Fans of Wheel of Fortune are buzzing after a California contestant fumbled what many are calling one of the easiest Bonus Round puzzles in recent memory — costing her a brand-new Mercedes-Benz.
Elizabeth Caprini, from Imperial Beach, came into Friday night’s episode with strong momentum, winning big throughout the game and earning her spot in the finale. But when it came time for the last puzzle, the moment slipped away in heartbreaking fashion.
Caprini faced off against Mike Stoehrmann of Bolingbrook, Illinois, and Tish Nichols of Shreveport, Louisiana. She told Ryan Seacrest during her introduction that she’s single and still hoping to find her ideal dance partner. Early on, she stayed neck and neck with her opponents, but before long, she surged ahead and secured control of the game.
Her winning streak carried into the Express Round, where she solved the prize puzzle and picked up an $8,600 vacation to St. Maarten, including a stay at the Oyster Bay Beach Resort. By the end of the regular rounds, Caprini had banked $13,200 in cash and prizes — enough to send her to the Bonus Round as the night’s top player. She selected the “Phrase” category for her final shot at glory.
Seacrest gave the wheel a spin and handed her the prize envelope. The puzzle revealed three words, with the standard letters — R, S, T, L, N, and E — already on the board. Caprini chose C, M, F, and A to fill in the blanks, but they barely helped. What she ended up staring at was:
“_ _ST F_R _ _ _”
With the ten-second clock ticking, Caprini tried to piece it together. She guessed, “Best For You,” but it wasn’t right. As the buzzer sounded, co-host Vanna White revealed the actual answer: “Just For You.” The miss cost Caprini not only bragging rights but also the keys to a brand-new Mercedes.
Seacrest opened the envelope to show the prize she could have won, and the disappointment was written all over Caprini’s face. Still, she handled the moment with a smile and good humor, even as fans online voiced frustration.
“Honestly, that was so easy. I got it with RSTLNE alone,” one viewer commented on YouTube. Another quipped, quoting Monty Hall, “You’ve been zonked!”
Others defended her, saying the nerves of the spotlight can trip up even the sharpest players. “She was close. Two out of three words right. If she had picked O, it might have been different,” another fan pointed out.
Caprini may not have driven away in a Mercedes, but she left with thousands in winnings, a tropical getaway, and a night that Wheel of Fortune fans won’t soon forget.