$40K gone in seconds — ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant fumbles ‘easy’ puzzle, even we felt his frustration
Being shocked is nothing new for ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans. But losing $40,000 over an easy puzzle made several scream, “Ain’t no way he lost this.” Dave Kendall, a veteran Coast Guard, appeared on the May 5, 2025, episode of ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ While he was doing great, he lost a huge chunk in the Bonus Round of the game that could have changed his life. What floundered him is still a question many are wondering. During the Season 42 game, the contestant from Ozark, Missouri, was playing against Molly Wilcox, from Riverview, Florida, and Mélisa Best, from Queens, New York. During the initial game, it was Kendall who solved the two toss-ups, earning him $2,000; however, he ended up being Bankrupt in the first puzzle.
Further on in the game show, when his two opponents also got Bankrupt, Kendall landed on $2,500 twice, from which he started to lead the game. Solving the puzzle, “Taking the Dune Buggy for a Spin,” the Coast Guard made a total of $13,000 that night. When Kendall advanced to the Bonus Round, winning $23,600, he brought his wife Jenn into the game. This was when he had the chance to win up to $100,000 or a brand new car.
Choosing to go ahead with the ‘Phrase’ category, the game gave Kendall the letters “R, S, T, L, N, and E.” The contestant, however, chose to go ahead with “J, F, C, and I,” after which his puzzle began to look like “IN _ FI_.” Kendal tried to guess the word “In a Fib” and “In a Fich,” however, none of the answers were correct. In fact, the right answer was “In a Fix.” After revealing the answer, the host Ryan Seacrest told Kendall that he had lost an additional $40,000, as per TV Insider.
Looking at the game, the die-hard fans of the reality TV show could not hold their emotions. Several viewers were seen commenting on the YouTube video, with one expressing, “That bonus round shouldn’t have been lost. That was easy.” Meanwhile, other fans were seen calling the Bonus Round “Super Duper easy.” A few other comments read, “Ain’t no way he lost this,” while one exclaimed, “This was such an easy puzzle!! I was practicing screaming at the TV lol.” However, as per Market Realist, many fans even came forward in Kendall’s defense, stating, “I've never heard that phrase before: I wouldn't have gotten it."
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Amongst the other two players, Wilcox had solved the second puzzle and won $5,600 during the game night. She went home with $18,498 in cash and a trip to the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Best could only make $2,000. Kendall, however, earned $23,600. ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is currently airing reruns. The widely loved reality game show will return with Season 43 in September this year. Secreast--who took over the hosting duties after Pat Sajak's departure--will return to the game show along with co-host Vanna White.
