A recent episode of Wheel of Fortune left fans stunned when a contestant froze during a high-stakes Bonus Round — with a potential $1 million payday on the table.
Host Ryan Seacrest kicked off the night with a joke after learning Jung had once been Park’s pediatrician. “Still waiting for him to grow,” Jung quipped. Seacrest grinned and replied, “People say the same about me — better watch it!”
As a side bet, the trio agreed the losers would have to wear homemade “Wheel of Misfortune” T-shirts designed by Jung’s wife. Oh, confident from the jump, declared he wouldn’t be wearing one — and backed it up.
Oh gained momentum early, scoring $2,000 on the second toss-up puzzle and solving “Giving a Little Pep Talk” during the Jackpot Round, netting him an extra $2,000 and a vacation to Costa Rica. He followed up with a correct answer to “Surround Sound System,” boosting his total to $18,600.
Jung, however, wasn’t far behind. He snagged the prized $1 million wedge and answered “Macadamia Nut Cookies” in the prize puzzle round, winning a Maui vacation and racking up $14,000. Though Park got a late start, he solved the final puzzle, “This Girl Is On Fire,” and ended with $1,700.
By the end of regular gameplay, Oh led with $28,050, followed by Jung’s $16,450. That put Oh in the hot seat for the Bonus Round — with the coveted million-dollar envelope in play.
Oh’s category was “Phrase.” With his teammates cheering him on — and wearing their “loser” shirts — Oh stood before the puzzle board and prepared for a potentially life-changing moment.
But the suspense quickly turned to confusion.
After getting the standard letters “R, S, T, L, N, E,” Oh hesitated. When prompted by Seacrest to pick three consonants and one vowel, Oh managed “C” before freezing. With time ticking, Seacrest gently urged him: “Take a guess.” Oh eventually added “G, M, and O,” forming the puzzle “O_T O_ _ _ C.” He guessed “Out of,” but couldn’t find the final word — “Out of Whack.”
Inside the envelope? A hefty $40,000 prize — gone. The $1 million card? It was sitting on the “M” in “America.”
The loss marked Wheel’s twelfth consecutive Bonus Round miss, and fans didn’t hold back.
“Sam took WAY too long to pick his letters,” one Reddit user wrote. “I get that he was trying to be strategic, but it gave him an unfair advantage.”
Another joined in: “I’m not surprised he missed it. The pressure from that million-dollar hype was intense.”
A YouTube commenter added, “Twelve straight Bonus Round losses? That’s some serious misfortune.”
Post-show, Oh and his teammates spoke with Maggie Sajak backstage, showing off their custom shirts. One even had a wedge labeled “Lose a Job.” Jung, the boss, joked he was safe — but with Oh winning the most money, they teased that he might be the one in trouble now.
While the million slipped through his fingers, Sam Oh still walked away the night’s biggest winner — just not the biggest winner in Wheel history.