‘Wheel of Fortune’: Yankees Fan’s $61,000 Loss Is No Laughing Matter

A Wheel of Fortune contestant lost out on taking home $61,000 during the Bonus Round on what many thought was an easy puzzle. The New York Yankees fan also brought his dad along, who had a boisterous laugh. But he wasn’t laughing after his son couldn’t solve the puzzle.

Eric Handzel, from Chadwicks, New York, played against Camila Santos, from Sunnyvale, California, and Joanie White, from St. Pauls, North Carolina, on Thursday, September 11. Handzel is a big baseball/Yankees fan who collects baseballs from Little League games.

White, a hairdresser, took the lead by solving both Toss Ups. Although she had $3,000, Handzel took the lead after the first puzzle — “Shameless Shoe Shopaholic” — with $3,500.

White solved the next one — “Annual Chili Cook-Off” — retaking the lead with $4,650. Handzel won the Prize Puzzle — “Don’t Forget Your Phone Charger” — and won a cruise to Patagonia and Argentina, putting $17,350 in his bank.

He also solved two of the Triple Toss Ups, leaving White to solve one. White solved the final puzzle — “Gone on a Blind Date” — giving her a final total of $8,350. Santos, a mother of two, didn’t win any money, so Wheel of Fortune gave her $1,000. Handzel ended the game with $21,350.

Before picking a category for the Bonus Round, host Ryan Seacrest heard an audience member laughing. “Is that your father laughing?” he asked.

“Yes,” Handzel responded.

“You have a great laugh, sir,” Seacrest shouted to the father.

Handzel chose “Around the House” for his Bonus Round category.

“Well, you’re going to meet the man we were talking about a second ago, his father,” Ryan Seacrest said.

“That’s Joe. That’s my father,” Handzel said, as Joe laughed. His laugh was loud and boisterous.

“Signature laugh. We love having you in the audience,” the host said.

After being given “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” Handzel chose “C,P,H, and A.” His puzzle then looked like “_ _ _ _  P_LL_ _.”

As the clock counted down, Handzel started to say “pulley,” but then he realized the last word was “pillow.” “Bed Pillow, Throw Pillow, Pillow,” he laughed.

The puzzle was “Body Pillow.” “Aww, I sleep with one every night too,” Handzel revealed.

“You use one,” Seacrest chuckled. The game show contestant lost out on an additional $40,000.

“My Golly, I got the puzzle right surprisingly with Body Pillow & that was a guess, wow,” a YouTube user wrote. 

“We don’t have body pillows. But the good letters are w and b. Good attempt by the player, though,” said another. 

Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock