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‘Wheel of Fortune’ bartender wins big — but it's his plans for his daughters that will melt your heart

After winning $72K on ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Mike Gaethke revealed his heartwarming plan to spend it all on his daughters

‘Wheel of Fortune’ is known for featuring shocking moments sometimes—whether it's the way the contestants play the game or the amazing prizes they win. During the April 23, 2025 episode, one contestant left everyone smiling—not just for his win, but for how he planned to spend his whopping $72,000 cash prize. Mike Gaethke, a bartender from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, competed against Greg Harrington, from Pflugerville, Texas, and Tiara Reed, from Oakland, California. Gaethke also happened to be the guitarist for a cover band called 'Tallboys.' 

Reed began the game by winning the first toss-up and earning $1,000. Next, Gaethke went on to solve the second toss-up, winning $2,000. He kept going and solved the first puzzle of the game, making $14,700, after winning a Disney Princess Experience, according to TV Insider. During the second puzzle, the bartender took a chance with the Mystery Wedge, which had $10,000 hidden behind it. If he managed to solve it, he would win a bonus of $10,000, along with his puzzle earnings. Unfortunately, Gaethke couldn’t deliver the right answer, and the game moved on to Reed, who solved it: “Comb, Conditioner, Brush.”

Further in the game, Gaethke earned a hefty amount of $29,298, solving the prize puzzle, “Local Delicacies,” which also got him a trip to Disney Aulani Resort. He also guessed two out of the three Triple Toss-Ups, while Reed solved one. Harrington finally made a move, solving the final puzzle—“Not a Moment Too Soon,”—taking home $4,500. By the end of the game, Reed had made $5,000, and Gaethke became the winner of the night with a whopping $32,298 in cash and prizes. But the best was yet to come. 

In the Bonus Round, Gaethke picked the “What Are You Doing?” category. In a heartwarming moment, the contestant shared that he planned to take his daughters on the Disney trips he won. After the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E were revealed, Gaethke chose C, M, P, and A as his added picks. Now, his puzzle looked like “_ _ R_ N   _N  A  _ARM.” To everyone’s surprise, he guessed “Working on a Farm,” which was the correct answer. However, what happened next was the cherry on top of the cake. The host of the game show, Ryan Seacrest, who took over hosting duties from the veteran host Pat Sajak, opened an envelope to reveal the $40,000 prize money. This brought his total winnings to a stunning $72,298.

Gaethke couldn't contain his joy as he turned to the audience and cheered, “Let’s go!” Soon, he was seen hugging the host and turning to the audience again, throwing his hand up in the air. Looking at this excitement, Seacrest said, “You like to celebrate? You should, after all that!” Following his big win, Gaethke spoke to CBS 58 and told them that he had previously appeared on 'The $100,000 Pyramid.' A proud father of two daughters, he shared how he would like to spend his earnings: a shopping spree for his daughters and a new guitar, among other things. Speaking about his 'Wheel of Fortune' experience, he said, "You see it on TV, and then see it in person, just looking around, it’s wild."