A Wheel of Fortune Bonus Round miss left viewers stunned last week after a contestant came heartbreakingly close to a huge payday—on a puzzle many fans felt should have been an easy solve. Eric Handzel, a Yankees superfan from Chadwicks, New York, entered Thursday’s final round with strong momentum and $21,350 already in hand. What happened next quickly became one of the episode’s most talked-about moments.
Handzel faced off against Camila Santos of Sunnyvale, California, and Joanie White of St. Pauls, North Carolina. White surged ahead early by solving both Toss-Ups, but Handzel soon seized control with the solve “Shameless Shoe Shopaholic.” He extended his lead by nailing the Prize Puzzle, “Don’t Forget Your Phone Charger,” which earned him a cruise to Argentina and Patagonia and pushed his total to $17,350.
The competition stayed tight through the Triple Toss-Ups and the final puzzle, yet Handzel ultimately finished with the highest score—sending him to the Bonus Round. Host Ryan Seacrest added a light moment by calling attention to the booming laugh of Handzel’s father, Joe, who was cheering loudly from the audience, instantly winning over viewers.
For the Bonus Round, Handzel chose the category “Around the House” and selected the letters C, P, H, and A. The puzzle board revealed “_ _ _ _ P _ L L _.” As the clock ran down, he worked through guesses like “pillow” and “throw pillow,” but he couldn’t land on the correct solution: “Body Pillow.” The miss cost him an additional $40,000, bringing the total value of what he narrowly missed to $61,000. Even so, Handzel left with cash, a cruise, and a memorable moment fans won’t forget anytime soon.
