Only four contestants have ever won the $1 million prize on Wheel of Fortune, although one contestant came agonizingly close to fifth place on Wednesday.
Not only did he win a trip to Barbados, but he also correctly solved all three puzzles in the Triple Toss-Up to win an additional $10,000, one week after a hilarious missolving.
Damon was by far the big winner of the night, going into the bonus round with $29,290 and the $1 million wedge.
Not only did he have to correctly solve the Bonus Round puzzle, but also get the $1 million card from the mini wheel, and unfortunately, he came up short.
Only four contestants have ever won the $1 million prize on Wheel of Fortune, although one contestant came agonizingly close to fifth place on Wednesday
Damon Sayles of Plano, Texas successfully landed the $1 million wedge, which debuted on the show in 2008, and managed to hold it for the entire match
Not only did he win a trip to Barbados, but he also correctly solved all three puzzles in the Triple Toss-Up to win an additional $10,000.
He not only had to correctly solve the Bonus Round puzzle, but also get the $1 million card from the mini wheel, and unfortunately he came up short
For the final puzzle, Damon was given the choice between Thing, Phrase or What Are You Wearing?
He ultimately chose What Are You Wearing?, a two-word puzzle, where the first word contained nine letters and the second four letters.
Damon was given four letters using the automatic RSTLNE letters, while Damon was given three more consonants and a vowel, and he made them count.
He chose G, M, W, and O as the vowel, which gave him all but two letters, allowing him to correctly solve the puzzle: “Glamorous dress.”
Even though Damon did everything right, luck wasn’t on his side as his spin of the mini wheel didn’t land on the $1 million card that Seacrest showed him afterwards.
Instead, he got $40,000, bringing his total for the evening to $69,290, both in cash and a trip to Barbados.
Damon was mobbed by his family after the big win, with both Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White discussing his performance in the final moments of the episode.
“He was so close to $1 million,” White said, as Seacrest said, “What a big night for Damon.”
Damon was given four letters with the automatic RSTLNE letters, while Damon was given three more consonants and a vowel, and he made them count
He chose G, M, W, and O as the vowel, which gave him all but two letters, allowing him to correctly solve the puzzle: “Glamorous dress.”
Even though Damon did everything right, luck wasn’t on his side as his spin of the mini wheel didn’t land on the $1 million card
Instead, he got $40,000, bringing his total for the evening to $69,290, both in cash and a trip to Barbados.
Damon was mobbed by his family after the big win, with both Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White discussing his performance in the final moments of the episode.
He added that as he heard more and more letters on the puzzle board, he said, “I thought my hands were starting to sweat.”
‘He was so close with that great solution. But I feel it. It’s going to happen. And soon,” Seacrest exclaimed as the episode came to a close.
There have only been three regular contestants to win the $1 million, but the last to win the prize was actress Melissa Joan Hart from Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
The $1 million went to the charity Hart played for, Youth Villages in the October 2021 episode.
The first regular entrant winner was Michelle Loewenstein in October 2008, followed by Autumn Erhard in May 2013 and Sarah Manchester in September 2014.