A recent episode of Wheel of Fortune had viewers holding their breath during a tense Bonus Round, where a contestant froze up—with a life-changing \$1 million on the line.
Aired on May 13, the episode was part of the show’s “Bragging Rights” week, featuring three coworkers from the same pediatric office: Sam Oh from Cypress, Texas, and Houston’s Peter Jung and Daniel Park. What started as friendly workplace competition quickly escalated into one of the season’s most memorable nights.
Host Ryan Seacrest kicked off the fun with a cheeky exchange after learning Jung was once Park’s pediatrician. “Still waiting for him to grow,” Jung quipped. Seacrest shot back, “People say the same about me—watch it!”
To raise the stakes, the trio made a side bet: the two losers would have to wear homemade “Wheel of Misfortune” shirts, designed by Jung’s wife. Confident in his skills, Oh boldly claimed he wouldn’t need one—and he wasn’t wrong.
Oh came out swinging, earning \$2,000 on the second toss-up and solving “Giving a Little Pep Talk” in the Jackpot Round for an extra \$2,000 and a vacation to Costa Rica. He then nailed “Surround Sound System,” bringing his total winnings to \$18,600.
Jung stayed close behind, landing the elusive \$1 million wedge and solving the prize puzzle “Macadamia Nut Cookies,” which earned him a trip to Maui and bumped his total to \$14,000. Park, after a slow start, finished strong by solving “This Girl Is On Fire” and banking \$1,700.
As the final round ended, Oh led with \$28,050, ahead of Jung’s \$16,450. That win sent Oh to the Bonus Round with the \$1 million still in play.
Standing alone with the category “Phrase,” and his coworkers cheering in their “loser” tees, Oh faced the puzzle board. After the standard letters—R, S, T, L, N, and E—were revealed, he froze. Seacrest nudged him forward. Oh hesitated before choosing “C,” then added “G, M, and O.” The board read: “O_T O_ _ _ C.”
Time was ticking. He guessed “Out of”—but couldn’t get the rest. The answer? “Out of Whack.”
Inside the envelope: a \$40,000 prize. The elusive million-dollar card? Sitting on the “M” in “America.”
The moment marked the show’s twelfth consecutive Bonus Round loss—a streak that fans were quick to dissect online.
“Sam took WAY too long picking his letters,” one Redditor said. “I get the strategy, but it gave him an edge.”
Another added, “That kind of pressure? Brutal.”
A YouTube commenter summed it up: “Twelve Bonus Round losses in a row? That’s just cruel.”
Backstage, the trio laughed off the heartbreak with Maggie Sajak, proudly showing off their custom shirts—one featuring a cheeky “Lose a Job” wedge. As the boss, Jung claimed he was safe—but with Oh winning the most money, the teasing went the other way.
In the end, the million-dollar prize remained untouched. But for Sam Oh, the night was still a victory—just not a million-dollar one.
