A contestant on Wheel of Fortune walked away with a big payday, but not everyone watching was convinced she earned it fair and square.
During the Wednesday, February 27 episode, Sarah LaPilusa faced off against Air Force member Jimmy Holgerson and traveler Yolanda Tillet in a game that went down to the wire.
By the end of the standard puzzle rounds, LaPilusa had secured the top spot with $15,050, which included a trip to Mexico. Tillet was close behind with $13,500, while Holgerson finished in third place with $2,000.
The Controversial Final Puzzle
For the final puzzle round, LaPilusa—who runs a mental health clinic in California—chose “People” as her category. She selected the letters “M, B, H, and O” to go along with the standard “R, S, T, L, N, and E.” That left her staring at a two-word phrase on the board:
_ _ S S _ B _ B _ E S
As the clock ticked down, LaPilusa initially blurted out “Jazzy babies,” which was incorrect. But in a split second, she followed it up with the correct answer: “Fussy babies.”
However, whether she actually beat the buzzer was another question entirely.