Michelle

Michelle

Theme Week:
Palazzo (Las Vegas)
Contestant:
Michelle
Hometown:
Las Vegas, NV
Week of:
September 21, 2009

Posted on 09/23


After the third show ended, I knew my waiting was almost over; it was show time! I was very nervous and did not win anything right away. I even spun a “lose-a- turn” on my first spin. It was not until I started the second round and heard the sound signaling the prize puzzle that I knew I had to forget about my nerves and solve this puzzle! My determination paid off and, before I knew it, I had won a trip to Aruba! I was so excited that I almost forgot to listen to the details of the trip. After winning the prize puzzle, I felt much calmer. I knew that even if that was the only puzzle I solved, I would leave happy. The next few rounds flew past and, after solving another puzzle, I was headed to the bonus round!

Standing onstage with Pat and spinning the bonus wheel was a very surreal experience; I still could not believe I had made it this far! I will never forget what happened in those next few minutes. After none of my additional letters that I had called out appeared on the board, I figured that solving the puzzle would be a long shot at best. I started to look up at the “used letter board” to see if I could come up with any possibilities, and said the only thing that came to mind: “BRIEF PAUSE.” Even after saying it, I still had no idea that it was actually correct. That was, until Pat said to me, “How did you do that?” When he opened the envelope and I saw the $50,000 dollars I had just won, I completely lost it. Having my parents and my fiancé celebrate with me on stage was the perfect ending to such an amazing experience. Before winning on Wheel of Fortune, I was not sure how I was going to pay for a wedding or honeymoon; now I have a dream honeymoon in Aruba and plenty of money for a wedding! The outcome was better than any I could have imagined and I am grateful for such an amazing opportunity!



Posted on 09/21


When I first received an email informing me that Wheel of Fortune was coming to Las Vegas, I knew it would be a long shot, but decided to try my luck at the Wheelmobile event. A couple of friends and I set out to drive over 20 miles to the car dealership where the Wheel Mobile event was being held. On the way, we got lost and had no idea where we were or which direction to take. I decided to call my parents and get directions. I was hoping they would be able to look it up online and we would still be able to make the first round of auditions. Instead, when I talked to my mom, she told me to just turn around and go home, as she did not think I had a very good chance of getting on the show anyway. Instead of taking her advice, we decided to stop and ask for directions. We were determined to get our shot at winning big. We made it to the car dealership just in time for the second and third rounds of tryouts. We filled out our applications, put them in the raffle and waited for luck to take over. It was not until the third and last session of the day that I finally heard my name called! I fought off all of my nerves, got up on stage and just tried to have a good time. They told everyone that if we were offered a second audition we would be notified by email within one month’s time.

I checked my email at least twice a day for a little over a month but received nothing. I had almost given up hope when I got the email informing me that I had a second audition! I was both excited and nervous because I knew this was the last step to becoming a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. I went into the audition feeling very nervous but left with a sense of relief, knowing that I did the best I could and it was now out of my hands. We were told it would be a couple of weeks until we received a phone call letting us know if we were chosen to be a contestant on the show. That didn’t stop me from constantly checking my phone and messages in anticipation. When my phone rang and a California number appeared, I knew it was the call I had been waiting for! It was now only a matter of weeks until I would be spinning the wheel and hopefully solving puzzles!

Throughout the next few weeks I played my Wheel of Fortune home game constantly, trying to figure out what letters would be the best to call and practicing my puzzle-solving skills. I also used this time to think about what I would do in certain situations; would I gamble or take the safe route? I tried to think of every possibility so that I would not be put on the spot and be forced to make a big decision in a matter of seconds. Even though it would be completely different once I was on the show, believing that I was prepared would help calm me on game day. The last thing I did to prepare myself was to remember that no matter the outcome, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I needed to make the most of and just have fun!

The big day was finally here! I was well-rested and ready to play, but it would still be a few hours until game time. The hours leading up to game-time were spent spinning the wheel, getting my make-up done, understanding all of the rules of the game, and talking to the other contestants. I would be on the fourth show of the day, which meant I had the chance to see how some of my fellow contestants did. I watched with amazement at how well everyone's shows were going and hoped that by the time it was my turn there would still be some luck left!