‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Fans React After Mom’s Million Dollar Heartache

Wheel of Fortune/YouTube

Wheel of Fortune fans have reacted after a mom-of-three lost out on winning $1 million. She failed to solve the bonus puzzle, which could have made her the second $1 million winner this season. This all came after hosts Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White decided to be comfortable this episode and wear pajamas.

Kellee Williams, from O’Fallon, Missouri, played against Ailish Tierney, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Justin Gainer, from Chicago, Illinois, on October 21. Williams has been married for 28 years and has three sons.

Tierney, a deckhand and SCUBA driver, solved the first toss-up. Gainer, a man who just started nursing school, solved the second. Tierney solved “Like Taking Candy From a Baby” for $2,700 and took the lead.

On the next puzzle, Williams landed on the One Million Wedge and solved “Driving With Your High Beams” on. She won a trip to Texas after landing on the designated wheel, giving her a total of $19,300.

Tierney solved most of the Prize Puzzle, but Gainer solved “Lush Green Vegetation” for a trip to Vietnam, worth $11,382. Each contestant solved one of the Triple Toss Ups for $2,000 each.

Tierney solved the final puzzle — “Prized Possessions” — for an additional $1,600. She ended with a total of $6,300. Gainer had a total of $13,382. Williams was the night’s big winner with $21,300.

For the Bonus Round, Williams picked “Phrase” and had the $1 million in play. She brought her husband with her to cheer her on.

After Wheel of Fortune gave her “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” she chose “M,Y,D, and O.” Williams’ puzzle then looked like “_O_    _ _ _ _LO_S.”

“Hot Holsters, “Dog Something,” she said as the clock counted down. The puzzle was “How Fabulous.” Williams lost out on taking home an additional $40,000, which would have totaled $61,300, so she did not have the $1 million envelope.

“I would have been incredibly surprised if we had another million-dollar winner this season,” one YouTube user said. 

“Impossible to solve with the letters she had. She was a really good player, though!” another said. 

“Well, at least it wasn’t the million. That’s the only good thing that came out of the round,” a third added.

“When they don’t solve the puzzle, it’s a really good thing that it’s not the million in the envelope,” another fan said. 

Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock