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One lucky Wheel of Fortune contestant had a huge spin and a huge win on Monday’s (December 23) episode of the long-running game show.
Thomas Russo from Scarsdale, New York, proved to be a force to be reckoned with as he took on the iconic wheel. Russo, a New York Mets and New York Jets fan who dreams of visiting Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, faced off against Brenda Sweetser from Oak Lawn, Illinois, and Cobina Gibson from Chicago, Illinois.
Things started off steady for Russo before he picked up his game in the Express Round, increasing his winnings to $11,700 and bagging himself a trip to the Caribbean island of Bonaire. He continued to dominate in the Triple Toss Up, ultimately finishing on $17,100 and advancing to the Bonus Round.
After picking the “What Are You Doing?” category and introducing his mom, Diane, and aunt Carol, Russo was asked by host Ryan Seacrest to give the prize wheel a “big spin.” Russo delivered such a strong spin that the wheel kept on spinning, leaving Seacrest lost for words.
“A very good spin!” the host awkwardly said as the wheel finally slowed down after what seemed an eternity.
Turning to the puzzle board, Russo studied the blanked-out phrase before selecting the letters “H, G, C, and I” to go along with his already given letters of “R, S, T, L, N, and E.”
This left him with a three-word puzzle that read: “_ _ _ I N G / T H _ N G S / H _ _ _ E N.”
It didn’t take long for Russo to figure it out. As soon as the ten-second timer started, he shouted, “Making Things Happen!”
“You certainly are,” Seacrest responded before opening the prize envelope and revealing Russo won an extra $40,000. This gave the New York native a grand total of $57,100 — as he exclaimed throughout the show, that is some “big money!”
Fans took to social media to praise Russo’s game, with one YouTube commenter writing, “He definitely did give it a big spin!”
“Way to go, Thomas! You made things happen for sure!” said another.
“Cash money moolah, no matter how you say it, you just won $40,000!!!!! Congratulations, Thomas!” another added.
Another wrote, “Thomas was an absolute beast tonight. Didn’t have to think too hard about his letter choices or the puzzle. He had it nailed down right from the start. Congratulations, Thomas! Enjoy the extra cash!”
“Thomas made Christmas celebrations happen with $40,000! Merry Christmas!!!” said one fan.
What did you think of Russo’s big win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.