‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Fans Say Ryan Seacrest Cheated & Screwed Player?

Ryan Seacrest - YouTube

On a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, a player was just one letter off from giving the correct answer to a bonus round. Many fans watching the episode feel that the contestant could have won had it not been for the way the game was handled. The player himself has also talked about the outcome of the game.

What A Difference A Letter Makes

Jamel Vanderburg appeared on the October 13, 2024 episode. By the time he got to the bonus round, he was already coming on strong, earning $40,998 in cash, in addition to winning a trip to Alaska.

The category was “Phrase” and the clue read as “‘ALWAYS’ ‘_N’ ‘_E_AN_’” with the letters Vanderburg guessed, and the ones automatically provided, were filled in.
Jamel Vanderburg - YouTubeJamel Vanderburg – YouTube
Vanderburg tried to fill in the blanks with “Always On…Always On Demand!” With five seconds on the clock, he turned to Vanna White for validation.

However, the puzzle’s answer turned out to be: “Always In Demand!” Host Ryan Seacrest revealed that one letter difference cost Vanderburg a Ford.

For his part, before the episode’s end, Vanderburg appeared to take what happened in stride. While throwing up his hands, he noted that, “You know what? I got $40,000 I’m going to Alaska. It’s all good.”

This Isn’t The First Time Fans Were Upset With Seacrest

When the clip of the bonus round was uploaded on the official Wheel of Fortune YouTube channel, many fans appreciated Vanderburg’s attitude. As one viewer wrote, “He was so close but I love his positivity in spite of not winning. “Always on Demand!” That was a good guess!”

On social media, however, many fans thought that Seacrest buzzed Vanderburg while there was still time on the clock. Many fans suspected that Vanderburg could have otherwise guessed the right answer at the last second.

As noted by TV Insider, one fan wrote, “@WheelofFortune [Jamel] got screwed! They buzzed him with time still on the clock!” Another wrote, “What just happened on #WheelOfFortune ? The buzzer went off, but the clock was still running. Jamel was cheated.”

“Ryan, tonight on @WheelofFortune they rang the buzzer and cut the Bonus Round music on Jamel with 40% of his time left…Then started filling in the puzzle with 1 more tick left on the clock. He knew ‘Always on demand’. With that time left, he’d have solved ‘Always IN demand,’” as another fan wrote.

This hasn’t been the first time Seacrest has been criticized by fans. As previously reported, in a previous game’s bonus round, fans felt Seacrest took too long to confirm the win. While the contestant won, many were dubbing it Seacrest’s first official blooper.

Do you think that Vanderburg was buzzed too early and could have won the bonus round? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.