$1 million Wheel of Fortune winner during Wednesday night's episode that aired on ABC 7 was a math teacher from Silver Spring, Maryland. According to multiple reports, the recent $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner is the third contestant to win more than $1 million of the grand prize on the popular game show.
According to WJLA, this week's episode was also Wheel of Fortune's "Teacher's Week." The episode reportedly kicked off the show's 32nd season.
The name of the recent $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner is Sarah Manchester. The Associated Press reports that she will be taking home about $1,017,500, as well as a trip to the Dominican Republic for the win which was filmed in May.
Manchester said, "This is a once in a lifetime event," and added that she's "soaking in every minute" of the win.
The recent $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner is a math teacher and a math team coach at Takoma Park Middle School, which she attended as a child, reports the AP.
Apparently, Manchester has had quite a lot of practice in solving "Wheel of Fortune" puzzles. According to WJLA, she is used to watching the game show with her parents while growing up.
According to the recent $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner, she even made the game a challenge for her own children by making them solve puzzles and giving them cash prizes for each puzzle solved. WJLA reports that Manchester was joined by her father, Paul; husband, Dan; and children Alden and Raina during the taping of the episode.
The win did not come easy however.
The game had reportedly been close with only $6,000 separating the first- and third-place finishes. Manchester was able to become the recent $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner by solving the third toss-up puzzle, "The Pacific Ocean," with only few of the letters revealed.
Not only did she win more than $1 million, but she also won a trip to the Dominican Republic.
The game even had Manchester so caught up in the moment that she forgot she was already going into the bonus round, and will be playing for the chance to be a $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner.
When host Pat Sajak reviewed her winnings, she said "Oh, I forgot!" However, she admitted there had been difficulties during the reveal of the word "Loud Laughter" in the bonus round puzzle.
Manchester said after she had become the $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner, "I saw it right away, so I called the letters and was able to solve pretty easily."
According to TIME, the $1 million dollar grand prize wedge was only added to the Wheel in 2008, during the show's pilot of the 26th season.
In order to become the $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner, each contestant must the wedge and make it to the Bonus Round without becoming bankrupt. The top $100,000 cash prize will then be replaced by $1 million dollars on the bonus round wheel.
After a contestant spins for a wedge, the host collects the envelope and the contestant must solve the challenge, and the host reveals the envelope's content.
According to WJLA, the first ever $1 million dollar grand prize was won in October 2008 by a Michelle Lowenstein, while the second win was in May 2013 by Autumn Erhard.
That makes Manchester the third $1 million Wheel of Fortune winner.
Sajak said following the win, "What a way to start the season."
Manchester said "I assessed that the probability was low, but even unlikely events sometimes happen!" when she was asked if being a math teacher helped her calculate the probability of winning the grand prize.
$1 million Wheel of Fortune winner will reportedly be using her winnings to pay for her two children's education and to travel with her family.
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