‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Fans Slam Pat Sajak For Ruling Contestant’s Answer Wrong

Wheel of Fortune viewers are coming to a contestant’s defense. The game show doesn’t have the same verbal ruleset as Jeopardy! with its question-as-an-answer format, but it does require contestants to be completely correct when guessing letters and the final answer, and for contestant Neetu Varshney, viewers are still debating if she fulfilled that requirement.

On Wednesday, contestants were confronted with a chance to do a “Toss Up,” which is when letters appear one at a time and contestants get to guess the answer without spinning. Varshney appeared to come very close and may have even been right – but host Pat Sajak ruled her answer wrong, and fans are not happy with the choice.

‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans are defending contestant Neetu Varshney

Meet Neetu Varshney, a teacher and STEM supervisor for New Jersey’s Clark Public Schools. During Wednesday’s game, she made it to the second Toss Up of that episode. It was contestants vs. the timer. At one point, the solution board had revealed several consonants in the third word and a smattering of vowels. That’s when Varshney made her guess, and apparently sounded like she said, “In a moment’s notice.”

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However, Sajak ruled this answer incorrect. Seizing this opportunity, contestant Jeremy Manos chimed in with, “At a moment’s notice.” That’s when Sajak gave the affirmative, and later told Varshney, “Almost got it, but it’s ‘At a moment’s notice.'”

Heads are spinning from this near miss Varshney had

Thanks to his answer, Manos won $49,618 in cash awards and trips. Varshney was given $1,000 in consolation after not winning any cash prizes on Wheel of Fortune. According to Good Housekeeping, the game show does not cover travel expenses when contestants are chosen and required to come to California, so a bit of compensation, at least, can help.

Fans are defending Varshney and insisting she did indeed say “at” instead of “in.” One insisted, “Neetu deserved that puzzle win @WheelofFortune#wheeloffortune she definitely said ‘At a moment’s notice.'”

Another agreed, “I’m so glad to see other people that care— because you can absolutely see the upset in her face. It wasn’t right, it’s dismissive and a total let down by @WheelofFortune @CBS @TheVannaWhite #neetu deserves better.” Yet another believed, “@WheelofFortune @patsajak NEETU got robbed on that puzzle solve.”

Did you catch the episode? Do you think Sajak made the wrong call?

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