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Autumn Erhard, who just turned 30, appeared on "Wheel of Fortune" May 30 for a 30th anniversary episode, and walked away a millionaire. "I am in complete and utter shock," Erhard told ABC 33/40. "I'm shaking. I came here today because I love the game, I wanted to have some fun and solve some puzzles -- I feel like I'm in a dream!"
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Erhard beat incredible odds to claim the top prize. First, she landed on the million-dollar wedge that was added to the wheel in 2008. She solved the puzzle and held onto the wedge. Then, she kept the wedge by never going "bankrupt," winning the game, and making it to the Bonus Round.
She was able to replace the $100,000 prize on the bonus wheel with her million-dollar wedge. Erhard also entered the Bonus Round with a Wild Card that allowed her to guess an extra consonant for the final puzzle.
Erhard solved the final puzzle, "Tough Workout," in just two seconds, making her only the second person in the show's history to win the million-dollar top prize. She also finished the regular round of with more than $30,000 in cash and prizes including trips to Belize and Arizona, bringing her total winnings to $1,030,340.
Erhard is recently engaged and hoped she could win a little something on the show to help plan her wedding. Her fiancé and parents were rooting for her backstage, and they were just as shocked as Erhard.
"No one could believe it! They were just off stage and couldn't see what my prize was. They were celebrating the fact that I solved the puzzle," said Erhard. "They kept asking me how much I won, and I had to keep repeating it because no one believed me at first."
