A "Wheel of Fortune" contestant solved a puzzle with only one letter on the board last week and went on to rack up $91,892, a new record for show.
Today.com reported that Pennsylvania dad Matt DeSanto guessed "The Lone Ranger" correctly with only the first "e" on the board. He then proceeded to solve every puzzle during the main round, not only making the only sweep since 2011, but also blowing past the previous record of $70,000 scored before the bonus round.
"I don't want to cause trouble at home, but I think there's a connection with you and Vanna," host Pat Sajak quipped during the Friday night game.
DeSanto failed to guess "Wooden Gavel" during the bonus round, however, falling short of some of the show's bigger prizes handed out over the last four decades.
This summer, for instance, a Maryland schoolteacher became the third contestant ever to win the $1 million grand prize during the bonus round.
Still, DeSanto's performance stood out from the usual "Wheel of Fortune" headlines, which are usually generated by contestants making major flubs
"The wheel definitely worked in my favor," DeSanto told the "Today" show. "I was extremely fortunate."
Asked if he had done anything special to prepare for the contest, he said he'd been a longtime fan of the show, watching since he was 5 years old.
He also said he'd done "some extra crossword puzzles," but "tried not to overthink it too much."
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