‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Wins $120,000 on ‘Easy’ Puzzle After Ryan Seacrest Snafu
It was a good night for the winner of Wheel of Fortune but not so much for host Ryan Seacrest. Right before the contestant won more than $120,000, Seacrest encountered a problem that he said had never happened to him before.
Keith Upton, from San Diego, California, played against Clare Antoine, from Madison, Wisconsin, and Dhaina Grubb, from Grayson, Georgia, originally from Jamaica, on Thursday, March 27.
During the introductions, Seacrest bonded with Upton over being a coffee lover and wearing similar clothing. He then said he liked Grubb better because she was from Georgia, which is also his home state.
Upton gained a Wild Card from guessing the first puzzle of the game — “Blowing into a conch shell” — giving him $5,850. Antoine solved the next puzzle and almost solved the third, but she rode the express train and became Bankrupt when she guessed a “S” that wasn’t in the puzzle. Upton solved the puzzle — “Achieving peak relaxation” — and won a trip to Barbados, taking the lead.
Grubb finally got on the board during the second to the last puzzle, but Antoine wound up solving it. She also solved the final puzzle. By the end of the game, Antoine was in second place with $18,000. Wheel gave Grubb $1,000 since she only had $450 in her bank. Upton was the big winner with $20,730. He advanced to the Bonus Round, where he picked “Event.”
During the Bonus Round, Upton introduced his wife, Havilah. When he spun the wheel, a snafu happened that perplexed Seacrest. The ticker on the wheel got stuck in between two spots, between the “A” and the apostrophe. “Well, that’s interesting,” the host said. “That’s never happened to me. Do I go this way or this way, judges?”
The audience laughed as Seacrest waited for the answer. They told him it was the apostrophe, and Seacrest said, “That was a first for me.” They then continued on with the puzzle. After Wheel gave Upton, “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” he chose “C,H,D,A, and B,” for the wild card. His puzzle then looked like, “THE B_ _ _ _NALE.” As the letters formed, Upton nodded his head, confident of the answer.
“The Big Finale,” he guessed before the timer could even count down. Seacrest revealed that he won an extra $100,000. Confetti fell from the ceiling, Upton cheered, and his wife ran over to him and hugged him.
“That was incredible! When did you know it?” Seacrest asked the game show contestant.
“I think the ALE in finale. I put it all together,” Upton said. He left with a grand total of $120,730. Upton got emotional as Seacrest revealed the total, and the host said that he understood why.
Fans reacted to his win on YouTube. “Now that’s what I call a BIG FINALE! Congratulations on the $100K, Keith,” one fan said.
“That was definitely ‘The Big Finale’ that I would go for! Way to go, Keith! Another $100,000 Winner of the Ryan Seacrest Era on Wheel of Fortune!” said another.
“That was awesome!” commented a third fan.
“Once he got the letters, it was so easy,” wrote one last fan.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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C
I'm perplexed at the media uses an article title to imply Ryan Seacrest had a "snafu" that caused a contestant to win money. I read this for the purpose of sharing my disappointment.
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P
The use of the word snafu was clearly intentional deception to get more clicks. The author should be demoted.
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C
The judges made the decision . Not Ryan. Stop picking on him
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R
I think RYAN SEACREST IS GREAT!!! Please don’t let others think he is not the right host!!!! PLEASE! Others think he is great at what he does! He did not do anything to disrupt it!!
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G
It wasn’t a snafu, the arrow clearly was on the apostrophe, and it was lit up ! So no controversy shud have taken place !!
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O
It wasn't a snafu, but I think the judges lit up that apostrophe after deciding since it was on the peg. That's typically a respin at home in a board game due to the debate. But it never got to the A, so apostrophe was the right call. I still want to know what was in the A though!
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G
That was not a Seacrest snafu! He didn’t do anything wrong! I hate these clickbait headlines!!!!!
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B
I think they need to have somebody to pick on and now it's time to pick on Ryan Seacrest
Leave him alone! He does a great job!
29 1
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R
I always seem to believe , anytime something goes wrong in business, someone has to take the fall for it. In this case sad but true it will fall on Ryan, which is totally wrong, he’s not the one who is standing there lighting up the letters, it’s a malfunction in the system the the wheel staff needs to look into, Ryan is a great man well loved by millions and he should not be getting and riff raff behind this, the contestant would’ve guessed the puzzle regardless. He picked the right letters to a very easy puzzle. Congratulations to the contested on his winning great job. Keep up the good work Ryan this is another great platform for your amazing portfolio.
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C
I think Ryan does a great job and contestants really like him. Sound like more liberal nonsense. If Ryan goes, I won’t watch anymore.
19 10
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B
Or better yet more Republican crap! The network is going to fire him. Besides, he turned to the judges for assistance.
6 2
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G
Right about it being more Republican crap!
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O
I don't understand why some people have to sling political feces where it's not topical or appropriate.
-People enjoy game shows to get a break from all the crap going on in the world.
You're just promoting more hate and derisiveness by pinning labels on everything.
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G
""Once he got the letters, it was so easy,” wrote one last fan."
Yeah that's kind of how it works, moron.
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B
Well finally we found 100 000 on the wheel
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C
That's what usually happens. Once the contestants have the letters, it Is easy!
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B
Clickbait
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G
Why do you keep picking on Ryan? He’s doing a great job.
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P
I’m happy with Ryan he fits right in!
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O
Ryan has the personally an is great with people leave him alone
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C
I don't see what was wrong! I guess people just have to have something to gripe about even if they have to make it up
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R
This article is a waste of time
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P
Woooooooo pigggg, seeeeewwwwwiiiiiieee
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P
We love Mr. S. IN South Arkansas. Woo-hoo. Pig
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B
Is the whole purpose of this website to criticize Wheel of Fortune and Ryan Seacrest?
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G
I love watching wheel of Fortune a lot more since Ryan Seacrest is the host, he is a great addition to the show!!
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O
I think Ryan sea rest is already on to much tv. Spread the wealth. Give other options. Too much of him…sorry.
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