‘Wheel of Fortune’ Controversy as Player Has Wild Win on Buzzer Beater

Spin That Wheel

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

A Wheel of Fortune player had a stunning buzzer beater win….but some fans think she might have gotten lucky with the judges. Sarah LaPilusa, a mental health clinic owner and psychologist from Poway, California, reached the Bonus Round on the Wednesday, February 27 episode, and left fans debating if the judges made the right call.

She versed Jimmy Holgerson, an Air Force member for the last 22 years who had speech problems growing up, from Goldsboro, North Carolina. He said that Wheel helped him overcome his problems and enunciate better. Also competing was Yolanda Tillett, who enjoys traveling with her husband and best friend, Monique, and her best friend’s husband, Ricky. Tillett revealed that she has partied with Snoop Dogg and showed off her beatboxing skills.

This beatboxing on Wheel of fortune is pure gold #WheelOfFortune #beatboxing pic.twitter.com/Cy9lmu04Gs

— JackBurton (@JackBurtonmee) February 27, 2025

By the end of the show, Holgerson ended with $2,000. Tillett was in second with $13,500. LaPilusa ended with $15,050 and a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

LaPilusa brought her husband, Justin, and two kids, Samantha and Ally, with her to the game show, whom she introduced at the end of the show. They wished her luck as she spun the wheel.

The game show contestant chose the category “People” for her final puzzle. After Wheel gave her “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” she guessed “M,B,H, and O.” The puzzle then looked like this: “_ _ SS_   B_B_ES.”

“Jazzy babies,” she said, which was wrong. Just as the buzzer went off, she yelled, “Fussy babies!”

Host Ryan Seacrest was shocked. “Oh my God! It is ‘Fussy Babies.’ Did she make it in time, judges?” he asked.

He waited a second before saying, “You got it!”

Lapilusa screamed and jumped around the stage, hugging Seacrest.

“Congratulations!” he said, chuckling. She won an additional $40,000 to add to her total, leaving with $55,050.

“That was incredible! I’ve never seen anything so close,” Seacrest said.

Fans were torn on her win, as some thought she got it after the buzzer.

“THE LAST MICRO-SECOND!!!” a YouTube user commented.

“Now THAT was definitely a buzzer beater, right there!!” said another.

“That’s what I call a buzzer beater. Great job, Sarah!” wrote one fan.

“Wow, she barely got it in time! That was a close call!” a YouTube user said.

Related

‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $105,000 Win After 'Stupidest Puzzle Ever'

However, some fans didn’t think that Lapilusa solved it in time.

“Fussy Babies – the most barely solve I’ve seen #WheelOfFortune,” an X user tweeted.

“That was 100% after the buzzer. It was so plainly obvious. #WheelOfFortune #Rigged #Scripted,” tweeted another.

“That #WheelOfFortune bonus round answer sure sounded after the buzzer,” a third added.

“That was a CLOSE solve! I don’t think she got it in time. But I’m glad the prize money was still given to her. #WheelOfFortune,” one last fan wrote.

Do you think LaPilus solved the puzzle in time? Sound off in the comments.