Over the past five decades, Wheel of Fortune has only had four players win the show’s grand $1 million prize.
That all changed recently when a contestant not only joined that exclusive group, but also became the biggest winner in the show’s history.
The incredible moment happened during the episode that aired on Tuesday, September 30. Contestant Christina Derevjanik from Stamford, Connecticut, made it all the way to the very end of the competition.
By the time she reached the Bonus Round, she had already won prizes totaling $35,155, including trips to Montana and Tokyo.
For her final puzzle, Christina chose the category “Living Things.” She gave her three consonants and a vowel: M, C, F, and A. From there, a few letters appeared on the board.
Using the clues, she correctly solved the puzzle that read “PACK OF COYOTES.
After Christina solved the puzzle, host Ryan Seacrest opened the prize envelope and revealed that she had won the $1 million grand prize.
Of course, this made the entire studio erupt in cheers. Vanna White even walked over to congratulate Christina.
“I’m so happy for you!” she exclaimed.
With the $1 million prize, plus her earlier winnings, Christina’s total came to $1,035,155, making her the biggest winner in the show’s 50-year history.
The moment was also emotional for Seacrest, who noted that she was his first million-dollar winner. He took over hosting Wheel of Fortune in late 2024 after longtime host Pat Sajak stepped down.
“I have a tear in my eye,” he admitted as he wiped it away.
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Not long after the episode aired, Wheel of Fortune shared the clip on social media.
Fans who watched were thrilled to see someone snag such a rare win on the show. They flooded the comments with congratulations, leaving messages such as:
“I’m so glad I was watching!!! Soooooo exciting! Ryan’s reaction is priceless”
“AFTER 11 YEARS! GREAT JOB, CHRISTINA!!”
“THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!”
“Ok Ryan crying was about the cutest thing”
Watch the historic Wheel of Fortune win in the video below.