Teacher Wins $1M on 'Wheel of Fortune'

Sarah Manchester of Silver Spring had to keep a “simply astounding” secret for more than four months: she won $1 million on a taping of “Wheel of Fortune.”

The Montgomery County teacher walked away with the biggest prize on the bonus wheel in a show broadcast Wednesday night, but taped months ago. Teacher’s Week kicked off the 32nd season of the game show.

“What a way to start the season,” host Pat Sajak said after Manchester’s win.

Manchester is a math teacher and math team coach at Takoma Park Middle School, WTOP reports. She is only the third person in the show’s history to snag the million-dollar prize.

The family is mulling international travel destinations, as well as more practical uses for the winnings, including college tuition, home improvement, and saving for retirement.

“I also look forward to making decisions as a family on how to help others benefit from this win, and to supporting social and environmental causes that are meaningful to us,” Manchester wrote on the show’s blog.

The $1 million wedge was added to the Wheel in 2008, according to WJLA.

Manchester grew up watching “Wheel of Fortune” with her parents, WJLA reports. She now challenges her own children to solve puzzles before she does and rewards them with cash. Manchester’s father, Paul, husband, Dan, and children, Alden and Raina, joined her on the show’s set and rushed forward to celebrate with her after the big win.

She took home a grand total of $1,017,490 from the show.

Manchester talks about her excitement over the big win in a blog post on the “Wheel of Fortune” website:

My Wheel of Fortune best-case scenario was winning the Bonus Round; I didn’t think much about a particular dollar amount. I wanted the opportunity to introduce my wonderful family on national TV, and for them to run out at the end and hug me. When the Bonus Round Puzzle appeared, I knew instantly that scenario would come true. I could scarcely believe the luck, at having the first letter in both words and a full syllable in the last word. I usually need at least a few seconds to solve the Bonus Round Puzzles at home. This puzzle’s solution was instantly clear.

Then Pat revealed the dollar amount – WOW! Simply astonishing. Though my children had been sitting in the audience with the sparkling green wedge, the million dollar prize still didn’t seem like a real possibility. And yet, it happened. The immediate aftermath is kind of a blur. I remember balloons and confetti, hugs and jumping around. Walking back toward the seats, I smiled as I saw my fellow teacher contestants applauding. A short time later, audience members were congratulating my family as we exited the studio. I remember wondering if all of them could keep this news secret, especially the large group of students on a field trip who sat behind us.

…The next morning, we hopped on a plane for home, wondering if it would be hard to keep this big secret for the next four and a half months, and pondering a question that is only hypothetical for most people – “What would you do with a million dollars?”

One of the things I’m most excited about is travel. There are many parts of the globe I have never set foot on but would love to. Now, almost any destination seems within reach – New Zealand, Iceland, China, etc. We have many practical plans for the money as well – college tuition, home improvement, and increasing our retirement nest egg. I also look forward to making decisions as a family on how to help others benefit from this win, and to supporting social and environmental causes that are meaningful to us.

>>Sarah Manchester celebrating her big win with her family. Screenshot from Youtube video.