, then landed on $3500, called a 'J' and spun without Ryan telling him. He landed on $3500 again, called an 'R', and got two. And again Ryan said nothing! He spun without Ryan ever reminding him that he could've given up the WC for another guess. Instead, he landed bankrupt 😭 I know it would be nice if contestants remembered on their own, but it's kind of a rare event to have a WC and land on a sparkly wedge that I think the host should remind them," the fan added.



 

Turns out, the Redditor wasn't alone who noticed this flaw in Seacrest's hosting. "I have to agree that Ryan excessively does not remind players to exchange their Wild Card for another consonant," wrote another viewer, @Any_Drawer_2059. However, a few fans disagreed as they thought not reminding the contestant was the best thing to do, as the Wild Card is more valuable in the Bonus Round. "I hated when Pat would do this. Unless you are far behind and need to catch up, that wild card is far more valuable in the bonus round," @mel34760 suggested.

This was best demonstrated in the game of a contestant named Carmetta, who saved her Wild Card for the Bonus Round and won $40,000. Carmetta was faced with a three-word puzzle, and she used her Wild Card to good effect as it gave her two extra letters on the board. She then guessed the puzzle, "I HAVE AN IDEA," and walked away with a total of over $68,000. 



 

However, this wasn't the first time that fans complained about the host's habit. In an older Reddit thread, viewers cited more examples where the mistake cost players big money. Fans complained that his predecessor, Pat Sajak, used to remind players of the Wild Card, possibly saving them from an early exit. "And tonight was the perfect opportunity for him to say something when she said 'I'd like to solve.'  He should step in and say you might want to guess a letter first. Irritating," commented a viewer @andrewchicago63 on the thread. 

While his hosting style may have fetched mixed reviews from the fans of the "Wheel of Fortune," Seacrest is certainly a hit on his other gig, "American Idol." Recently, Seacrest revealed how he became the face of the show.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
In the end, Mr Wonderful cut off Greiner with a deal that the founder of Wad Free couldn't refuse.
15 hours ago
Seacrest got geniunely spooked as he couldn't figure out who played a prank on him.
16 hours ago
The seller brought some "Secret Service" memorabilia of former Attorney General J. Howard McGrath.
20 hours ago
The guest was already emotional because of the backstory involving native Alaskans.
1 day ago
The player once again fumbled a puzzle despite moving forward in the game.
1 day ago
The host didn't want to get more of the weird answers on the show anymore.
1 day ago
The founder of Beyond Sushi impressed the Sharks with 100% plant based flavors.
1 day ago
The Shark jumped back in to the deal as he thought his wife would love the product.
2 days ago
The guest who bought the item at a charity store had no idea that it was over 3,000 years old.
2 days ago
When the rare coin showed up on Harrison's table, he had to take his old man's approval for the deal.
3 days ago
Fans said that such behavior was unnecessary and slammed the antics as self-congratulatory.
3 days ago
Several customers took to social media to complain about spoilt milk that they purchased from the store.
3 days ago
Despite the massive appraisal, the brothers shared that they would never sell their collection.
3 days ago
Harrison is often impressed by suits belonging to legendary musicians or actors.
3 days ago
The founder of 'Permaplug' had done his research on the Sharks to help make a decision.
4 days ago
When the item turned out to quite a valuable artifact, Harrison refused to let it go.
4 days ago
The Sharks formed teams and ditched their partners to get a deal with "The Woobles".
4 days ago
With a tiny margin of four steps, the player won prizes worth $8,000 after a tense game.
5 days ago
The recall was issued amid reports of multiple deaths and over a dozen illnesses across 13 states.
5 days ago
The player celebrated her way to the stage and then got more than one reason to celebrate.
5 days ago