‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant makes rare history with flawless performance — even Pat Sajak couldn’t keep up
A ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant did something the fans had rarely seen on the show before—he guessed every single puzzle in that episode correctly, without missing a beat. Ricky Gilbert, a software engineer from New York, amazed viewers and the hosts alike with his unbeatable winning streak. Gilbert appeared in the December 20, 2022 episode of the show and took home $89,120. The contestant guessed all three puzzles in the Triple Toss-Up Round, leaving his fellow contestant gaping and eye-rolling in disbelief. “Ricky is en fuego here,” former host Pat Sajak declared at some point. Sajak, who was amazed by Gilbert’s back-to-back right answers, sarcastically retorted, “I don’t even wanna talk to you.”
The host also checked in with the other two contestants, who couldn’t even get close to Gilbert’s quick, correct answers. “You guys are great, and you were rooting him on. It was very sweet,” Sajak told them. “Don’t you feel terrible?” he asked Gilbert playfully at one point. Solving all the puzzles seemed like a cakewalk for Gilbert, including the one from the Bonus Round. “Playing the Tuba,” he correctly guessed and won an additional $40,000. “Yeah. Why would he say anything else?” Sajak jokingly questioned. “He probably wants more money. That’s what he wants,” he added while revealing the winning amount.
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Fans took to social media to react to Gilbert’s fierce and unstoppable victory. “Some dude named Ricky just pitched a shutout on Wheel of Fortune. Very fortunate to be a witness to this sporting master class,” an X user wrote. “The winner of Wheel of Fortune solved all the puzzles, and no one else did? Has this ever happened before?” another fan asked in disbelief. A third social media user explained that it has happened before, but rarely in the show’s history. “Ricky Gilbert is the first Wheel of Fortune contestant to solve every puzzle, including the Bonus Round, since the addition of the Triple Toss-Ups,” the user wrote.
Let me clarify... 19 times in the Toss-Up era where anyone swept the game regardless of whether they won the Bonus Round or not. 10 of those 19 "sweepers", including Ricky, won their Bonus Round.
— WheelRob (@WheelRob10) December 21, 2022
“This has only happened 19 times since the addition of Toss-Ups in 2000. Way to go, Ricky!” the same fan added. The user further clarified that the “19 times in the Toss-Up era where anyone swept the game regardless of whether they won the Bonus Round or not.” Only 10 out of those 19 contestants, or “sweepers,” also won the Bonus Round, and Gilbert was one of them. One fan pointed out that Gilbert could have won a million dollars if he had done one thing differently. They explained that if the contestant was already up by $45,000 and had the million-dollar wedge, he shouldn’t have spun the wheel, according to TVInsider.
I didn’t. I wish I thought of that beforehand. But you still have to spin to say a letter, and I didn’t know the puzzle yet. I wanted to save the wild card for the final round. But regardless, I wouldn’t have won the Million so no regrets!
— Ricky Gilbert (@RickyGilbert11) December 21, 2022
Gilbert agreed to this opinion and admitted his mistake. “I didn’t know the puzzle yet! But you aren’t wrong!” he wrote on X. Another fan asked a similar question, that if he considered blowing his chance on purpose to defend the million-dollar wedge that he would lose from too much spinning. “I didn’t. I wish I thought of that beforehand,” Gilbert replied. “I wanted to save the wild card for the final round. But regardless, I wouldn’t have won the Million so no regrets!” he added.
