Moment 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant wins show's largest ever prize pot in front of her boss
A contestant on Wheel of Fortune not only bagged the show's biggest prize pot but won it in front of her boss.
Christina Derevjanik, from Connecticut, made history on the show on Tuesday (September 30) when she bagged the jackpot, $1,035,155, the 'biggest Wheel win' ever given away on the programme.
“I have no words!” the Stamford-based marketing manager exclaimed when she won.
The woman had secured the 'One Million Dollars' wedge earlier on in the show as well as $35,155 in cash.
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If that's not enough, Christina can also look forward to a trip to Montana and Japan thanks to the Wheel of Fortune.
Prior to learning her fate, the woman joked with host Ryan Seacrest that she would hand in her two-week notice of she won a million dollars.
Seacrest then pointed out her boss was actually sitting in the studio audience.
Christina progressed through after picking the 'Living Things' category, and successfully solving the puzzle with the 'Pack of Coyotes' phrase.
Seacrest then exclaimed: "You won a million dollars!" to which Christina could be seen jumping up and down while confetti rained down around her.
"I'm in tears," he added, while Christina rejoiced that she could finally pay off her student debt.
She then joked that she'll have a meeting with her boss 'once we get back to the office' about her future when Seacrest asked her if she had a message for him.
"I just completely went into another world,” she added in a post-show interview.
“I was like ‘Oh my God! I can’t even believe that I can now pay things off [and] put stresses aside.’ This is amazing, I’m so happy.”
She added she hopes to use the money to buy a home and move out of her one-bedroom apartment.
Christina stands as the first contestant to win more than a million since Seacrest assumed the Wheel of Fortune position in September last year after Pat Sajak's departure in June.
Since its inception in 2008, only four other contestants have gone on to win more than $1 million, including celebrity Melissa Joan Hart.
According to TV Insider, Michelle Loewenstein became a millionaire from the game for the first time on October 14, 2008, for guessing 'Leaky Faucet' to the category 'Around the House'.
Autumn Erhard then won in 2013 for guessing 'tough workout' to the category 'Thing'.
Then Sarah Manchester won on September 17, 2014 for 'Loud laughter' to the same category.
Finally, the Sabrina the Teenage Witch star, won on September 17, 2021, for 'bran muffins' in the category 'food and drink'.
Topics: Viral, Money, US News, Connecticut, Film and TV
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