The Wheel of Fortune is a longstanding icon on television, known for its dramatic twists where contestants can either experience spectacular victories or embarrassing mishaps. Winning the contest might be a dream come true, but for those who falter, preferring the episode never airs again is a more common wish. But what can you do in such situations? Hide your shame or just laugh it off?
The Worst Wheel Of Fortune Mistake
One contestant, Matt, recently demonstrated just how entertaining these blunders can be, regardless of their personal impact. In this particular instance, though Matt eventually emerged as the final winner, pocketing $23,350, an earlier error during the game was notably cringeworthy. During the competition, the contestants were tasked with solving a phrase under the category of ‘people’. Matt requested to reveal the letter ‘N’, which appeared in the puzzle, revealing the partial answer as ‘TH_ – N_ T – _ N _ R _ T _ _ N’.
Matt hazarded a guess that left everyone bewildered. He confidently answered ‘The Best Buttercut’, a phrase that made no sense within the puzzle’s context. The correct answer turned out to be ‘THE NEXT GENERATION’. Here’s where you can watch this unforgettable misstep:
However, Matt isn’t the only contestant to have fumbled on the show. There are numerous memorable mistakes in the history of Wheel of Fortune, which first aired in 1975. For instance, in 2017, a contestant named Kevin mistakingly guessed ‘Naked’ instead of ‘Named’ in the title of the play ‘A STREETCAR NA_ED DESIRE’, choosing the letter ‘K’ to complete his answer, resulting in widespread amusement and disbelief.
Back in 2009, during a speed round, contestant Lolita from Sacramento, California stumbled badly with her guess of ‘SELF-POTATO’, instead of ‘SELF-PORTRAIT’ under the category of ‘Thing’. These letters appeared one at a time accelerated by speed, adding pressure to guess correctly.
Another momentous blunder occurred in 2014 with Julian, a student from Indiana University, who lost a chance at one million dollars due to mispronunciation and incorrect guess. He mispronounced ‘Achilles’ during a critical moment and followed up with more incorrect guesses, including ‘On-the-spot dicespin’ instead of ‘On-the-spot decision’.
Each of these blunders offers a mix of sympathy and humor. Do you think Matt’s error was among the worst, or just another part of the game’s charm? Reflect on these moments of human error in the game of luck and words.
