“Wheel of Fortune” history was made Tuesday night when Christina Derevjanik, a contestant from Connecticut, became only the fifth player ever to walk away with the game show’s coveted $1 million prize — and she made it look effortless.
Derevjanik had already secured the $1 million wedge during regular play, putting her in position for a potentially life-changing payday. Before the bonus round even began, she joked that if she hit it big, she might just hand in her two weeks’ notice at her marketing job.
The category for her bonus puzzle was “Living Things.” With the standard letters R, S, T, L, N and E already on the board, Derevjanik picked M, C, F and A. The choices filled in just enough blanks to make the answer solvable.
As host Ryan Seacrest started the countdown clock, Derevjanik didn’t hesitate. She immediately blurted out the correct answer: “Pack of coyotes.”
Her reaction was instantaneous — a mix of shock, excitement, and pure joy. She screamed, then jumped, as the realization hit. But the celebration didn’t stop there. When Seacrest opened the prize envelope and revealed that she had just won the $1 million jackpot, Derevjanik erupted into tears and laughter. Confetti poured from above as she hugged Seacrest and longtime co-host Vanna White in disbelief.
The big win meant more than just bragging rights. Derevjanik shared that one of her top priorities is to use the money to wipe out her student loans, a burden millions of Americans can relate to. “I can pay off my student loans,” she exclaimed, still in shock.
In an interview with Good Morning America the next day, Derevjanik revealed that she’s keeping her day job with a utilities company — at least for now — but also has her sights set on buying a new home in addition to becoming debt-free.
