WHEEL of Fortune is under fire from fans for an on-air blunder that further dampened what was already a lackluster giveaway prize.

Tom won a trip to South Dakota on Monday, but viewers noticed something amiss in the footage – it cut to an entirely different state.

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Tom aced this puzzle as ‘Large Herd of Caribou’Credit: ABC

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He won a trip to South Dakota, which fans mocked in itselfCredit: ABC

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Various images of South Dakota were shown – and Devil’s Gate, which is in WyomingCredit: ABC
Tom dazzled Wheel of Fortune fans with a surprisingly fast solve to the above puzzle in the Living Things category.

After nailing it with “A Herd of Caribou,” host Pat Sajak, 77, revealed the vacation he had won.

“You know, this is a really great trip you haven’t been on, we’re taking you on a tour of South Dakota!” he said.

Tom sarcastically grinned, looking like he “couldn’t be more disappointed,” fans posted.

The broadcast then showed sweeping visuals of the prize package while announcer Jim Thorton detailed the itinerary.

“Here’s a wild getaway where Cayotees howl,” the announcer proclaimed, mentioning “iconic sights” like Mount Rushmore, which totaled $7,398.

‘BREAK OUT A MAP’

However, fans spotted that one image to describe the prize package showed Devil’s Tower, a national monument at Devil’s Gate National Park in Wyoming.

Fans spun to social media, mocking the blunder between South Dakota and the accidentally featured Wyoming landmark.

“Wheel of Fortune needs to work on their geography! The trip giveaway for the prize puzzle was a trip to Western South Dakota, and the first image they showed was of Devil’s Tower in Wyoming! Lol,” one fan wrote on X.

“Did they really just show Devil’s tower when describing the tour of South Dakota? Time to break out a map, and apologize to the people of Wyoming,” wrote another.

“#wheeloffortune just gave away a trip to South Dakota and showed a picture of Devil’s Tower, which is in Wyoming!” wrote a third.

Others found it funny that the lavish locale the contestant was getting sent to was South Dakota.

“This dude on Wheel of Fortune just won a vacation to South Dakota. LMAOOOO, I’d be heated,” another wrote.

“Dude just won a trip to South Dakota on Wheel of Fortune. He couldn’t look more excited,” wrote a fifth.

“Wow. Guy on wheel of fortune won a trip!!! To South Dakota. He and the rest of America couldn’t be more disappointed,” wrote a sixth.

Later in the episode, Tom left fans gobsmacked by solving a three-word puzzle as “Glacier Bay Alaska,” with just one “S” in it.
Wheel of Fortune contestant solves puzzle with only one letter – leaving fans suspicious as they cry ‘seriously, how!?’
With his total winnings reaching $33,048, Tom advanced to the bonus round but faltered at the big money puzzle that concludes each episode (the solution was “It Was A Fluke”).

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Fans reacted, ‘Wheel of Fortune needs to work on their geography!’ and ‘Break out a map, and apologize.’Credit: ABC

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Others joked that Tom ‘couldn’t look more excited’Credit: ABC

PAT SPINS INTO RETIREMENT

Pat has been a mainstay on Wheel of Fortune for over forty years, so fans were shocked when he announced his upcoming retirement.

Sajak revealed the news in a personal note on X, formerly Twitter, on June 12, 2023.

“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” he tweeted.

“It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months.”

“Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)” he added.

“When we started Wheel of Fortune’who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later?” Vanna tweeted in response.

“I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come,” she added. “Cheers to you!”

Wheel of Fortune’s 41st season premiered on September 11, 2023, and will reportedly run through early June 2024.

The show airs weekdays at 7:30 pm ET on ABC, and Pat’s last episode is believed to be airing on June 7, 2024.

It’s unclear whether his sendoff will be “supersized” or whether any additional surprises are set for Pat’s final night as host.

Just a few weeks later, Ryan Seacrest announced on Instagram that he would be replacing Pat.

“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest wrote.

“Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease.”

Seacrest, currently hosting season 22 of American Idol, also told ABC News he “just can’t wait to start.”

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The same contestant stunned fans by solving this puzzle as ‘Glacier Bay Alaska’ with one letterCredit: Wheel of Fortune

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Pat Sajak was also stunned, ‘How did you do that?’Credit: ABC