“Wheel of Fortune” celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday night with a high-scoring, nail-biting episode that had fans buzzing.
The evening saw all three contestants rack up impressive five-figure totals, but once again, a tricky Bonus Round puzzle left the winner walking away without the grand prize.
The episode featured a showdown between three energetic contestants: Jason Blackwell, a maintenance electrician from Spartanburg, South Carolina; Jennifer Hawkins, a globetrotter from Ypsilanti, Michigan; and Amber Holland, a new homeowner from Visalia, California.
A Competitive Start
Hawkins came out swinging early, quickly dominating the game. She nailed the first two major puzzles, including the lucrative Mystery Round, earning herself $19,894 in cash and a trip to Hawaii. As Hawkins soared ahead, Blackwell lagged behind with $3,000, while Holland hadn’t scored anything yet.
But things took a dramatic turn during the Express Round when Holland made a big comeback. She solved the puzzle for a whopping $17,050 and snagged a trip to Puerto Rico. She also picked up the coveted Wild Card, giving her a strategic edge if she made it to the Bonus Round.
Meanwhile, Blackwell seemed to be out of luck. Heading into the Triple Toss-Up, he was still stuck at $3,000, while Hawkins and Holland continued racking up points. The two women answered all three puzzles between them, leaving Blackwell far behind.
A Surprising Twist in the Final Round
Just when it seemed like Blackwell’s game was over, fate threw him a lifeline in the final Speed Up round. Each correct letter was worth a hefty $6,000, giving Blackwell a last-minute chance to turn things around. He jumped on it, finding four correct letters and surging past his opponents.
In a dramatic finish, Blackwell ended the episode with $27,000, beating out Hawkins’ $23,894 and Holland’s $19,050.
The Bonus Round Strikes Again
With his win secured, Blackwell headed into the Bonus Round hoping to end the show’s recent streak of failed final puzzles. He chose the “What Are You Doing?” category and selected his extra letters: G, M, C, and A.
Unfortunately, those letters did little to help him. The puzzle read: “G _ _ _ _ N G / _ _ _”, and Blackwell quickly realized he was stumped.
“Getting… here?” he answered before joking, “Not getting this prize.”
Host Ryan Seacrest, stepping into his new role, laughed along. “Yeah, I don’t know how you’re gonna get there,” Seacrest said as the timer ran out. Vanna White showed the correct answer: “Goofing Off.”
Adding to the heartbreak, the prize envelope revealed Blackwell missed out on a massive $70,000 payout.
Fans React to the Tough Puzzle
The challenging Bonus Round puzzle sparked a wave of reactions online.
“Nearly impossible under that pressure,” one fan wrote on YouTube.
“Very tricky tough puzzle. He picked the bad category,” another added.
Many viewers praised the contestants for their strong performances throughout the game. “WHOA — you couldn’t get a better 50th anniversary episode than this, sans the BR loss,” one fan commented on a popular recap site.
Another chimed in, “Spectacular $10K+ match by all three contestants today!”
Despite the Bonus Round letdown, the episode showcased intense competition, high scores, and a bit of drama — the perfect way to celebrate 50 years of “Wheel of Fortune.”
