Spokane Teacher Stuns on Wheel of Fortune, Solves Bonus Puzzle Before Countdown Starts
A Washington state teacher left audiences speechless this week with a jaw-dropping performance on Wheel of Fortune—solving the final bonus puzzle in a split second and driving off in a brand-new Ford Bronco.
Julie Allen, a third-grade teacher from Spokane, made her appearance on the April 16 episode and quickly proved she wasn’t just there for fun. Facing off against Thomas Young of Detroit and Nikki Lopez of Melbourne, Florida, Allen brought a winning combination of speed, skill, and charm.
Allen credits the long-running game show with helping her through maternity leave. But on stage, she showed she was more than a devoted viewer—she was a serious contender.
The game began with Young dominating the early rounds, picking up $2,000 with back-to-back toss-up wins. But his luck didn’t last—he hit a Bankrupt in the first puzzle round. Despite the setback, he managed to walk away with $8,600.
Allen began to gain ground with a clever solve in the “Before and After” round—“Chili Dog Whisperer”—netting her $4,700. The turning point came during the Prize Puzzle round, where she swooped in with the winning answer “Lions, Leopards, and Hippos” after several players hit Bankrupt or lost turns. That solve earned her an African safari trip and boosted her total to $17,890.
She kept the momentum going in the Triple Toss-Up round, solving two out of three puzzles for an extra $4,000. She finished the main game with a correct solve of “I Appreciate You,” ending the regular play with $23,590. Young closed with $10,600, while Lopez earned $1,000.
Then came the Bonus Round.
With her best friend Amy cheering her on—her husband stayed home with their daughter—Allen picked the category “What Are You Doing?” After the default letters were revealed, she added “G, D, H, and I” to the mix.
The puzzle flashed: _EING _ _ ITE ITT.
Before host Ryan Seacrest could even start the countdown, Allen confidently announced, “Being Quite Witty.”
She was right. The crowd went wild as she revealed her prize: a brand-new Ford Bronco worth $43,760. Her final total? An impressive $67,350.
Fans were thrilled. “CAR WINNER?! LET’S GO!!! Good job, Julie!” one YouTube commenter wrote. Another admitted, “I had ‘being’ but couldn’t finish it.”
After the show, Allen told Maggie Sajak that her experience as a teacher helped her quickly recognize patterns in letters. She also shared that the win was especially meaningful: she plans to one day show the episode to her young son, Ollie, and say, “I did this for you.”
Quick-thinking, heartfelt, and undeniably sharp—Julie Allen gave America a game show moment it won’t soon forget.
