It was a tough break on Wheel of Fortune Tuesday night, as one contestant came painfully close to a major payday \u2014 only to watch it slip away in the final seconds.<\/p>\n
Returning champion Raul Lopez entered the April 7 episode with momentum after banking $18,109 the previous night. The College Station, Texas native was hoping to extend his winning streak, but he faced stiff competition from Ben Johnson of Colorado Springs and Karen Stevenson of Joliet.<\/p>\n
Early on, Johnson \u2014 a pastor who enjoys swing dancing with his wife \u2014 grabbed the first toss-up puzzle. Lopez quickly responded by solving the next one, keeping the game tight. Stevenson then found her rhythm, correctly answering a puzzle in the \u201cYou Can\u2019t Beat The Price!\u201d category and earning $1,350 along with a valuable Wild Card.<\/p>\n
But luck can turn fast on the iconic spinning wheel. Stevenson\u2019s Wild Card disappeared when she landed on Bankrupt in the following round. Meanwhile, Johnson hit the Mystery wedge, which carried a potential $10,000 bonus, but he couldn\u2019t capitalize. Stevenson surged ahead again by solving a crossword-style puzzle under the category \u201cAmerican ___,\u201d securing a trip prize that boosted her total significantly.<\/p>\n
Lopez had a chance to regain control but stumbled after repeating a letter, handing the turn back. Stevenson took full advantage, quickly solving \u201cSee You Later, Alligator\u201d and adding a trip to Mexico to her growing winnings.<\/p>\n
As the game progressed, all three contestants chipped in during the Triple Toss-Ups, each earning additional cash. But Stevenson sealed her victory by solving the final puzzle, \u201cHigh School Gym Teacher,\u201d bringing her total to $33,934 and punching her ticket to the Bonus Round.<\/p>\n
Johnson walked away with $3,000, while Lopez exited with $4,000 for the night, finishing his run with a respectable $22,109 across two episodesIn the Bonus Round, Stevenson chose the category \u201cPerson\u201d and was joined by her sister, who helps care for their 109-year-old grandmother. After receiving the standard letters \u2014 R, S, T, L, N, and E \u2014 she selected M, P, D, and A to complete the puzzle.<\/p>\n
The board revealed a challenging phrase: \u201cA _ _MAN D NAM.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the clock ticked down, Stevenson guessed \u201cA Woman Dynamite,\u201d but it wasn\u2019t correct. The right answer \u2014 \u201cA Human Dynamo\u201d \u2014 appeared moments later, triggering an audible sigh from the contestant.<\/p>\n
The loss was especially painful when the envelope revealed what could have been a $55,000 prize, which would have brought her total winnings to a staggering $88,934.<\/p>\n
Fans at home didn\u2019t hold back their reactions. Many took to social media, saying the puzzle seemed straightforward and expressing disbelief that it wasn\u2019t solved in time. Some admitted they were shouting the correct answer at their screens as the countdown played out.<\/p>\n
Despite the near miss, Stevenson will return for another shot, hoping to turn heartbreak into a comeback on the next episode.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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