A participant on Wheel of Fortune secured a massive cash prize, though a portion of the audience debated whether her victory was completely legitimate.
On the broadcast that aired Wednesday, February 27, Sarah LaPilusa competed against traveler Yolanda Tillet and Air Force service member Jimmy Holgerson in a fiercely tight competition.
The Highly Debated Final Puzzle
Entering the bonus round, LaPilusa—a mental health clinic operator from California—picked “People” as her topic. She called out the consonants “M, B, H” and the vowel “O” to accompany the default “R, S, T, L, N, and E.” This left her looking at the following incomplete phrase:
_ _ S S _ B _ B _ E S
With time running out, LaPilusa first guessed “Jazzy babies,” which missed the mark. Yet, a fraction of a second later, she rapidly corrected herself with the right phrase: “Fussy babies.”
Still, the real debate centered on whether she actually delivered the answer before the timer expired.
Was the Victory Legitimate? Viewers Remain Split
Presenter Ryan Seacrest deferred to the show’s adjudicators for a ruling, and after reviewing the footage, they officially decided that LaPilusa spoke just in the nick of time. This verdict granted her the $40,000 jackpot, pushing her grand total to $55,050.
A segment of the audience on YouTube and social media platforms cheered her rapid cognition, labeling it a spectacular buzzer-beater.
“That’s what I call a buzzer beater! Great job, Sarah!” stated one fan.
A different spectator commended her vocal strategy: “PERFECT example of ‘talking it out.’ She said ‘jazzy babies’ which led her to ‘fussy babies’ right as time expired. AMAZINGLY well done.”
Conversely, other watchers were highly skeptical. A vocal group felt her winning phrase was uttered after the final beep and argued she should not have received the cash.
“That was 100% after the buzzer. It was so simply obvious,” a critic asserted.
Another person mirrored that viewpoint, writing: “She was too late. They gave her that win.”
Seacrest Responds, Yet Avoids the Controversy
Seacrest, who stepped into the main hosting role following veteran star Pat Sajak’s departure, steered clear of taking a firm stance on whether the win was valid.
“That was incredible! I’ve never seen anything so close!” he exclaimed to the applauding crowd.
Regardless of whether LaPilusa’s final attempt beat the clock or was a millisecond behind, the judges’ decision remained final—giving her the lucrative payout and prompting Wheel of Fortune enthusiasts to passionately argue over yet another polarizing game show moment.