‘Wheel of Fortune’ Viewers Blast Big Mistake & ‘Disappointing’ Prize
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Wheel of Fortune is known for giving away some incredible prizes, including trips to faraway places like Antigua, the Bahamas, Paris, and… South Dakota?
That’s right, on Monday’s (March 25) episode, contestant Tom Stadnicki, a married father of two from Watkins Glen, New York, nailed a puzzle in the “Living Things” category and won himself a trip. It’s safe to say he was more than a little surprised that his trip would be to the Mount Rushmore State.
“You know, this is a really great trip you haven’t been on; we’re taking you on a tour of South Dakota!” host Pat Sajak said.
Announcer Jim Thorton then narrated a video showing off the prize, stating, “Here’s a wild getaway where Coyotes howl,” before highlighting “iconic sights” such as Mount Rushmore.
“Dude just won a trip to South Dakota on Wheel of Fortune. He couldn’t look more excited,” wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter).
“Wow. Guy on wheel of fortune won a trip!!! To South Dakota. He and the rest of America couldn’t be more disappointed,” added another.
“Dude on Wheel of Fortune just won a vacation to South Dakota. LMAOOOO, I’d be heated,” said one commenter.
Other viewers noticed a glaring mistake in the prize package video, pointing out how one of the “iconic sights” it showed was Devil’s Tower, a national monument at Devil’s Gate National Park in Crook County, Wyoming.
Wheel of Fortune/YouTube
“Did they really just show Devil’s tower when describing the tour of South Dakota? Time to break out a map, and apologize to the people of Wyoming,” one fan wrote on social media.
“Wheel of Fortune needs to work on their geography! The trip giveaway for the prize puzzle was a trip to Western South Dakota, and the first image they showed was of Devil’s Tower in Wyoming! Lol,” another added.
One viewer commented, “#wheeloffortune just gave away a trip to South Dakota and showed a picture of Devil’s Tower, which is in Wyoming!”
Overall, it was a memorable night for Stadnicki, as he also impressed Sajak and viewers at home by solving a puzzle with just one letter on the board. The category was “On the Map,” and with just an S, Stadnicki solved it as “Glacier Bay Alaska.”
“Of course,” Sajak said. “How’d you do that?”
“I looked a lot at maps before this game,” Stadnicki replied.
With a total of $33,048, the New York native advanced to the Bonus Round but was unable to solve the final puzzle. Still, he walked away with over $30,000, a lot of kudos, and a once in a lifetime trip to South Dakota (and/or possibly Wyoming?).
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