“Wheel of Fortune” fans are accusing Pat Sajak of “robbing” a contestant of a $100,000 prize during Friday’s show, claiming the contestant said the correct answer before time expired.
Viewers believe the longtime host didn’t hear the contestant’s correct answer, which turned out to be worth the show’s largest possible win when Sajak opened the prize envelope.
Alexa, a college-aged contestant, was given the category “What are you doing?” After Vanna White flipped around letters that Alexa had chosen, the contestant needed to guess what phrase was hidden in “ _ _ST _IN_IN_ IT.”
Many fans heard her first answer as the correct one: “Just Winging It.” When Sajak didn’t acknowledge that answer as correct, she followed with what sounded like “must winning it” and “best winning it” before time expired.
Just for yourself by checking out the clip at the top.
“You were right there,” Sajak told her as the correct answer was revealed.
“So close,” Alexa replied.
Sajak then revealed the correct answer would have been worth $100,000, eliciting groans from the live studio audience.
Fans were quick to come to Alexa’s defense, claiming she was robbed of a hefty sum.
“Bro the girl LITERALLY SAID “JUST WINGING IT” IMMEDIATELY!!!,” one enraged Twitter user said. “@WheelofFortune You totally ripped her off of $100k.”
“She said winging, paused then winning… and there was nothing else that made sense,” another fan said. “Another wheel of fortune fail.”
Others were not so convinced she said “winging” as opposed to “winning” in her initial answer.
“@WheelofFortune she clearly said “just winning it” not winging so everyone trolling Pat Sajak should stop!” a user said of the host, who has led the game show since 1981.
This is not the first time Sajak and the game show have come under fire. Last month, fans claimed the show gave a contestant a puzzle that was simply too obscure to be considered reasonable.
