Pat Sajak is just days away from retirement, but that doesn’t mean Wheel of Fortune contestants are going easy on him, as the host found out the hard way on Friday’s (May 24) episode.
During Friday’s game, Michael Bystrzycki, a master electrician from Drummonds, Tennessee, faced off against Sarah McCabe, a former English teacher from Mankato, Minnesota, and Lillian Devane, a self-described “word nerd” from Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The funny moment came during a Crossword puzzle in the $2K Toss-Up round, where the players had to figure out the four interconnected words, all of which had “fire” as the first part.
Bystrzycki had control of the wheel and looked like he was about to attempt to solve the puzzle before suddenly backtracking and choosing to spin again. Unfortunately, he landed on the Bankrupt wedge and lost everything.
Thankfully, the round continued, and Bystrzycki got another turn. This time, he correctly answered the puzzle as “Works, Wood, Department, and Pit.”
As he celebrated, Sajak wanted to know why he hesitated the first time around, asking, “Which one were you shaky on the first time?”
“None,” Bystrzycki replied. “I just looked at you instead of looking at the puzzle, and the words went out of my head. I was like, ‘Ah, he said spin, so I’m spinning. Let’s go.’”
Sajak threw up his arms and looked into the camera, quipping, “It’s always my fault.”
Despite this minor speed-bump, Bystrzycki went on to dominate the episode, winning with $21,910 cash and a trip to the Avila Beach Hotel in Curaçao. He also entered the Bonus Round with a Double Jackpot wedge, meaning he could double up his winnings if he nailed the final puzzle.
In the Bonus Round, Bystrzycki selected the dreaded “Phrase” category along with the additional letters “C, D, M, and O.” This gave him a puzzle board that read: “_ O C _ E _ / _ O R / _ O S _ T _ _ N.”
The Tennessee native wasted no time, quickly answering, “Jockey For Position,” and increasing his winnings to an impressive $42,500!
“Let’s go!” he screamed in celebration as Sajak opened the prize envelope to reveal Bystrzycki had also won a brand new Infiniti QX50, giving him a final total of $111,160 cash and prizes.
Would you have solved that final puzzle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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