I won on WHEEL OF FORTUNE, and my biggest prize came today!!! AMA!

So does the government really take like half your money?

About a third...

In Canada, winnings aren't taxed. You could be keeping the whole thing. Too bad our only game show was Supermarket Sweep in the 80s.

Um, Supermarket Sweep was awesome.

How much did you actually have to pay to keep that thing?

Didn't get the tax form yet, but assuming it will be about $7k, about 30%

What was it like backstage, did you get catered to well?

It was pretty awesome, catering was standard, sandwiches, chips, bottles of soda and water. I got to eat after my taping because I was on the first show of six that day, and it was after I had won. That roast beef was delicious.

Vanna's roast beef?

Exactly...

pretty awesome? or totally awesome?

Ahhh, I see what you did there, it was TOTALLY AWESOME!

What did you do to get on the show? I've tried 3-4 times but heard nothing back. Really want to get on.

Did you ever get to audition?

No, I've filled the online form out. No audition. What did you do to get on?

I submitted a video to the Face of the Fan thing they were doing, then got the invite...

Did you have the option to get the cash value of the car, instead of the actual car?

No cash option unfortunately.

What were the other prizes?

Trip to Costa Rica, $11K in cash, and a SpaFinder.com certificate for a thousand.

This might seem like a strange question but... when you say $11k in cash, do you mean they give it to you in 100$ bills in a suitcase or does it just mean you get written a cheque for $11k?

It'll probably be a check, coming next week.

Yep, you'll get your check in the mail. I expected to have to sign for it at least but nope, just a regular envelope from Quadra Productions. Source: also a wheel winner.

My check came two weeks ago, it was awesome. :)

Games shows generally cut a check a certain amount of time after air date. (Meaning if your show doesn't air, they don't have to pay you.)

Since he kept the car, they may have had to take additional taxes up front per California Law.

Wow I've never heard of this before. Do you know whether this is something that happens regularly? It must suck to think you won prizes, only for them to tell you that they're not airing your episode.

I haven't heard of this...

Did you go to Costa Rica yet? I was born and raised there and would love to hear about your experience.

Not yet, but I'm really excited!

How hard was it to get on the show.

I had a good audition, and I guess that's really all it took. Be energetic, and happy to be there.

What did you guys do during commercials?

Got drinks of water, got touched up with makeup, chatted with Pat sometimes. It was all pretty much in realtime.

How much makeup did they put on?

Little bit of foundation and some stuff under my eyes.

Did you get a message/notification of the car coming? Or did it just show up?

What did you do with your previously owned cars?

They let me know about a month ago that they were starting the paperwork process. Then they told me last week which day it was showing up.

I'm going to sell it, and use the money to buy real estate, hopefully.

How awesome did you feel when winning and as well at any point while on the show when did you realize, I'm gonna win cars, boobs and roast beef tonight.

Haha, I felt good with the lead the whole time, but you can see the happiness in my face when Vishta solves the last puzzle, because I knew I was going to the bonus round.

How intense is that bonus round anyway? Was your clue "thing"? Did you have a strategy on letter selection going into it? What are your secrets????

The category was Phrase. It's really just luck before you guess letters. It's all based on what night it is.

Can you give me a link to your episode?

Ask and you shall receive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-tYFME3QQ4

Congratulations! Here's a recap of your show for those who don't have time to watch the video. (I'm the user with the NY avatar and red stars)

Did you get to choose what color the car would be?

How did you get a copy of your show? Did you record it yourself, did you torrent it, or did you buy it from the show? I ask because some contestants say they don't get a copy, but someone else whose wife was on the same week as you (Robyn, if you remember) said that they could buy one for $75.

Thanks! They called a few weeks ago to ask about the color. Someone on my hockey forum recorded it and posted it in HD, it's great.

Did it come in a box?

on a truck.

can I give you a kiss?

Sure!

Out of curiosity, are the options with the car loaded, average, or base model?

I wonder sometimes how far they go with this stuff?

It's the Jetta SE w/ Convenience, like a middle option model.

If you wanted, could you have paid them a little to get more options? Did you choose the colour?

No on the options, yes to the color.

• What was the audition process like? How did you even audition for it?
• Was Pat a dick in real life? He seems like he could be a bit of an asshole.

Got an email about auditions in NY for shows at MSG, so I sent in a video, got the email invitation, went to Brooklyn for the audition, rocked it, got my official letter on Dec. 26th. Got the email two weeks later that they had an open taping date on January 24th, so I took it. Pat was actually really cool and calmed us down.

That's awesome. A couple of follow up questions.

• How do you get on that email list? Did you have to sign up as a "Wheel Watcher" or something?
• You have to record a video and send in to them? What did you do in your video?

I ask because I would jump at the chance to be on the show. Curious as to how you would even go about it.

Pretty sure it was from the Wheel Watchers, and in the video, I just said why I would be a good contestant, easy as that.

Thanks for the AMA!

What was your favorite part about being on the show? How does Vanna White look IRL? How in the hell does Pat S. hit $5000 near every damn time in the last round?

Enjoy the Vee-Dub! db.

My favorite part was dominating the show. I never expected it to go the way that it did. Vanna looks good but is plastered with makeup. And it's really just luck that he hits it, he's been doing this a while.

What did you guys do for commercial breaks? Just kept going and commercials we added later? Also, did you feel bad for that lawyer that didn't even get to play really?

We took drinks of water, got makeup touch-ups, chatted with Pat and crew. And I did feel bad, just not that bad. :)

When you win a car, after the show, can you request instead of taking the car, just take the cash instead of what it's worth, or a little less than what it's worth? Seems like it would be a lot easier to just opt out for the cash.

Thanks for doing the AMA, and congratulations on winning!

No cash option unfortunately.

How could you stand the lawyers laugh?!

It was easy to stand it when she kept messing up.

How many ladies do you think you can pick up now?

I have a girlfriend currently, haha, not sure if this would help with other ladies.

HOLY CRAP! I have that exact same car. If I'm correct, you have a black interior and when combined with a black paint job and summer equals one boiling car.

Black exterior with black leatherette interior.

So when are you going to be buying me a Parise authentic jersey? :P Congratulations on winning, I remember your post in /r/hockey. Glad to see your car came in!

NJ or Minnesota?

Minnesota!

Oh, so the sausage king of Chicago gets a hockey jersey and no one else does?

Hockey jerseys for EVERYONE!!!

So are you still gonna sell it? source

Yup. Hopefully very soon.

How did you get chosen to go onto the show

Had to audition in Brooklyn. They did a bunch of simulated games and a 5-minute Hangman-like written test.

How cool is Pat?

Pretty awesome, it was so surreal that I talked to him for so long.

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Look at the picture or watch the video.