A Minnesota woman stunned both viewers and host Ryan Seacrest after solving the Wheel of Fortune Bonus Round puzzle almost instantly \u2014 walking away with a total of $65,650 in winnings.<\/p>\n
Delinda Rood, from Rosemount, Minnesota, appeared on the November 4 episode alongside two other contestants: Justin Zamora from Palo Alto, California, and Shateria Smith from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The self-described \u201cambivert\u201d \u2014 someone who\u2019s a mix of introvert and extrovert \u2014 had a few slow starts before making one of the night\u2019s fastest puzzle solves.<\/p>\n
The game kicked off with no one solving the first toss-up, which was eventually revealed as \u201cMy Game Face.\u201d Rood quickly found her footing, buzzing in to solve the second toss-up, \u201cPractical Joker,\u201d earning her $2,000 right off the bat.<\/p>\n
Zamora, a contestant who shared he once proposed after a seven-hour hike, grabbed his own win by solving \u201cCandy Girl You Are My World\u201d for $12,549 \u2014 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Norway. Meanwhile, Smith, an author and entrepreneur, snagged the coveted One Million Dollar Wedge after correctly solving \u201cSummer & Boot Camp,\u201d adding $1,900 to her total.<\/p>\n
But when Smith stumbled on the next puzzle, Rood seized the opportunity \u2014 solving \u201cSpoil Yourself At The Spa\u201d with only a few letters remaining. That win added a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, and boosted her total to $10,950.<\/p>\n
Rood then dominated the triple toss-up round, solving two of the three puzzles, while Smith captured the final one. In the decisive round, Rood clinched her spot in the Bonus Round after cracking \u201cA Tough Nut To Crack.\u201d By that point, she had earned $20,650, while Zamora finished with $12,549 and Smith ended with $3,900.<\/p>\n
For the Bonus Round, Rood chose the category \u201cAround the House.\u201d She was joined on set by her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Molly, as the final puzzle letters appeared on the board. After the automatic letters R, S, T, L, N, and E were revealed, she selected M, V, K, and A \u2014 giving her the puzzle: _ARM _ _ _LT.<\/p>\n
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The timer had barely started when Rood confidently declared, \u201cFor my mother-in-law, Warm Quilt!\u201d<\/p>\n
Host Ryan Seacrest was visibly stunned. \u201cYeah! Did you know it? Did you know it?\u201d he asked in disbelief.<\/p>\n
When Seacrest opened the prize envelope, the audience erupted \u2014 she had just won $45,000, bringing her grand total to $65,650.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou didn\u2019t even have to think about it!\u201d Seacrest said, grinning.<\/p>\n
Rood smiled and nodded. \u201cI knew it!\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a lightning-fast finish that had even longtime Wheel of Fortune fans cheering \u2014 and proved that sometimes, instincts (and a little family inspiration) can lead to a big win.<\/p>\n
A Minnesota woman stunned both viewers and host Ryan Seacrest after solving the Wheel of Fortune Bonus Round puzzle almost instantly \u2014 walking away with a total of $65,650 in winnings. Delinda Rood, from Rosemount, Minnesota, appeared on the November 4 episode alongside two other contestants: Justin Zamora from Palo Alto, California, and Shateria Smith…<\/p>\n