‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Loses $78,000 After Ryan Seacrest Teases Friend

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Ryan Seacrest always has fun while working on Wheel of Fortune. He playfully teased a contestant’s friend after she waved enthusiastically.

Brandon Bethel, from Los Angeles, California, played against Michael Summers, from Austin, Texas, and Mildred Sigler, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 2. Bethel, who is obsessed with personality quizzes, solved three Fortune Frenzies. Sigler, a homebody who likes to read, cook, and bake, solved one.

With only one letter left in the puzzle and multiple wrong guesses, Summers, who has been watching five movies in one day across multiple locations during Christmas, solved “Rock Garden of Eden.” This gave him $13,850 and a Canyon Spirit Train Trip.

Sigler solved most of the next puzzle, but then landed on the Mystery Wedge and picked it up to reveal a Bankrupt. Bethel, with only two letters left, solved “Use a Little Elbow Grease.” This gave him $4,000.

Bethel solved “Finding Constellations” with only three letters left to solve. Since it was the prize puzzle, he won a trip to Chile and Argentina. This put him in the lead with $22,998.

Summers and Sigler solved two of the three Triple Toss-ups. The third one populated before any of the game show contestants could solve it. This gave both of them an extra $2,000.

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Sigler solved the final puzzle — “Can I Pick Your Brain?” — right before time ran out. She had a final total of $6,100. Summers went home with $15,850.

Bethel was the night’s winner with $22,998. For his Bonus Round category, he chose “In The Kitchen.”

Wheel of Fortune gave him “R,S,T,L,N, and E.” Bethel rounded out his puzzle with “P,C,G, and A.” The puzzle looked like “_ _LL  C_ _ _ _E  _AR.”

He brought his friends, Tiffany and Albert, with him. Albert gave a small wave while Tiffany had a big smile on her face and waved enthusiastically.

Seacrest laughed and asked Tiffany to “do that again.” She did, and Seacrest said it “made our day.”

As the clock counted down, Bethel guessed “Something Coffee Car,” “Fill Coffee Bar,” and more. The puzzle was “Full Cookie Jar.” There was $55,000 in the envelope, which would have given him $77,998.

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