‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Blows ‘Easy’ $1 Million Chance – Fans React

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A Wheel of Fortune contestant had two shots at the $1 million bonus on Thursday night (February 29), only to lose out twice and finish the episode in last place.

Tara Brown, from Hopkins, South Carolina, was up against Zoe Tsongalis, a fifth-grade teacher from Quechee, Vermont, and Vincent Lassiter, a married father of two from Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday’s episode.

During the Crossword round, Brown landed on the $1 million wedge and had an excellent chance of keeping it as the puzzle board was almost complete, and the answer seemed easy.

Under the category “Let There Be Light!,” the board read, “BULB, BEA_ _ N, SUN, STARS.”

To keep hold of the $1 million wedge, all Brown had to do was answer correctly or simply give a letter that was in the puzzle. However, she guessed, “H?,” which was in correct.

February 29, 2024 announce! Tara Brown (Columbia, SC) @WheelofFortune @abc_columbia tonight. #WheelOfFortune pic.twitter.com/N1gAorLjAl

— Phi Ly (@phily498) February 29, 2024

The studio audience gasped as Brown had to put the big prize wedge back down. Tsongalis then swooped in and correctly called for a “C,” before solving the puzzle as “Bulb, Beacon, Sun, Stars.”

“‘H’? @WheelofFortune,” one baffled viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter) after Brown gave her wrong answer.

“H”?@WheelofFortune #wheeloffortune

— Name Cannot Be Blank (@flaming_jizz) March 1, 2024

Who screens these people?! #wheeloffortune

— Kelsey (@Kelsey_G24) March 1, 2024

Brown had a shot at redemption, though, when she once again landed on the $1 million wedge later in the episode. This time, she answered correctly and was able to keep hold of it.

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For those unfamiliar, if a contestant enters the Bonus Round with the $1 million wedge in their possession, it means the $100,000 wedge is replaced with a shot at $1 million.

However, Brown blew her second chance at walking away with $1 million as she struggled with the remaining puzzles, allowing Tsongalis and Lassiter to overtake her with significant leads.

In the end, Tsongalis won the episode with $28,000 and moved on to the Bonus Round. Unfortunately, Tsongalis was unable to figure out the “Event” puzzle (“Fabulous Shindig”) and lost out on an extra $40,000.

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