A highschool English trainer was the eighth particular person in a row to lose the bonus spherical on Wheel of Fortune, sparking viewers to complain in regards to the present’s closing puzzles being “outrageous.” The educator’s look on the present occurred only some days after she received a prestigious award.
Vicki Rowe, from Pflugerville, Texas, performed in opposition to Chris Moore, an outside/pet man who loves the seaside, from Lehigh Acres, Florida, and Mel Abrams, a Crimson Tide fan and orca fanatic, from Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday, Might 7. Rowe has been an English and educational decathlon trainer at Taylor Excessive College for 43 years.
After she solved the primary two toss-ups, Rowe advised host Ryan Seacrest that he’s “as cute as a button.” The gang laughed and Seacrest stared into the digicam speechless.
When he recovered, he stated, “Buttons are enticing. You’re very candy. Thanks.”
Rowe solved the subsequent two puzzles and her complete was $15,550 by the second. Abrams solved the third puzzle, placing her in second with $7,450. Moore obtained on the board when he solved the prize puzzle and received a rail journey price $8,199, giving him $10,499 in complete.
Moore solved two of the three Triple Toss-Ups and Rowe solved one, making Moore solely $2,000 underneath Rowe. Abrams solved the ultimate puzzle —”Engaged on my screenplay”— for an extra $8,500. This gave her a closing complete of $15,950. Moore ended with $14,949. Rowe was the evening’s massive winner with $17,500 and a visit to Myrtle Seashore, South Carolina.
She selected “What are you doing?” for her Bonus Spherical puzzle. Rowe introduced her nieces and nephews along with her to cheer her on.
After Wheel of Fortune gave her “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” the contestant selected “C,Ok,P, and I.” Her puzzle then seemed like “_ _ _ _IN_ _R_ _N_.” Because the time counted down, she guessed, “Taking part in hooky,” and “Doing my greatest my greatest to win some huge cash.” She couldn’t guess “Buzzing round,” and misplaced out on an extra $50,000.
“Whoa!” she stated after seeing the reveal.
“Not acceptable,” one YouTube fan stated.
“If we go a full two weeks with no bonus spherical winners, I’ll cease watching WOF till somebody does win the bonus spherical. Like, eight in a row? That is merely outrageous!” stated one other.
“These puzzles are getting unattainable,” added a 3rd.
“One other near-impossible puzzle. Who says that, ‘hmm … I’m buzzing round.’ You may get punched within the face for saying one thing so dumb,” one other wrote.
“Who says buzzing round as one thing they’re doing?” requested one fan.
Regardless of her loss on the sport present, Rowe received $25,000 and The Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Schooling Awards in Austin, Texas, on Might 4, based on KVUE. The award acknowledges lecturers with greater than 20 years of expertise. She additionally took dwelling a $25,000 grant for her college for her 40-plus years in schooling.
Rowe had a watch occasion for her episode, the place a few of her college students requested for her autograph.
After the episode, she talked to social correspondent Maggie Sajak, who advised her that she was “as cute as a button.” “You had been such a pleasure to have right here right this moment,” she stated.
“Oh, thanks. I really like life and I believe the enjoyment simply comes out of me,” Rowe responded. She additionally stated that she all the time smiles at her college students, who inform her it makes their day. “Typically I believe it’s the one smile they get.”
Rowe stated that being on Wheel meant every little thing to her as a result of the sport present has been watched by her complete household. “There’s sort of a household love that exists with Wheel of Fortune that you simply don’t see in a number of different exhibits.”
“We’d like that love on this planet,” she stated.
Rowe ended by saying that she has household that lives in South Carolina, so she goes to make her journey a household reunion. When she sees the signal that claims “Residence of Vanna White,” she is going to inform everybody she met her and obtained a hug from her.
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