‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Suffers $88,000 Heartbreak After Nearly Flawless Game

Myles Jenkins appeared to be heading for an extraordinary payday on Wheel of Fortune after dominating the game and building a $38,780 total. But his hopes of leaving with nearly $89,000 were dashed in the Bonus Round when he failed to solve the final puzzle in time.

The October 20 episode saw Jenkins, from Rogers, Arkansas, compete against Anju Prakash of Fremont, California, and Joy White of Conroe, Texas. Jenkins had an impressive night, solving three Fortune Frenzies and securing the lead before facing the final challenge.

Jenkins Builds an Impressive $38,780 Total

Jenkins, who volunteered at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, this year, made an early impact by winning the Wild Card. Prakash picked up the One Million Dollar Wedge, but Jenkins took control of the opening puzzle with just one letter remaining, correctly solving “Baseball, Backgammon, & Boggle.” The answer pushed his total to $7,150.

He continued his strong performance in the next puzzle, finding the Hit It Rich coin and solving “Lights, Camera, Action!” With no money accumulated by the other contestants at that point, Jenkins collected $2,500.

The prize puzzle brought another major boost. By solving “Whale Watching At Sunset,” he won a trip to Cabo, bringing his total to $28,630.

The competition continued as the contestants tackled the Triple Toss-ups. Prakash, who enjoys yoga and hiking and walking with her family, correctly identified two of the three historical figures, earning $5,000. White, who learned from her mother to look for something she likes about everyone she meets, solved one puzzle and added $2,000 to her score.

Jenkins extended his lead by solving “Fine Art Collection,” lifting his winnings to $38,780. Prakash later solved the final puzzle, “Go the Extra Mile,” finishing with $6,700. White ended the game with $2,000, while Jenkins secured the night’s victory.

A Bonus Round Puzzle Costs Him an Extra $50,000

With the win secured, Jenkins moved on to the Bonus Round and selected “Phrase” as his category.

He was given the standard letters R, S, T, L, N and E before choosing C, M, D, A and G to complete the puzzle. The board displayed:

“_ LL _ AL _ _ED”

As the countdown began, Jenkins struggled to identify the first word. He offered “Valley” and “Rally,” but neither helped him unlock the full phrase: “Fully Qualified.”

Despite his impressive performance throughout the game, the clock ran out before he could give the correct answer. The missed puzzle cost him an additional $50,000, meaning he finished with $38,780 rather than the potential $88,780.

Host Ryan Seacrest offered a sympathetic response, asking, “Where do you go, right?” Jenkins took the disappointment in stride, saying, “That’s a-okay.”

Seacrest reassured him: “It’s more than okay.”

Fans Praise Jenkins Despite the Disappointment

Although the Bonus Round ended in heartbreak, viewers recognized how well Jenkins had played. One Reddit user praised his performance, writing, “Myles did really well. He was solving puzzles left and right.”

His run was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change on Wheel of Fortune: a contestant can dominate the main game and still leave a major prize behind because of one difficult final phrase.

Could you have solved “Fully Qualified” before the clock ran out?

Wheel of Fortune airs on weekdays. Check local listings for broadcast times, and stream episodes the next day on Hulu and Peacock.