Every Single $1 Million Dollar Puzzle on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ (PHOTOS)
Only 14 Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune players have had a chance to win the $1 million jackpot since the massive prize was debuted in 2008. It’s been won even less, with just four people (including one celebrity, Melissa Joan Hart) walking away millionaires.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White were there for the first 12 attempts at the $1 million (one of those times included a pair of players), and new host Ryan Seacrest was surprised to have a player eligible for the jackpot on the first day of his second week as host. The big money is intentionally hard to win. To be eligible, a player has to land on the “ONE MILLION” wedge, call a correct letter, and then win that round without going Bankrupt first.
They must then win the game overall, taking them to the Bonus Round. The $100,000 envelope is then replaced on the Bonus Wheel by the $1 million, and the player must land on that envelope after spinning the miniature wheel. Lastly and most obviously, the contestant needs to solve the final puzzle correctly before time runs out.
Shockingly, the jackpot was won the first three times it ever came into play, but the episodes were a year or more apart. The first win came in October 2008, just one month after the grand prize was introduced. The next win wasn’t until 2013, followed by another in 2014. Hart would become the next million-dollar winner in 2021. Another fun fact: every single winner has been a woman!
We’ve compiled every single million-dollar puzzle on Wheel of Fortune below in order of appearance, along with details on who won and when their episodes aired. Do you remember tuning in for these noteworthy episodes?
Wheel of Fortune, Weeknights, Check your local listings
"Leaky Faucet" (Win)
Player: Michelle Loewenstein
Episode Date: October 14, 2008
Category: Around the House
Letters Chosen: C, D, M, A
"Tough Workout" (Win)
Player: Autumn Erhard
Episode Date: May 30, 2013
Category: Thing
Letters Chosen: M, P, C, A, G
"Loud Laughter" (Win)
Player: Sarah Manchester
Episode Date: September 17, 2014
Category: Thing
Letters Chosen: D, G, H, O
"Without a Doubt" (Loss)
Player: Whitney Shields
Episode Date: April 2, 2015
Category: Phrase
Letters Chosen: C, P, M, A
"Baked Zucchini" (Loss)
Player: Frank Harary and Laurel Haim
Episode Date: November 15, 2017
Category: Food and Drink
Letters Chosen: C, D, P, O
"Ocean Kayaking" (Loss)
Player: Eva Klentos
Episode Date: December 21, 2017
Category: Fun and Games
Letters Chosen: H, P, D, I
"Flipping Through Pages" (Loss)
Player: Kaia Lacy
Episode Date: January 11, 2019
Category: What Are You Doing?
Letters Chosen: M, P, H, O
"Annoying Buzzer" (Loss)
Player: Kristen Andrews
Episode Date: January 16, 2019
Category: Thing
Letters Chosen: G, B, D, A
"Bran Muffins" (Win)
Player: Melissa Joan Hart
Episode Date: October 17, 2021
Category: Food and Drink
Letters Chosen: G, M, W, A
"Brownie Pan" (Loss)
Player: Jason Mraz
Episode Date: November 14, 2021
Category: In the Kitchen
Letters Chosen: G, C, M, A
"Howling Like a Wolf" (Loss)
Player: Alane Dolensky
Episode Date: September 27, 2022
Category: What Are You Doing?
Letters Chosen: G, D, C, A
"I Took the Day Off" (Loss)
Player: Joel Madden
Episode Date: October 23, 2022
Category: Phrase
Letters Chosen: H, D, Y, I
"Offering Some Help" (Loss)
Player: Vivian Tran
Episode Date: September 16, 2024
Category: What Are You Doing?
Letters Chosen: C, H, M, I, P
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