‘Wheel of Fortune’ player misses out on $40K after fumbling Bonus Round — even though he knew the answer
It was a night filled with big wins, louder laughs, and one devastating miss on ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ On Thursday, September 11, contestant Eric Handzel of Chadwick, New York, played his way through an intense game that had viewers on the edge of their seats. But just when it seemed like he might be walking away with over $60,000 in cash and prizes, the Bonus Round left him stumped. It cost him a jaw-dropping $40,000. Handzel’s father's booming laugh became an unexpected highlight of the night, catching the attention of host Ryan Seacrest. Unfortunately, that laugh would turn bittersweet after the Bonus Round puzzle slipped through Eric’s fingers.
Handzel faced off against two determined opponents: Joanie White, a hairdresser from St. Pauls, North Carolina, and Camila Santos, a mother of two from Sunnyvale, California. White quickly established herself as a strong player, buzzing in on both Toss Up puzzles right at the start and racking up $3,000. But Handzel wasn’t far behind, as per TV Insider. He gained traction by solving the first main puzzle, ‘Shameless Shoe Shopaholic,’ pushing his score past White’s. The lead switched hands again when White solved ‘Annual Chili Cook-Off,’ bumping her total to $4,650. Handzel’s big break came with the Prize Puzzle, ‘Don’t Forget Your Phone Charger.’
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Not only did it add $17,350 to his total, but it also came with a luxury cruise trip to Patagonia and Argentina. The Triple Toss Up round kept the momentum high. Handzel solved two out of three, while White managed to pick up one. Santos, unfortunately, couldn’t gain a footing and remained without winnings until she was awarded the standard $1,000 prize at the end of the game. By the time the final puzzle, ‘Gone on a Blind Date,’ was solved by White, the game was all but decided. Handzel closed the main round with $21,350, securing his place in the Bonus Round with a confident smile. Before heading into the high-stakes final puzzle, the cameras caught a unique moment.
As Ryan Seacrest bantered with the contestants, the booming laugh of an audience member echoed through the studio. Seacrest paused and looked toward the source. “Is that your father laughing?” he asked Handzel. “Yes,” Eric replied with a grin, introducing him as Joe. The host couldn’t help but comment: “You have a great laugh, sir. Signature laugh. We love having you in the audience.” Handzel chose ‘Around the House’ as his category for the Bonus Round. With the usual letters R, S, T, L, N, and E filled in, the board displayed: “_ _ _ _ _ _LL_ _,” as seen on the official 'Wheel of Fortune' YouTube channel. Eric added C, P, H, and A to the mix.
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Still, the puzzle remained incomplete: “_ _ _ _ P_LL_ _”. The clock began ticking, and pressure mounted. “Pulley,” he blurted at first, before hesitating and shifting gears. “Pillow… Bed Pillow… Throw Pillow…” But the correct solution was something else entirely: “Body Pillow.” As the answer was revealed, the audience let out a sympathetic groan. Eric laughed in disbelief, admitting, “Aww, I sleep with one every night too.” Seacrest joined in, chuckling, “You use one!” But then came the gut punch. The card inside the envelope revealed Eric had just missed out on an additional $40,000. Though the Bonus Round ended in heartbreak, Handzel still walked away with $21,350 and a once-in-a-lifetime cruise experience.