‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Has Agonizing Loss After Ryan Seacrest Teases Her Family

Ryan Seacrest playfully teased the Wheel of Fortune Bonus Round contestant’s family after they wildly cheered her on. The host of the game show called them the contestant’s cheerleading squad. But sadly they didn’t celebrate a big W-I-N after the contestant agonizingly  just missed out on solving the jackpot puzzle.

Caroline Spicer, from Reno, California, faced of against Sabrina Chishti, a children’s book author,  from Hanover, Illinois, and BJ Palacio, from Elk Grove, California, on Tuesday, April 23.

Spicer, an angler who had caught and released over 1,000 fish, won the first toss-up, putting $2,000 in her bank. Palacio, a nurse who just adopted a puppy, won the second, also adding money to his bank.

During the first puzzle, the contestants kept landing on Bankrupt. However, Palacio solved it — “Daring, Driven, Determined”— giving him $1,000. He also solved the next puzzle, giving him the lead.

Spicer solved the prize puzzle — “Mad Tea Party” — and took the lead with $12,577, and a trip to Walt Disney World. Each of the contestants solved one of the Triple Toss-Ups, putting $2,000 in their banks.

Spicer solved the final puzzle, which was “The Little Mermaid,” after only a few letters were called, and earned herself a trip to the Bonus Round. She ended the game with $18,377. Chishti went home with $2,000. Palacio left with $9,150.

Spicer chose “What are you doing?” for her Bonus Round puzzle.

For the Bonus Round, she brought her husband, mom, and aunt Maria with her.

“You’ve got an amazing cheerleading section over there. Who do you have with you?” Ryan Seacrest asked.

Once Spicer introduced them, the host asked them how they were feeling. The women shook with excitement and shook their hands. “I think Maria feels really good about tonight,” he said. “That was actually a herkie, Maria. Thank you.” A herkie is a jump in cheerleading where one leg is extended straight out, while the other leg is bent back behind the body, and one arm straight up, with the other on the hip.

After Wheel of Fortune gave her “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” Spicer chose “C,D,M, and I.” Her puzzle then looked like “_ _ _ERIN_   _ _ _D  _D_ICE.”

Spicer guessed the last word as advice, but couldn’t guess the other two. “You were on the right track with advice,” Seacrest said. “Offering Good Advice” was the puzzle. She lost out on an additional $40,000.