After trying for 10 years, this ‘Wheel of Fortune’ player finally hit jackpot — and he couldn't stop crying
'Wheel of Fortune' contestant Ryan Bird recently proved that his dedication to the coveted game show bore sweet results. In an interview with a local news channel, WPXI, Bird revealed that he waited patiently for ten years to appear as a contestant, “I’ve watched Wheel of Fortune since the days of shopping for merchandise in the 1980s. It’s been a dream of mine, for all my life, to be on a game show, but this one specifically, it was such a big part of my formative years. I’ve been trying out for more than 10 years now, and I finally got my chance, and it just went so much better than I ever dreamed it would,” he confessed.
The non-profit data analyst from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began by competing against Sarah Crisman, an employee of the National Weather Service from Los Angeles, California, and Diego Wyatt, an extreme sports enthusiast from New York City. Bird didn't start winning right away; his opponent, Crisman, took the lead by earning $2,000 in the first toss-up round. By luck, Bird solved the second tough puzzle - “Same Letter.” he solved “Tough Tongue Twister” and gained $6,000. He guessed the Mystery Round Puzzle right - “Speakerphone Call in Public” – and won an additional $12,200. After gaining an upper hand, Bird continued to wow the audience and host Ryan Seacrest with his intelligence, as per TVInsider.
The data analyst won the next triple toss-ups and also the final puzzle, “What are you doing?” “Making each other laugh” and earned $4,550. His total zoomed to a whopping $37,049 and a luxury trip to Ireland. On the other hand, Crisman earned a total of $5,000, and Watts was awarded $1,000 by 'Wheel of Fortune' as a courtesy prize since he couldn't win anything on the show. During the Bonus Round, Bird introduced his wife, Sara, and joked about her being patient with his quest. He went on to choose the “What are you doing?” category for the final puzzle.
The puzzle board showcased the traditional letters “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” and Bird added “P, G, H, and O.” After that, the board looked like “_H_NG_NG O_T_ _ TS.” Before revealing the answer, he gave a quick 'hello' to veteran hostess Vanna White. Bird astonished Seacrest with his quick thinking and guessed the right answer, "Changing outfits," even before the warning buzzer could go off. His bank savings earned an additional $40,000 from the Bonus Round, and Bird ended up walking away with a whopping total of $70,049. “This is a dream come true,” he emotionally confessed. “I’ve been trying out for 10 years now and am so grateful to have had this chance. This has been absolutely magical,” he added.
“I’m going to be processing this for months,” he later told the local news outlet. “This has been the most amazing experience.” Fans loved Bird's unwavering devotion, humble personality, and determination, "Trying out for 10 years! That is dedication! Glad he finally got on, I guess it was worth the wait and Ireland 🇮🇪!!!! Have fun! Blessings and Peace," a fan gushed. Perfect letters. "Congratulations Randy!! After 10 years of trying, you made it & won big!! Great show tonight!" an online user chimed in. "Randy played well tonight! I wouldn't have got that! Good job Randy! On that note, it was nice for Randy to say hi to Vanna. Such a gentleman," a viewer lauded.