Excited teacher wins big on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and nearly takes down Ryan Seacrest in the process
It was supposed to be a routine night of puzzles and prizes, but ‘Wheel of Fortune’ ended with a moment that viewers won’t forget anytime soon. A California music teacher, Ryan Richmond, not only took home an impressive cash haul of more than $73,000, but he also gave new host Ryan Seacrest the shock of his tenure so far. He nearly knocked the 'Wheel of Fortune' host over in an enthusiastic victory hug. The September 15 episode began calmly enough, with Richmond facing off against two competitors: Lillie Douglas, a high school English teacher from Chauncey, Georgia, and Dina Altwam, a middle school math teacher from Greer, South Carolina.
At first, Richmond appeared to be struggling. He didn’t score a dime in the opening puzzle, which left him trailing behind his opponents. Altwam seized the opportunity early, solving the second Toss Up before quickly nabbing the answer to ‘Manual Pencil Sharpener.’ That success gave her the initial advantage and made Richmond’s early quiet performance look like it might cost him. But ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is all about timing, and Richmond’s turning point came in the Mystery Round. With the wheel spinning in his favor, he landed on a $3,500 wedge. He correctly guessed two consonants and pocketed $7,000 in a single spin, as reported by TV Insider.
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He then confidently solved the phrase, “Homecoming Queen Latifah,” taking his winnings to $13,400. Richmond’s luck only grew stronger as the show continued. The Prize Puzzle delivered his biggest boost yet when he correctly solved “Half Price Appetizers.” That win added $8,973 in cash to his growing total, plus a luxury trip to Montenegro. His combined score at that point soared to $24,473, making him the clear frontrunner. The Triple Toss Ups gave him yet another chance to build on his streak. Richmond solved two of the three, securing an additional $4,000, while Douglas grabbed the third to keep herself in the mix. Altwam fought hard but couldn’t quite regain her earlier lead.
By the time the final regular puzzle wrapped, Richmond had an impressive $28,473, while Douglas closed out at $3,500 and Altwam finished at $2,000. Heading into the Bonus Round, Richmond invited his friend Ivan to join him on stage, a tradition for contestants who make it to the final puzzle. As per Andy Nguyen's blog, his category was ‘What Are You Doing?’ After the standard letters (R, S, T, L, N, and E) were revealed, he chose D, F, C, and A for his extra letters. But the board remained only partially filled: “FLE_ _ N _ _ _ _CE_S.” With the countdown clock ticking, Richmond fired off a flurry of guesses, many of them wrong. For a tense moment, it looked like the puzzle might slip away from him.
But in the final seconds, clarity struck. He shouted, “Flexing My Biceps,” and the board lit up in confirmation. The studio erupted in applause as Seacrest announced Richmond had won the $45,000 Bonus Round prize. Added to his earlier total, Richmond’s grand winnings climbed to $73,473. Overcome with excitement, the contestant threw his arms up, shouted in triumph, and then scooped Seacrest into a massive celebratory hug. What Richmond didn’t realize was just how forceful that embrace would be. The sudden lift nearly toppled the host, who staggered back and looked momentarily startled as the crowd laughed. Seacrest quickly recovered, smiling at the camera as he congratulated the winner.