He won a cruise on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ — but his $100K bonus round didn’t go as planned
With over 8,000 episodes and 42 seasons, 'Wheel of Fortune' has made countless contestants rich. To add more fun to the games, the show also awards cars, trips, or even furniture to the winners. Most of the time, contestants rejoice in their victories, but one player had a dilemma of his own. After winning a cruise, the contestant faced a dilemma: should he take his girlfriend or his father? But to end his winning streak on a low note, the contestant missed out on the $100,000 jackpot, making for a heartbreaking 'Wheel of Fortune' moment.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, episode of 'Wheel of Fortune,' contestant Nick Isadori's bold personality and cheeky comment got even host Ryan Seacrest laughing, per TV Insider. A self-proclaimed New York sports fanatic from Emerson, New Jersey, Isadori told Seacrest, "I list [the New York Giants] above my family and breathing in terms of priority." Seacrest chuckled and later joked, "I think you need to look up the definition of priority."
Talking about his game plan, Isadori had a strong start on 'Wheel of Fortune,' solving the first two puzzles and building an early lead of $7,500. However, his opponent Dionne Dixon surged ahead in the Mystery Round, taking the lead with $15,050. Isadori, however, regained momentum in the Express Round, solving another puzzle for $6,500 and winning a cruise trip. He also got the first Triple Toss-Up puzzle, bringing his total to $25,000. That was enough to win, despite Barbie Swiger's late surge to $14,000 and Dixon holding at $15,050.
When Seacrest asked who would go on the cruise, Isadori glanced at his father and girlfriend and joked, "Well, they're going to have to fight it out." Seacrest laughed and replied, "I don't know if that was the right answer," hinting at a possible family feud. In the Bonus Round, Isadori chose the category 'Place' and picked the letters C, P, G, and A to go with the standard R, S, T, L, N, and E. The board reads, "C _ _ _ / _ _ E A A _." He appeared stumped as the ten-second timer ran, and when time expired, Vanna White revealed the correct answer to be "Cozy Hideaway." Realizing the difficulty, Isadori admitted, "I had no shot." Seacrest then revealed that Isadori missed out on an additional $75,000, which would have brought his total to $100,000.
Talking about Seacrest, the 'American Idol' host replaced Pat Sajak, who hosted the show for 41 years. With the Season 42 premiere, fans were curious about his salary. While Sajak reportedly earned $18 million annually, and over $20 million including 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,' a top Sony source told The US. Sun that Seacrest accepted a significantly lower salary.
The insider explained, "What is certain is that Ryan is being paid less than Pat, at least initially." They added, "Ryan and his team did not come into this trying to outdo Pat's very generous salary," noting that Seacrest was more focused on landing the coveted role and building a long-term success in the role. While Seacrest's exact salary hasn't been revealed, it's likely higher than White's but lower than Sajak's. Notably, White previously made $3 million a year and received a raise under her new two-year contract. Seacrest is believed to be earning between $10 and $15 million, not the rumored $28 million some outlets claimed.