Mistakes in the Wheel of Fortune, wild moments over the years
Everybody makes mistakes. Wheel of Fortune has entertained countless viewers since its premiere in 1975, but with time comes mistakes.
Since its inception, the game show has featured contestants who solve word puzzles to win money and other prizes. Pat Sajak has hosted the show since 1981, earning 19 Daytime Emmy nominations and three wins. Vanna White has also remained an iconic presence on the show after taking over as hostess in 1982.
While most of the series’ problems have occurred among contestants over the years, Sajak once shocked viewers when he accidentally solved a puzzle on air. During a segment of the show in April 2021, the host commented on the sign that read: “_ _ _ TE _ RAN _ L _.”
The TV personality said “honestly,” which was part of the correct answer, but the contestant didn’t notice the hint at the time and solved the puzzle on his own. After the episode, the longtime host told White that he realized his mistake “right after I said it.”
He continued: “I wonder how many people at home have contracted it. There weren’t many letters there and I said, ‘Honestly, I’d rather be here than there’ – and that was the puzzle. But it shows that people are concentrating and not paying any attention to me.”
The dynamic duo didn’t think the clue was too obvious to the contestant, but Sajak still joked, “It’s funny what your… mouth will say that your brain will say, ‘You shouldn’t do that.'”
That same year, Sajak joked when he opened an envelope containing the grand prize before the contestant had actually spun the wheel, adding, “Oh, I already looked at it.” I’m not sure why I did that. I know what she’s playing for, and you don’t!’
White pointed out at the time that the Illinois native had never made such a mistake during his time on the show. He replied, ‘For every mistake there is a first time. Even I’m not perfect. I know this is shocking news.”
The game show made headlines again in December 2021 when a player lost an Audi car due to what fans deemed a technical issue.
Charlene Rubush had already earned $16,500 before entering the bonus round. During the ‘What are you doing?’ puzzle, Rubush guessed “Choosing the right card,” and later changed her answer to “Choosing the right…word” just before the buzzer.
Sajak explained that she missed out on her final prize because she hesitated to complete her thought even though she guessed the correct phrase.
“You know, this one is hard because you said the right words, including the word ‘word,’ but as you know it has to be more or less continuous,” he said at the time. ‘We’ll take a short break, but not four or five seconds. I’m sorry. You did well to get it, but we can’t give you the price, and it was the Audi.”
After the moment sparked a huge reaction online, Audi used their official social media account to let fans know they would be willing to right the wrong, tweeting: “You are a winner in our eyes, Charlene. Let’s get you a price now. Time for #GiveHerTheQ3.”
Scroll down to see some of the biggest mistakes Wheel of Fortune over the years: