Wheel of Fortune has crowned a brand-new champion — and set a new record in the process.
On Tuesday night’s episode, Christina Derevjanik of Stamford, Connecticut became the biggest winner in the game show’s five-decade history, walking away with an astonishing $1,035,155 in cash and prizes.
The milestone came during the Bonus Round, where Derevjanik solved the puzzle “Pack of Coyotes” with only a few letters revealed. As host Ryan Seacrest opened the prize envelope to reveal the coveted $1 million wedge, confetti burst across the stage while the studio erupted in cheers.
“I can pay off my student loans!” Derevjanik shouted joyfully, dancing across the stage as Seacrest and co-host Vanna White rushed over to congratulate her.
Throughout the night, Derevjanik — who works for a utilities company — also racked up additional winnings, including trips to Montana and Tokyo, bringing her total haul to $35,155 in extra cash and prizes.
Before her historic win, Seacrest asked whether she would keep working if she landed the million-dollar prize. Laughing, Derevjanik teased, “I may be putting in my two weeks — but we won’t be telling anyone that.”
Speaking after the taping, the stunned contestant admitted she had dreamed of the moment: “I was trying to manifest this. I was hoping for confetti, but I never thought it would actually happen.”
While Derevjanik is now the highest-earning contestant in Wheel’s 50-year history, she isn’t the first to strike the million-dollar jackpot. That honor went to florist Michelle Lowenstein in 2008, the year the million-dollar wedge debuted. The most recent big winner before Derevjanik was math teacher Sarah Manchester, who took home $1,017,490in 2021.
Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights in syndication at 7 p.m. on most local stations, and streams the following day on Hulu and Peacock.
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
