A Washington state schoolteacher left jaws on the floor this week after an incredible performance on Wheel of Fortune, solving the final bonus puzzle in lightning speed—before the countdown even began—and driving away with a brand-new Ford Bronco.
Julie Allen, a third-grade teacher from Spokane, showed off sharp skills and fast thinking on the April 16 episode, going head-to-head with Thomas Young of Detroit and Nikki Lopez of Melbourne, Florida. Allen, who said the long-running game show helped her get through maternity leave, proved she’s more than just a fan—she’s a force to be reckoned with.
The game got off to a competitive start with Young nabbing the first two toss-up puzzles, collecting $2,000 early. But luck wasn’t on his side for long. A spin landed him on Bankrupt during the first puzzle round, though he recovered later to take home $8,600 from that board.
Allen found her stride during the “Before and After” round with the clever solution “Chili Dog Whisperer,” which earned her $4,700. But it was the prize puzzle round that truly shifted the momentum. After a string of misfortunes—Bankrupts and a “Lose a Turn”—Allen swooped in and correctly guessed “Lions, Leopards, and Hippos,” winning herself an African safari adventure and boosting her total to $17,890.
In the rapid-fire Triple Toss-Up rounds, Allen stayed sharp, answering two of the three puzzles and adding another $4,000 to her total. She wrapped up the main game with the correct answer to “I Appreciate You,” finishing with $23,590 in winnings. Young walked away with a respectable $10,600, while Lopez pocketed $1,000.
Then the Bonus Round, where Allen brought her best friend Amy for support—her husband was back home with their young daughter. Choosing the category “What Are You Doing?” Allen was handed the standard letters before selecting “G, D, H, and I” as her choices.
With the puzzle displaying as “_EING _ _ ITE ITT,” Allen barely blinked before blurting out the correct answer: “Being Quite Witty.” She said it before host Ryan Seacrest even began the countdown. The crowd erupted as she opened the envelope to reveal her prize—a brand-new Ford Bronco worth $43,760, bringing her grand total to a whopping $67,350.
Viewers were just as stunned. “CAR WINNER?! LET’S GO!!! Good job, Julie!” one YouTube user commented. Another one admitted, “I had ‘being’ but couldn’t finish it.”
Speaking with Maggie Sajak afterward, Allen credited her job as a teacher for helping her spot letter patterns so quickly. She also revealed the win was deeply personal, saying she can’t wait to one day show the episode to her son, Ollie, and tell him, “I did this for you.”
Smart, fast, and full of heart—Julie Allen just gave America a game show moment to remember.
Sources: TV Insider