‘Wheel of Fortune’ player jumps and screams after huge bonus round win — even Ryan Seacrest was stunned
A 'Wheel of Fortune' player was overwhelmed with joy and happiness after securing a big win on the beloved game show. During an episode, a contestant named Samantha Hicks couldn't control her emotions after winning nearly $80,000 in the show's first Bonus Round win of season 42. Host Ryan Seacrest found it difficult to handle the situation as Hicks got way too excited and freaked out on stage while celebrating her victory, leaving audiences smiling. Seacrest began hosting the fan-favorite series after veteran host Pat Sajak announced his retirement in June 2024.
Hicks got off to a strong start after she solved the first Toss-Up puzzle and bagged the lead. However, things changed quickly, and she ended up in the second spot. Soon after, the contestant made an impressive comeback in the Express Round when she figured out the Crossword Puzzle, reclaiming the lead and winning an exotic trip to Portugal. By the end of the episode, Hicks was the big winner of the night with $17,348 in cash, and then, she advanced to the Bonus Round.
For the Bonus Round category, Hicks chose "Food $ Drink." Shortly afterward, she was joined on the stage by her longtime friend Makita, who cheered loudly for her as she spun the wheel. After 'Wheel of Fortune' gave Hicks the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E, she picked E, H, J, O, and C, and eventually the puzzle looked like “LO_ - F_T _OG_RT.” Seacrest wished her good luck, and as soon as the ten-second timer began, she didn't waste any time, and she guessed, "LOW FAT YOGURT." Moments later, Vanna White confirmed that it was the correct answer.
As per Market Realist, Hicks flipped out and went on to say, "Ryan! I am freaking out!" Later on, Seacrest opened the Golden Envelope and revealed that she had won an additional $50,000, which took her to a grand total of $77,348. At that point, Hicks and Makita hugged each other tightly and began jumping on the stage in celebration. The host tried his best to control the situation, saying, "Okay, turn around. Take a look. Look at this. Take a look," to which Hicks replied, "I can't look at it."
Once the episode aired, many fans of the show took to YouTube's comments section to congratulate Hicks on her victory. One social media user wrote, "Hooray! The first of hopefully MANY bonus round wins of the Ryan Seacrest era of Wheel. Congratulations, Samantha! And a nice $50K win to start." A second viewer added, "Finally the 1st Bonus Round win of Season 42 ($50,000 WIN) and the first one of the Ryan Seacrest era! Congrats, Samantha!" Another echoed the excitement, writing, "We finally have a bonus round winner and won a total of $77,348! What a night for her!" One netizen said she solved it too, writing, "Victory for her! She picked the right category this time! I literally figured it out without the extra letters. Pretty easy today. And what a blast for the $60,000 bonus win! ($50,000 out of the envelope + $10,000 LG sponsor week bonus!)."