Has “Wheel of Fortune” found its own version of “Jeopardy’s” Ken Jennings? A “Wheel of Fortune” contestant named Robert Santoli proved that he may be the master of the game last Friday when he impressively solved every single puzzle during the show, leaving the studio audience and host Pat Sajack in awe.
By the end of the game, the 23-year-old walked away with $76,086 in prizes, as well as two cruises, because one is not enough! Santoli's unbelievable skills allowed him to solve the first puzzle of the night with just a single letter “D” and the category “Places.” He correctly guessed “Port & Starboard” and continued on with his streak by guessing the puzzles with only a few letters to work with. The contestant correctly guessed “Oh What a Night” with only three letters, as well as “Don’t Let the Cat Out of the Bag” with only the letters “T,” “H” and “E” showing.
Before Santoli went on the show, he devised a plan and studied past “Wheel of Fortune” puzzles, but he paid close attention to the nautical puzzles with the knowledge that his game would be "Spin & Sail" themed due to the night’s sponsor- Carnival Cruises.
“I spent the days before our trip compiling a list of possible puzzles and key words themed toward sailing, cruising, water and even fishing," Santoli said after the show. “There are websites that keep track of past ‘Wheel of Fortune’ puzzles, so I did some research on previous weeks themed toward these things and wrote them down. The show does sometimes repeat puzzles, especially themed ones. ‘Port & Starboard’ had been used at least twice before my show, both times as a Toss-Up puzzle.”
This smart strategy allowed the contestant to easily defeat his awestruck opponents and even Sajak, who could not believe the roll that Santoli was on.
“I know I look like a bit of a dork on the show with my high-pitched ‘Yeahs!’ and my childish jumping up and down after winning the Bonus Round, but I was really, to quote the Round 4 puzzle, ‘Living in the Moment,’” Santoli continued, adding that he was anxious and shaking throughout the entire show.
The “Wheel of Fortune” champion said that with his winnings, he plans on paying off all of his student loans and may even purchase a new car.
Check out the video of Santoli killing it below:
