Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in January 2024.

Outraged “Wheel of Fortune” enthusiasts are crying foul, convinced that a contestant, Megan, was unjustly stripped of $40,000 for an answer that might have been spot-on.

Megan, a married high school choir director from California, faced the challenge of unraveling a two-word bonus puzzle under the category of “Living Thing.”

As the wheel spun, host Pat Sajak guided Megan to the puzzle board, revealing the partial phrase “_ N ‘ R _ _ _.’”

Megan, making strategic letter selections, transformed the board to “P_N_’ ‘RC _ D.”

With a mere 10 seconds left, Megan hastily uttered her final guess, sounding like “Pink Orchid” or faintly resembling “Something Orchid.” The correct letters illuminated the board just as the timer buzzed, prompting Megan to audibly express her frustration at the correct answer, “Pink Orchid.”

Sajak, acknowledging Megan’s potential correctness, displayed the prize estimate card, revealing a substantial $40,000—far surpassing the $14,007 she ultimately received.

Viewers watching from their living rooms couldn’t fathom the outcome, expressing their discontent to Wheel of Fortune about Megan’s seemingly unjustly deemed incorrect answer.

“The woman got screwed on #WheelOfFortune bonus puzzle tonight; she totally said ‘PINK ORCHID’ right at the start,” one viewer complained.

“I asked the judges from the first thing she said!! I’m deaf in one ear, and half remaining on right, so I use captions and lip read. She said ‘Pink Orchid’!! No question!!,” defended another fan.

“I am FUMING!! She got it; she said pink orchid! Wtf?!” exclaimed a third person.

“Hey @WheelofFortune I heard the contestant say “pink orchid” at the beginning of that final puzzle & rewound it to make sure. You owe her some $$$,” demanded one irritated viewer.

“Okay @WheelofFortune if you play tonight’s episode once again for the final puzzle, the one that just aired, you will hear clearly that she said ‘pink orchid.’ You did not properly credit the winner. Go and play it back. Seriously she said exactly that! Pink Orchid!”

Amidst the controversy, Wheel of Fortune faces mounting criticism from fans for apparent slip-ups, including a recent dispute over a rhyme during an Express round. The audience erupted on Jan. 22, as the show seemingly fumbled an answer in the “Rhyme Time” category.

In the unfolding debacle, two contestants found themselves stumped, but Jill, a third contestant, cracked the puzzle by guessing two “y’s,” forming the rhyme: “Absolutely Positively.”

Fans ardently contested the decision, arguing that “Absolutely Positively” does not constitute a rhyme.

“Hey @WheelofFortune,” one viewer wrote. “Care to explain how these two words rhyme Because they absolutely positively DON’T.”

The long-running game show Wheel of Fortune found itself at the center of controversy after an episode aired in January 2024 left viewers questioning whether a contestant had been unfairly denied a substantial cash prize. Megan, a high school choir director from California, stepped into the spotlight during the bonus round, where contestants are given a final chance to solve a puzzle for a significant reward. The category was “Living Thing,” and as the letters began to populate the board, the partially revealed answer appeared cryptic but solvable. Under pressure and with only seconds to respond, Megan gave what many believe was the correct answer. However, the show’s judges ruled otherwise, awarding her only her accumulated winnings instead of the $40,000 bonus prize, sparking immediate backlash from viewers who felt they had witnessed an injustice unfold in real time.

The tension of the moment was amplified by host Pat Sajak, who guided Megan through the final seconds of the round. As the puzzle board displayed the sequence “_ N ‘ R _ _ ,” Megan strategically selected additional letters, narrowing the possibilities until the board resembled “P_N’ ‘RC _ D.” With the clock ticking down, she quickly verbalized her guess. To many watching, it sounded unmistakably like “Pink Orchid,” which was, in fact, the correct answer. Yet the show’s ruling hinged not only on accuracy but also on clarity and timing. Because Megan’s response was either not fully enunciated or delivered too late for the judges to accept, she was deemed incorrect. The correct answer was then revealed, confirming that she had been extremely close—if not entirely correct—fueling the perception that she had been unfairly denied her prize.

Viewers at home reacted almost instantly, taking to social media to express frustration and disbelief. Many insisted that Megan had clearly said the correct phrase within the allotted time, arguing that the show’s decision was overly strict or simply mistaken. Some fans even claimed to have replayed the moment multiple times, convinced that her pronunciation met the necessary criteria. Others pointed out that in past episodes, contestants had been given the benefit of the doubt for similar responses, raising questions about consistency in judging. The backlash highlighted how invested audiences are in the fairness of such competitions, especially on a show that has built its reputation on being both entertaining and equitable over decades of broadcasting.

The controversy also reignited broader discussions about how game shows handle borderline answers. On Wheel of Fortune, contestants must not only provide the correct answer but do so clearly and within strict time constraints. This leaves little room for ambiguity, and decisions often come down to split-second judgments by producers and judges behind the scenes. While these rules are in place to maintain order and fairness, they can sometimes lead to contentious outcomes when viewers perceive that a contestant has been penalized despite effectively solving the puzzle. Megan’s case became a prime example of how these rules can clash with audience perception, especially when technology allows viewers to scrutinize every second of the broadcast.