Current:Home > NewsDid 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said -Finovate
Did 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said
Fastexy Exchange View
Date:2025-04-09 02:07:08
She'd like to solve the mystery.
Some "Wheel of Fortune" fans became convinced this week that a player was cheated out of $40,000 after being ruled incorrect despite giving the right answer during the bonus round. Now, the contestant herself has weighed in.
The category in the bonus round was "living thing," but contestant Megan Carvale didn't quite come up with the answer, "pink orchid," in time. Or did she?
In what quickly became the game show equivalent of "the dress" debate, some viewers argued that Carvale did say "pink orchid" as her first guess, yet she was not ruled correct. She proceeded to wrongly guess "pony orchid" just before time ran out. "You might have been overthinking thinking of a type of orchid," host Pat Sajak suggested. Had she given the right answer, Carvale would have won $40,000.
"I'm sorry, did she NOT say Pink Orchid the first time? Or am I tripping," one user on X, formerly Twitter, asked.
"There is no question, she absolutely said 'pink orchid,'" another fan wrote. "Please give this girl her winnings!"
Others argued that Carvale said "something orchid," not "pink orchid." So Carvale appeared Thursday on "Good Morning America" to put the debate to rest and reveal what she really said.
"You know, I wish I said pink, because I would have been $40,000 richer," she said. "But I said 'something.'"
This came as a surprise to "Good Morning America" hosts Michael Strahan and Robin Roberts, both of whom thought Carvale said pink after watching the clip.
Pat Sajakstunned by 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's retirement poem: 'I'm leaving?'
The debate could have something to do with the volume at which fans watched the original segment. Prior to Carvale's explanation, when the clip was uploaded to YouTube, many commenters agreed she said "something."
"On low volume it sounds like pink orchid but on high volume it's definitely 'something orchid,'" one YouTube comment said, while others pointed out that Carvale likely would have objected in the moment had she given the right answer.
New 'Wheel of Fortune' hostRyan Seacrest worries about matching Pat Sajak's quickness
Carvale admitted on "GMA" she was "so bummed" to have not won the bonus round, and the viral debate over her answer forced her to relive the loss. But despite not taking home the $40,000 bonus prize, Carvale still won $14,007 and a trip to Aruba on the show, and she found another way to see the bright side of the situation.
"You know what, at least it's positive attention," she told "GMA." "It could have been people making fun of me that I didn't get it right."
veryGood! (88522)
Related
- What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
- How a world cruise became a 'TikTok reality show' — and what happened next
- GOP says Biden has all the power he needs to control the border. The reality is far more complicated
- Daughter of Wisconsin inmate who died in solitary files federal lawsuit against prison officials
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- A 94-year-old was lying in the cold for hours: How his newspaper delivery saved his life
- Chiefs' receivers pushed past brutal errors to help guide Super Bowl return
- 'It’s Coca-Cola, only spiced': New Coke flavor with hints of raspberry and spice unveiled
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly higher as S&P 500 nears the 5,000 level for the 1st time
Ranking
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz's coveted art collection goes on display at NYC museum: See a sneak peek
- Justin Timberlake's 2024 tour adds 8 new concerts: What to know about cities, tickets, presale
- The Senate eyes new plan on Ukraine, Israel aid after collapse of border package
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Your Heart Will Go On After Seeing Céline Dion Sing During Rare Public Appearance Céline Dion
- Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department Confession Proves She's a True Mastermind
- Man wanted on child sexual assault charges is fatally shot by law enforcement in Texas
Recommendation
Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
WrestleMania 40 kickoff: Time, how to watch, what to expect at Las Vegas press conference
Donna Kelce offers tips for hosting a Super Bowl party: 'I don't want to be in the kitchen'
Human remains found by Miami beachgoer are believed to be from unborn baby, police say
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Pose Actress Cecilia Gentili Dead at 52
How Grammys Execs Used a Golf Cart to Rescue Mariah Carey From Traffic
Video shows New York man driving truck into ocean off Daytona Beach in bizarre scene