North Carolina Woman Wins Big on Wheel of Fortune After Contestant’s Mistake

A North Carolina woman struck gold on Wheel of Fortune Monday night, walking away with more than $72,000 in cash and prizes after a fellow contestant’s slip-up changed the game.

Beth Barbee, a Durham native and genealogy enthusiast, competed during the show’s Disney Princess Week special against California’s Twyla Arbuckle and Wisconsin’s Bryan Babler. After a steady start, Barbee pulled ahead by solving themed puzzles like “Snow White Chocolate,” earning herself a Disney vacation prize.

The turning point came during a puzzle under “What Are You Doing?” Arbuckle had nearly solved it but mistakenly asked for a “B” — a letter already on the board. “Just kidding, we already have a ‘B,’” she admitted, but host Ryan Seacrest reminded her that rules required taking the first answer.

That blunder allowed Barbee to solve “Following My Bliss,” winning a luxury Bahamas cruise aboard the Disney Wish. She went on to dominate the Bonus Round, solving “Picking Produce” to secure an extra $40,000.

By the end of the night, Barbee’s winnings totaled $72,392, cementing her as the week’s biggest star.