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These ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fails were so hilarious, even the host couldn’t keep it together

Whether it was Pat Sajak giving away the answer or contestants creating chaos, these clips are pure comedy gold

‘Wheel of Fortune’ has been a staple of American television for decades, delivering not only puzzles and prizes but a whole lot of laughter. Some of the show’s most iconic moments happen when contestants mispronounce words, make hilariously wrong guesses, or unintentionally make things awkward, creating comedy gold. These slip-ups not only leave the audience in stitches but also often go viral. Maybe it’s the nerves, or perhaps a full-on brain freeze, but one thing’s for sure: as long as the wheel spins, there will be no lack of giggles. Get ready to experience second-hand embarrassment as we explore some of the funniest moments on ‘Wheel of Fortune.’

1. Right in the Butt

Trying to solve a phrase puzzle, contestant Tavaris Williams confidently answered “Right in the butt!” when only a couple of letters appeared on the screen. His response was met with laughter from the audience and a “Whaaaat?!” from a fellow contestant because the right answer was “This is the best!” As expected, the internet did its thing, and the clip went viral. Jimmy Kimmel even invited Williams to his late-night show, where he asked him if he used that particular phrase often in his daily life, to which Williams amusingly replied, “I have never used those words in sequential order a day in my life, Jimmy.” Nevertheless, Williams went home with $9,500 and a place in ‘Wheel of Fortune’ history.

2. A Round of Sausage

In what has since been famously dubbed the ‘sausage incident,’ contestant Will Jordan faced the puzzle “___E _OURSE_F A ROUN_ OF A___AUSE” and boldly declared the answer to be “Treat yourself a round of sausage.” After his fellow contestant gave the correct answer, host Ryan Seacrest joked, “Will, I kind of like yours better. That sounds better than just clapping right now.” Speaking about his ‘missolve’ moment with Maggie Sajak (daughter of former host Pat Sajak), Jordan said, “I tell you, when the lights are on, and you know, the stars and Ryan Seacrest, Vanna White ... I just went blank. But if your dad, in retirement, is watching this show, maybe cracks a beer and gets a laugh, it was worth it.”

3. Mispronouncing Achilles

In 2014, college student Julian Batts’ mispronunciation of a certain word cost him a chance to win one million dollars. There was a moment when the complete puzzle answer was on the board, reading MYTHOLOGICAL HERO ACHILLES, and all that was left for him to do was read it out loud. The studio turned silent for a few seconds when he mispronounced it as “a-chill-us” instead of “ahh-kill-ees.” His answer was disqualified, and Pat Sajak joked, “We’ll just wipe that clean from our memory bank.” Even though his opponent swooped in with the correct answer, Batts eventually went on to win the episode.

4. Flamenco Vs. Flamingo

Correct pronunciation is a really big deal on ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ In another hilarious fumble, a contestant lost out on a relatively easy win of $7,000 and a trip to Spain. With the puzzle entirely revealed on the screen, Jonny Knowles only had to spell out “FLAMENCO DANCE LESSONS.” In a moment that went viral, he blurted out “flamingo dance lessons.” “What we all heard was — and I know you didn't mean to say it — but, you gave us a 'G' instead of a 'C,” Sajak offered as Knowles appeared visibly confused. He later appeared on Good Morning America to talk about his big fail, and said that he was “shocked and confused” seconds after it happened.

5. Fresh Tropical Fruit

This Teen Week contestant’s flub ranks pretty high on one of the biggest chokes in ‘Wheel of Fortune’ history. Grade 10 student Khushi was only one letter away from winning $650 and a trip to Antigua: “FRE_H TROPICAL FRUIT.” It was an easy job, they said; just fill in the blanks, they said. In a decision that left the audience grumbling, she said, “I’ll go with a G,” making her answer, “Fregh tropical fruit,” instead of “fresh.” Trying to diffuse the situation, Sajak said, “Sometimes it’s a word that just doesn’t want to come into focus for you,” reminding audience members that sometimes it truly is unnerving to be on the spot on television.

6. Quite Frankly

Oh, how the tables have turned! This time, one of the funniest moments from the show comes from veteran host Pat Sajak himself. In a slip of the tongue (quite literally), he gave away the answer to a two-word phrase in casual conversation. During the bonus round, there were six blanks left on the puzzle for the contestant to decode. While chatting with him, Sajak said, “Yikes, well I'd rather be standing here than there, quite frankly,” giving away the answer! Vanna White brought it up after the show, asking him, “Did you hear what you said?” Sajak replied, “I did right after I said it. I wonder how many people at home caught it.” Talking about how the contestant on stage was still clueless, he added, “It goes to show you that people are concentrating and they're not paying any attention to me.”

7. Self Potato

Fifth-grade teacher Lolita McAuley became a living meme in 2009 when she was faced with the puzzle “S_LF-POT___T” and hilariously answered “SELF-POTATO!” instead of “self-portrait.” In an interview with the New York Times, McAuley said that her mind “went completely blank” at the crucial moment and she misspoke. “Even after it fell out of my mouth, I wish I could just go and hide,” she added. She also said that she will use the funny clip to show her students that “their teacher’s human” and everybody makes mistakes.

8. I Have the Wine

In 2013, contestant Natasha Holly reminded us that not everyone is familiar with the legendary Johnny Cash. Faced with a song/artist puzzle, “I _A__ THE _INE BY J_HNNY _A_H,” Holly answered “I Have the Wine by Johnny Cash” instead of “I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash,” losing $9,800 that was on the line. The audience gasped, and everyone struggled not to laugh as Sajak said, “That is not correct, I'm sorry.” Well, at least she tried her best!

9. The Pointed Desert

In one of the most bizarre and entertaining moments of the show, when contestants faced the puzzle “THE P __NTED DESERT,” not one, but two people got it wrong multiple times! Contestant Lindsey incorrectly answered “The Pointed Desert,” following which fellow contestant James offered the same guess, “The Pointed Desert.” When Sajak mentioned that he still had time to take another guess, James came up with “The Pointed Desert” a third time, somehow hoping to be right. At this point, Sajak couldn’t hold back and joked, “It’s not ‘The Pointed Desert,’ no matter how many times you say it.” Eventually, the third contestant, Kelly, came up with the correct answer, “The Painted Desert.”

10. Where Is Venice?

Geography is not everyone’s strong suit. Case in point: when Sajak asked a contestant where Venice is located, he blurted “Paris!” before changing his answer to “France!” Contestant David and his wife Keri solved the puzzle “GONDOLA RIDE THROUGH VENICE,” and won a trip to the beautiful European city. However, when Sajak asked where Venice is and David messed it up, Keri was nervous, wondering if they just lost what they won. “Do we still get the trip?” she asked the host, who was almost falling over laughing, and luckily, they still got to go to Italy.