Current:Home > FinanceDid 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said -EverVision Finance
Did 'Wheel of Fortune' player get cheated out of $40,000? Contestant reveals what she said
View
Date:2025-04-14 00:47:35
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! (516)
Related
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- A woman and her 3 children were found shot to death in a car in Utah
- Barbie-themed flip phone replaces internet access with pink nostalgia: How to get yours
- Donald Trump's campaign prohibited from using Isaac Hayes song after lawsuit threat
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Ellen Degeneres announces 'last comedy special of her career' on Netflix
- Texas deputy fatally shot multiple times on his way to work; suspect in custody
- Channing Tatum Shares Rare Personal Message About Fiancée Zoë Kravitz
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Donald Trump's campaign prohibited from using Isaac Hayes song after lawsuit threat
Ranking
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- WNBA rookie power rankings: Caitlin Clark just about clinches Rookie of the Year
- Florida doctor found liable for botching baby's circumcision tied to 6 patient deaths
- Jada Pinkett Smith Goes Private on Instagram After Cryptic Message About Belonging to Another Person
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- 'I thought we were all going to die': Video catches wild scene as Mustang slams into home
- Kelly Ripa's Daughter Lola Consuelos Wears Her Mom's Dress From 30 Years Ago
- Frances Tiafoe advanced to the US Open semifinals after Grigor Dimitrov retired injured
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
Many think pink Himalayan salt is the 'healthiest' salt. Are the benefits real?
Search goes on for missing Virginia woman, husband charged with concealing a body
Kate Spade Outlet’s Rare Sale—Snag a $299 Sling Bag for $99 & More Under $100 Styles You Won’t Resist
Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
Reality TV performer arrested on drug, child endangerment charges at Tennessee zoo
The Reason Jenn Tran and Devin Strader—Plus 70 Other Bachelor Nation Couples—Broke Up After the Show
Researchers shocked after 8-foot shark is eaten by a predator. But who's the culprit?