Wheel of Fortune contestants may be more likely to go viral for spectacularly wrong answers than doing well, but the game show is celebrating recent player Ricky Gilbert after winning every single puzzle in one episode. Pat Sajak was stunned by Gilbert’s success; considering that the host has been hard at work on Wheel of Fortune for more than four decades, that’s something for Gilbert to be proud of!
Pat Sajak didn’t seem to note anything special about Ricky Gilbert’s Wheel of Fortune run at first, and the studio audience’s cheers weren’t any more impressed than usual… but that changed after he won puzzle after puzzle after puzzle! Check it out:
The host was already commenting on Ricky Gilbert’s streak after just two puzzle wins, then went on to describe him as “en fuego” after five wins, and then even told the other two competitors that they were “great” too for rooting him on after nine wins. Sajak presumably won’t be roasted again for these comments!
The audience was clearly rooting for him too, and he finished the game with nearly $90,000, which is an impressive chunk of change, although short of the three consecutive contestants who won $100,000 earlier this year for a new Wheel of Fortune milestone.
Honestly, I just wish that the video had provided a closer look at Vanna White’s reactions beyond the clapping and cheering that was visible from afar. Was she as impressed as Sajak, who she described as her “TV husband” recently? Or too focused on the new puzzle board (which hasn’t been the biggest hit with fans) to react? Or just doing the job she has perfected over her four decades on Wheel of Fortune?
Since success stories as great as Ricky Gilbert’s seem to be harder to find than contestants flubbing answers during easy puzzles, it’s particularly nice to see that his hot streak took him all the way to the end with well over $80,000 in prize money. The contestant reacted to his wins on Twitter, sharing his appreciation for people who were supporting him.
He also received some comments from viewers who pointed out ways that he could have won more, but took it all in stride. In response to one such comment, Gilbert wrote:
In my head was spin or solve, that's it. Maybe could've done it differently, but very happy either way!
It’s nice to see that even some comments about how he could have won $1 million as opposed to nearly $90,000 aren’t ruining his enjoyment of his time on Wheel of Fortune, and both Pat Sajak and the audience clearly got a kick out of his streak. The other two competitors might have been less excited, but if that’s the case, they didn’t let it show!
Wheel of Fortune is still going strong despite the question of how much longer Pat Sajak will stick around as host. Be sure to check out your local listings for when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, and see celebrities trying their hand at the iconic contest with Celebrity Wheel of Fortune streaming via a Hulu subscription!
