'Wheel of Fortune' player loses million-dollar wedge—but still walks away with $119K after one perfect guess
Launched in 1975, 'Wheel of Fortune' is one of the few game shows on TV that lends wings to the dreams of ordinary Americans, who can turn their lives around by simply solving the puzzles and winning the major prizes. With more than 800 episodes, the game show has welcomed countless contestants who, with their intelligence and strategies, manage to win major prizes. In one such instance a player wins major cash prizes, but not without some hands-down tactics.
The contestant in discussion is Catrice Sandt, who, thanks to her impressive run on 'Wheel of Fortune,' won nearly $120,000. Sandt started strong by solving the first Toss Up puzzle and taking an early lead. Although another contestant, Exama, briefly closed the gap, Sandt regained momentum and even picked up the coveted Million-Dollar Wedge. However, unfortunately, she loses the wedge soon after by landing on Bankrupt, per Market Realist. Unfazed, she bounced back by solving multiple puzzles in a row, where she dominated the Express Round and won the Prize Puzzle, which earned her a trip to Africa.
By the end, she secured $19,800 in cash and valuable prizes, making her the night’s biggest winner. In the bonus round, Sandt chose the category "What are you doing?" and was joined by her husband, mother, and her jokingly described "evil stepfather." After the standard letters (R, S, T, L, N, E) revealed only a few clues, she smartly selected B, G, M, and A, which helped unveil the answer, "BEGINNING AGAIN." Thanks to her sharp choices, she successfully solved the puzzle.
Host Ryan Seacrest then told her to "hold on" before starting the ten-second timer. Once signaled, she first guessed, "I am beginning again," which included too many words. She quickly corrected herself with, "Beginning again, is that it?" Seacrest confirmed, "The judges have accepted it, and you've won." As she celebrated, Seacrest added, "And Catrice, I need to show you this," before revealing she had won $100,000 from the Golden Envelope. With confetti falling, her family joined her on stage. Seacrest and Vanna White then announced she was taking home a grand total of $119,800 and a trip to Africa.
However, there have been contestants who, despite a great run, fail to win major prizes. In another episode of 'Wheel of Fortune,' Jesse Larson, a nurse from Paducah, Kentucky, came heartbreakingly close to winning the $1 million prize after securing the coveted wedge. However, she ultimately lost in the bonus round, missing out on the megabucks prize. Larson played against Steve Wiley of San Diego and Brittney Word of Snellville. The game began with Wiley taking an early lead, solving the first two toss-ups and the initial puzzle, including a crossword clue featuring 'Pie,' 'Organizational,' and 'Flow,' earning him $7,200.
Larson then made a strong comeback by winning the Prize Puzzle, solving "Taking the Perfect Pic," which earned her a trip to Panama, $11,100, and the One Million Dollar wedge. She later narrowly beat Wiley by just $250 after solving "Purple Petunias," ending the game with $16,400, per TV Insider. In the Bonus Round, she used her Wild Card and guessed the letters H, M, C, O, and B but was stumped by the puzzle "HE O THE C_R_E." She didn’t answer in time, missing the correct solution, "Ahead of the Curve." Though she didn’t win the $1 million, she still walked away with a $40,000 prize.