SC woman gets first big $100K win on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ in 2024. Here’s how she did it
LaToya Russell has played “Wheel of Fortune” for high stakes — the person not stuck cleaning the dishes.
Starting when she was 8 years old, the Irmo, S.C. woman would watch the popular game show with her mother, each competing to solve the puzzles, with the loser having to clean the dishes after dinner. For years, Russell usually lost, but as she got older, she was “very rarely the dishwasher.”
Those long-developed skills helped her win a total of $119,500 and a trip to New Orleans on the latest episode of “Wheel of Fortune” on Tuesday. She won the bulk of her money during the bonus round, making her the show’s first $100,000 winner of 2024. To watch Russell’s episode, click here.
“It’s very easy to sit on the couch and answer puzzles … but it’s a totally different experience when you’re on stage, a bit nerve-racking of course,” Russell said during a phone interview. “It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
After winning more than $19,000 during the main show, Russell, as the top winner, moved on to the bonus round. Once she picked the category of ‘person,’ Russell was given a 15-letter puzzle. As per the rules, Russell was allowed to pick three consonants and a vowel to fill in the letters.
Russell ended up with just five letters to work with, however, she didn’t even need 10 seconds to give the answer — A public official.
Down came the confetti and suddenly Russell was $100,000 richer.
Dubbed America’s Game, “Wheel of Fortune” with hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White, has entertained millions of people for four decades. In more recent years, however, Russell, who works as a technology manager at a major financial services institution, said she began to wonder what it would be like to be a participant, not just a viewer.
“I went out on a limb and applied online and waited,” Russell said. “I think it’s been about a year ago.”
Russell said that someone from the show contacted her a few months later. It was another few months before she was selected to be on the show, which is filmed at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA.
But getting on the show takes more than an application and a simple phone call.
“It’s a multi-step process,” Russell said. “If they reach out to you, just try to be yourself and you’ll do fine.”
Once the selection was made, Russell said she and her boyfriend flew to California and made a mini-vacation out of the experience. Her episode was filmed earlier, so she’s had to keep her winnings mostly a secret until now. And yet, she still hasn’t had enough to fully process when she’ll take her trip or what all she’ll do with her winnings.
“I’ll probably take the trip some time this year,” Russell said. “And I have a son who is starting high school next year, so I’ll be putting some of the money away for college.”
South Carolinians can watch “Wheel of Fortune” at 7 p.m. on weeknights on ABC Columbia.
To be a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune,” click here.
This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
