‘Wheel of Fortune’ Episode Ends in Controversy Over Answer

‘Wheel of Fortune’ Episode Ends in Controversy After Contestant Appears To Say the Right Answer

By Regina Sienra on February 1, 2024

If you've ever watched a game show, chances are you may have found yourself guessing the right answer out loud, or wondering if a contestant will get it right. Fans of Wheel of Fortune at home recently found themselves in a different scenario when an episode ended in controversy.

During the January 30, 2024 episode, a contestant named Megan made it to the bonus round. There, she had 10 seconds to solve the puzzle. The category was “Living Thing,” and the puzzle that appeared after she got the traditional R, S, T, L, N, and E letters. With her additional guessed letters, what remained was “P_N_ _RC_ _ D.” The correct answer was “Pink Orchid.”

Once the timer started, she said something that resembled “pink orchid,” but since nothing happened, the woman continued to try to guess the answer, to no avail. After her time was over, host Pat Sajak told her, “You might have been overthinking a type of orchid.”

To that Megan said, “Pink” with a painful smile, but not contesting the result or surprised to have lost when she may have said the correct answer. “I’m sorry that didn’t work out for you,” Sajak added before he revealing she missed out on $40,000. Still, she walked home with a prize of $14,007.

Some viewers at home swear to have heard Megan say the right answer at the beginning. “Hey @WheelofFortune I definitely heard the contestant say ‘pink orchid' at the beginning of that final puzzle & rewound it to make sure. You owe her some $$$,” wrote one X (formerly Twitter) user. “Am I tripping or did she say pink orchid [?]” added another.

Different viewers agreed with the production's call. “I think she was talking it out and said som-PINK orchid. Like cut off ‘something' in the middle? Regardless a major bummer,” posed a Twitter user—a take many agreed on, as she may have said “something orchid.”

What do you think? Watch the video and draw your own conclusions.

A recent episode of Wheel of Fortune ended in controversy when a contestant seemed to give the right answer but missed out on the big prize.

Hey @WheelofFortune I definitely heard the contestant say “pink orchid” at the beginning of that final puzzle & rewound it to make sure. You owe her some $$$.#oops

— Nick (@THEGingeriest) January 31, 2024

However, different viewers agreed with the production's call, suggesting the woman said “something orchid” rather than “pink orchid.”

I think she was talking it out and said som-PINK orchid. Like cut off “something” in the middle? Regardless a major bummer.

— Kel (@KellyAnneSwift) January 31, 2024