Scoring a Wheel of Fortune bonus round victory is no small feat these days — and when it happens, the celebrations usually get loud. But contestant Linda Keyes stole the spotlight this week with a more heartfelt approach, dedicating her win to someone very special: her late mother.
Keyes’ episode, recently aired on ABC, was taped not long after her mom passed away. According to TV Insider, her mother had been an avid viewer, rarely missing an episode. That made the win bittersweet — and the dedication even more touching.
For her bonus puzzle, Keyes selected the “What Are You Doing?” category. She began, as the game dictates, with the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. For her additional picks, she went with D, G, H, and O. Holding a Wild Card from earlier in the game, she got to choose one extra consonant — C.
Her letter choices turned out to be spot-on. When the board revealed the results, most of the puzzle had already taken shape: “OR _NG _RO_ND THE _ _RD.” With 10 seconds on the clock, Keyes paused, focused — and then screamed the correct answer: “Working around the yard!”
Host Ryan Seacrest opened the prize envelope to reveal a $40,000 cash bonus — plus a luxury trip to England and Scotland. Her total winnings from the game? A staggering $77,546 in cash and prizes.
But for Keyes, the trip and the money weren’t the real reward. Speaking with the Northwest Herald, she recalled how her mom would spend 30 minutes every day watching Wheel of Fortune without fail. Landing on that stage was something they had both dreamed about. Winning the bonus round turned that dream into a tribute.
Her road to Wheel of Fortune wasn’t quick. Keyes first auditioned for the show a few years ago with Sony, but never got a call back. Last year, she tried again — this time via a video call audition. Once again, months went by without a word, and she assumed she hadn’t made the cut.
Then came the surprise call: she had just two weeks before her episode would tape. Keyes described those days as a “mad dash” to brush up on puzzles and strategy. All the preparation paid off in the biggest way possible — with a life-changing win and a moment she’s certain would have made her mom proud.
Her time on Wheel of Fortune ended with a trip across the pond, thousands in prize money, and a memory that will last far longer than any vacation.
