‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Stuns with $64K Win on Shockingly Easy Puzzle
One lucky Wheel of Fortune player shocked viewers when he scored big in the Bonus Round—thanks to a puzzle so easy, he had to hold himself back from blurting out the answer.
A Strong Start from Pennsylvania’s Rich Rinaldi
Rich Rinaldi, from Narberth, Pennsylvania, competed against Cherie Mohr of Nevada and Unnecia Gathright of Illinois in a recent episode. Right from the start, Rinaldi made his presence known. He solved both opening toss-up puzzles—“Cracking Open A Coconut” and “Put Down The Phone”—earning an early $3,000.
But luck quickly turned. On his first spin, he landed on “Lose a Turn,” handing the game to his opponents. Still, he bounced back fast. Rinaldi solved the first main puzzle, “Working on Vacation,” earning $1,150 and snagging a valuable Wild Card.
Show hostess Vanna White in a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode, Photo Credit: Wheel Of Fortune/Youtube
Tight Competition and a Trip to Aruba
Cherie Mohr, a hotel concierge from Las Vegas, took control during the “Before and After” round. She solved “Orange Chicken Little” and grabbed a $10,000 wedge, raising her total to $18,200.
Meanwhile, Gathright struggled with multiple “Bankrupt” spins. Rinaldi seized the moment and solved the Prize Puzzle—“Gazing up at the Clouds.” That win earned him a trip to Aruba and boosted his total to $14,365.
Rinaldi wasn’t finished. He dominated all three Triple Toss-Up puzzles, pocketing another $10,000. Gathright finally got on the board with “Cooking with Gas” for $4,500, but Rinaldi finished the main game with $24,365 and the Aruba trip locked in.
Bonus Round Brings Laughter—and a Big Win
In the Bonus Round, Rinaldi chose the category “Place.” Standing with his friend Hannah and a cousin, he explained his wife was at home with their two baby boys and couldn’t attend.
After choosing bonus letters—including one from his Wild Card—the puzzle revealed:
G _ _ E B O
Rinaldi immediately recognized the word. But just as he prepared to shout it out, host Ryan Seacrest reminded him to wait for the clock. As soon as the buzzer sounded, he exclaimed, “Gazebo!”—securing a $40,000 bonus.
That brought his final prize total to $64,365.
A Dream Fulfilled
After the show, Rinaldi shared his excitement on Reddit.
“Thanks everyone for the well wishes,” he wrote. “It was an unbelievable experience. Everyone was so kind, and I checked an item off my bucket list!”
He also revealed why he picked “Place” in the Bonus Round. “What Are You Doing” can be risky with unpredictable letters, and “Thing” felt too broad. “Place” seemed like the safest bet.
Although his Wild Card didn’t give him any extra letters, he said it boosted his confidence.
With a dream trip to Aruba and over $64,000 in winnings, Rich Rinaldi didn’t just win the game—he won the hearts of viewers and lived out a lifelong dream.
