Current:Home > NewsDid 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said -Profound Wealth Insights
Did 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said
View
Date:2025-04-15 16:49:49
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! (9)
Related
- Family of explorer who died in the Titan sub implosion seeks $50M-plus in wrongful death lawsuit
- Climate change is making it harder to provide clean drinking water in farm country
- Bow Down to Zendaya and Tom Holland’s Intimate Palace Date
- Jonas Brothers Twin With Molly Shannon's Sally O'Malley on SNL
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Virginia officials defend response to snowy gridlock on I-95
- South Africa gas leak near Johannesburg leaves 16 dead, including 3 children
- Earth sees third straight hottest day on record, though it's unofficial: Brutally hot
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Nations with 85% of Earth's forests pledge to reverse deforestation
Ranking
- Kourtney Kardashian Cradles 9-Month-Old Son Rocky in New Photo
- Get $141 Worth of Peter Thomas Roth Top-Selling Skincare Products for Just $39
- Hurry to Coach Outlet's 70% Off Limited-Time Sale for Trendy Tote Bags, Wallets & More Starting at $26
- Nations with 85% of Earth's forests pledge to reverse deforestation
- British golfer Charley Hull blames injury, not lack of cigarettes, for poor Olympic start
- South Africa gas leak near Johannesburg leaves 16 dead, including 3 children
- Allison Holker and Kids Celebrate First Easter Since Stephen tWitch Boss' Death
- U.S. ambassador to Russia meets with detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich
Recommendation
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
Jeremy Renner Enjoys Family Trip to Six Flags Amusement Park 3 Months After Snowplow Accident
Kelly Osbourne Shares Rare Glimpse of Her Baby Boy Sidney in New Photos
Bodies of 4 men and 2 women found with their hands tied near Monterrey, Mexico
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Today Is the Last Day to Score Target's Stylish Spring Dress Deals for as Low as $10
3 killed, 17 wounded from Russian attacks in Ukraine
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah Allegedly Owes Attorney $124,000 in Legal Fees