‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Turns Heads After Failing To Solve $61,000 Puzzle

A Florida contestant on Wheel of Fortune came painfully close to walking away with a massive payday — but one tricky phrase in the Bonus Round stopped her in her tracks.

Corrina Bain, a flight attendant from Fort Lauderdale, was poised to snag a total of $61,000 in winnings. But her game came to a heartbreaking end when she couldn’t crack a deceptively simple puzzle — even the audience felt the sting, letting out an audible groan as the answer was revealed.

The episode, which originally aired on October 17, 2024, was rebroadcast Thursday night, June 26, giving fans a second chance to relive the nail-biting moment.

Bain got off to a strong start, quickly solving the opening toss-up and banking $15,050 early on. Her momentum didn’t slow — she snagged another puzzle and built a commanding lead.

One of her rivals, Heather Leinen — a cheese tester from Waldo, Wisconsin — managed to close the gap after securing the Prize Puzzle and a tropical getaway to Hawaii, boosting her total to $15,044. Zack Tedder, a clinical forensic psychology postdoc from Austin, Texas, stayed in the game with a respectable $6,500 after solving the last puzzle of the regular round.

But Bain remained on top with $21,800, sending her to the Bonus Round for a shot at even bigger winnings.

With her self-proclaimed “brunch crew” — including her mother, mother-in-law, and boyfriend — cheering her on from the audience, Bain faced her final challenge in the “Phrase” category.

After the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E were revealed, Bain added her picks: H, D, M, and I. The puzzle board lit up to display:

_ _ _ _ IN THE D_ _

With 10 seconds to solve it, Bain hesitated and guessed “Made in the Day,” but time ran out before she could land on the correct answer: “Back in the Day.”

“You were really close,” said host Ryan Seacrest, as the audience let out a sympathetic groan. The incorrect guess cost Bain a $40,000 prize, bringing her total winnings to $21,800 — still impressive, but short of the six-figure jackpot.

Fans quickly took to YouTube and social media to weigh in. “Tough puzzle, but solid gameplay,” one commenter wrote. Another chimed in: “That one hurt to watch — she was so close.”

Wheel of Fortune will return this September with brand-new episodes featuring Seacrest and longtime co-host Vanna White. The exact premiere date is still under wraps.