Why ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Are Suspicious About Show’s Big Car Giveaway

Spin That Wheel

For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our Wheel of Fortune Newsletter:

Wheel of Fortune viewers have become suspicious after the same car prize wedge was landed on five times in a row, the odds of which were described by one fan as “astronomically bad.”

As first reported by The U.S. Sun, fans started questioning what was going on after a BMW prize appeared for the fifth consecutive time on Friday’s (January 12) episode. The same car had come up throughout the week, but nobody had been able to crack the Bonus Round puzzle.

On Friday, LaVonda Sharp, an avid traveler from University Park, Illinois, made it to the Bonus Round and successfully figured out the puzzle (“Make A Wise Choice”) and bagged herself the brand-new BMW X1 worth $44,310.

“This is Friday; for four nights, we have tried to give this car away, and we did it,” host Pat Sajak said.

According to Wheel of Fortune recapper Andy Nguyen, this marks the first car sweep in over 13 years, with this last happening on Season 28 during The Good Life week.

But was it just a mere coincidence that the BMW came up five times in a row? Or did the show rig it to make sure the car was won by a certain date? That’s what fans have been debating on social media.

“OK is Wheel of Fortune scamming us? How are they spinning the BMW 5 nights in a row?” wrote one fan on X.

Another added, “I firmly believe that every prize on the wheel in the bonus round is a BMW. #wheeloffortune.”

OK is Wheel of Fortune scamming us? How are they spinning the BMW 5 nights in a row? #WheelofFortune

— Scott Lime’n (@ScottLimen) January 13, 2024

I firmly believe that every prize on the wheel in the bonus round is a BMW. #wheeloffortune. @WheelofFortune

— Giovanni I. Alabiso (@GiovanniAlabiso) January 12, 2024

One viewer broke down the odds of the prize wheel landing on the same wedge five nights in a row, stating, “There is a conspiracy going on right now at Wheel of Fortune.”

They continued, “5 nights in a row the prize landed on for the final puzzle has been a car, specifically a BMW. The final wheel has 24 prizes. If we assume one card contains the car, the odds of hitting that spot 5 times in a row is 1/7.96 million.”

“Those odds are astronomically bad,” they added. “I think Wheel of Fortune must, for some reason, have to give away the car by a certain date. I don’t know the reason, but it’s too unlikely to be a coincidence.”

(2/3) in a row is 1/7.96 million. Those odds are astronomically bad. I think Wheel of Fortune must, for some reason, have to give away the car by a certain date. I don’t know the reason, but it’s too unlikely to be a coincidence.

— Carson_H (@CdubbyaHarris) January 13, 2024

So, if the show was determined to give away the car last week, how many of the wedges would have had to have said BMW? Well, the same user tallied up the numbers.

“Let’s assume they’re putting more BMW cards on the wheel. Let’s say they make half the cards say BMW. At 50% of the wheel, the odds are still only 1/32 to hit 5 in a row,” they explained. “You need to have 21 out of 24 cards be the car before you even make 50/50 odds. SOMETHING IS UP!”

(3/3) So let’s assume they’re putting more BMW cards on the wheel. Let’s say they make half the cards say BMW. At 50% of the wheel, the odds are still only 1/32 to hit 5 in a row. You need to have 21 out of 24 cards be the car before you even make 50/50 odds. SOMETHING IS UP!

— Carson_H (@CdubbyaHarris) January 13, 2024

What do you think? Pure coincidence? Or a Wheel of Fortune conspiracy? Let us know in the comments.

Wheel of Fortune, Weekdays, check your local listings