‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Secures $60,000 To Put Toward His Wedding After Solving This Puzzle Correctly
One “Wheel of Fortune” contestant came dangerously close to walking away from the Bonus Round empty-handed — until a last-second guess turned everything around.
Pat Ralph, a contestant from Westfield, New Jersey, had the audience and viewers at home holding their breath during Thursday night’s episode, as he teetered on the edge of losing a whopping $60,000 prize. Ralph, who is currently preparing for his wedding, told host Ryan Seacrest that every dollar counted — especially as he and his fiancée plan their big day.
Going into the game, Ralph had strong momentum. He nailed the first two toss-up puzzles right out of the gate, racking up $3,000 in no time. His competitors — Kelly Rushford of Buffalo, New York, and Stefani Adams of Chicago, Illinois — tried to keep up, but the night was filled with ups and downs for all three.
Rushford, a fan who watches the show in Canada before the U.S. broadcast, managed to solve the first puzzle with only two blanks remaining, securing an early lead. Adams, who joked that being on “Wheel of Fortune” was on her personal bingo card, briefly took the lead herself after solving the “Winning a Flying Car” puzzle and snagging a trip to Hawaii, along with the Wild Card.
But luck wasn’t on her side for long. A spin landed her on Bankrupt, wiping out her winnings and the Wild Card.
Ralph seized the opportunity, solving “Hammock Between Two Palm Trees” in the Prize Puzzle round, which earned him a trip to Barbados and pushed his total to $20,500. Rushford made a late-game rally by sweeping all three Triple Toss-Ups, pocketing $10,000. Adams closed out strong with the final puzzle “A Narrow Escape,” but it wasn’t enough to reclaim the lead.
When the final puzzle was solved, Adams took home $15,944, Rushford finished with $11,000, and Ralph advanced to the Bonus Round with a solid $20,500 under his belt.
Joined by his fiancée Courtney, Ralph chose the category “Phrase.” With the standard R, S, T, L, N, and E revealed, he added C, D, P, and A. The puzzle board displayed: “P_C_ A CARD AN_ CARD.”
Time was ticking. With only seconds to go, Ralph first guessed, “Pick a card and card.” But just before the buzzer, he corrected himself: “Pick a card, any card.” It was right — and it won him a $40,000 bonus.
Ralph ended the night with $60,500 and a relieved smile.
Fans online had plenty to say. “He really scared me for a second!” one viewer wrote on YouTube. Another added, “That was way too close, but he nailed it!” Others called it a “wedding-saving win” and praised Ralph for keeping his cool under pressure.
It may have come down to the wire, but for Ralph, the gamble paid off — in more ways than one.
Sources: TV Insider