‘Wheel of Fortune’ Returning Champion Shares Shocking Rule About Prizes
It’s the price you pay for being a good player! Returning Wheel of Fortune champion Chad Cabanilla revealed a shocking rule about trips won on the game show — they have to be taken within a year.
Cabanilla, from Nicolett, Minnesota, played five games and won four as part of the game show’s Spring Forward Champions Tournament. He won $183,723, which included six trips. Those trips included Seattle, Amsterdam, Costa Rica, Washington, D.C, Vietnam, and Aruba.
The game show contestant told his local publication, The Free Press, that he would have to take all of those trips “within a year” of when his episode aired. He also shared that he probably won’t be able to go on all of the trips in that time limit.
The irony in Cabanilla, who cemented himself into the top 10 most winning WOF contestants, winning all of those trips, is that his husband, Dan Gilbert, is a flight attendant. Cabanilla has traveled many places thanks to his husband. So, even if he doesn’t get to take the trips within a year, he can go when his husband flies there.
Another reason Cabanilla and Gilbert might not be able to go on all of the trips is that they raise a small herd of alpacas. The animals are on Cabanilla’s family farm in Nicolett County. “The alpaca babies are due in the fall this year,” he said. So, traveling during that time will be out unless they can get someone to watch the alpacas. Hopefully, he can take the cash equivalent.
Cabanilla only solved one of the four Bonus Round puzzles he made it to. Fans wanted the rule changed for the tournament, which would only allow the winner to return if they correctly guessed the Bonus Round puzzle too.
He eventually lost to Edwin Bates on April 22. But, he should have nothing to be ashamed of. Cabanilla won a lot more money than most people do on the game show and also became the first person to win two games or more during this tournament.
Cabanilla told The Free Press that host Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White are “genuine.” “They took time to ask us questions about ourselves. They did their best to get to know us,” he said.
Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
Spin That Wheel
Get absolutely everything about Wheel of Fortune in your inbox!
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services