ONE DECISION… AND $74,000 VANISHED! Contestant Steven Meeks had a dream run on Wheel of Fortune — leading through the rounds, accumulating nearly $30,000 and confidently advancing to the Bonus Round. But a mid-game mistake, sacrificing a Wild Card for an “invisible” letter, proved to be a bitter turning point. In the final round, the puzzle was just a hair’s breadth away. He guessed repeatedly… and missed the answer “Too Much Hype.” Inside the envelope was $45,000, bringing his total prize money to a staggering $74,000. One moment of hesitation, and the huge prize slipped through his fingers — leaving the studio stunned. WATCH MORE BELOW

Gonzalez left with $18,400. Evelyn, a married 22-year Army veteran, did not have any money, so Wheel of Fortune gave him $1,000 to take home.

Meeks brought three friends with him to the Bonus Round. He chose “Phrase” for his category.

After being given “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” Meeks chose “H, F, D, and O” to round out his puzzle. It then looked like “TOO _ _ _H H_ _E.”

He used his Wild Card early, but needed it for the Bonus Round. The puzzle was “Too Much Hype,” but Meeks guessed “Too Much Hope,” “Too Much Hire,” and “Too Much Happy.”

The game show contestant lost out on taking home $74,000 after $45,000 was in his envelope. Meeks groaned, but wasn’t mad about his total.