Wheel of Fortune Fans Erupt Over Controversial Bonus Round Snub

Originally published January 2024; republished for context amid renewed fan outrage.

“Wheel of Fortune” is once again under fire after fans claim a contestant, Megan, was unjustly denied a $40,000 prize during a January 2024 episode.

Megan, a married high school choir director from California, faced a two-word bonus puzzle under the “Living Thing” category. After selecting her letters, the board displayed: “P_N_’ RC _ D.” In the final seconds, Megan appeared to say “Pink Orchid,” but her answer was deemed incorrect. The correct response? “Pink Orchid.”

Host Pat Sajak revealed the would-be prize—$40,000—leaving Megan with only $14,007. The visibly disappointed contestant expressed immediate frustration, and fans at home agreed.

Viewers flooded social media, many insisting Megan clearly said the correct phrase. “She totally said ‘Pink Orchid’ right at the start,” one user wrote. Another, partially deaf, added, “I lip-read. She said it. No doubt.”

This isn’t the show’s first controversy. Just a day earlier, fans criticized a puzzle labeled “Rhyme Time” where “Absolutely Positively” was accepted as a rhyme—despite many insisting it wasn’t.

With growing scrutiny over recent judgment calls, viewers are calling for fairer rulings—and in Megan’s case, a reconsideration of her denied winnings.