By Kate Bartlett
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a contestant on one of America’s favorite game shows? Local Allegeny resident and teacher Jill Prince’s curiosity paid off and she won big last week on Wheel of For-tune totaling $136,386 total cash prizes, a 16 day all-expenses paid vacation to Portugal and Spain, tour of Alaska, a trip to the Super Bowl and priceless memories to last a lifetime.
Jill Prince is a resident of Allegeny and third grade teacher at Allegheny Limestone Central Schools. She grew up watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, and continued the tradition with her boyfriend, Gregory Eaton. One night, she got curious and said, “I wonder what it’d be like to be on the show.” Gregory encouraged her, she applied, and received a call back in just a few short months. “I was surprised to hear back so quickly,” says Jill. “It didn’t seem real at first, but I was very excited.”
Next, Jill completed a virtual audition via Zoom in August. “It was a pretty brief interview. I mentioned I was a Buffalo Bills fan, which apparently helped me get selected for the NFL tournament competition.” She was told she would receive a call back in 2 weeks -18 months if selected for the show.
In December, Jill received ‘the call’ that she was selected to come out to the studio near Los Angeles for final selections. “I wasn’t guaranteed a spot on the show, but it was a once in a lifetime chance, so I went.” Gregory joined her on the journey out to Sony Studio in Colver, California, an out-of-pocket trip. “We paid our own way, airfare, hotel, everything, but it was worth it to me. We were up for an adventure and it was pretty exciting.
Once at the studio, Jill was one of 15 contestants, but only 12 would be chosen to go on air. She surrendered her cell phone and wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone outside of the studio. After more auditions and practice rounds, her name was called along with the date for her show. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard ‘Jill, you’ll be on Tuesday.’ It was surreal.”
She, along with the other 12 contestants, went through practice rounds spinning the wheel and calling out letters loud and clear. “I wasn’t nervous at all during filming because we got so much practice; it was really helpful. The show films back-to-back episodes so they prepped us all at once. We were all so excited and nervous. The energy was high and it was awesome.”
When it was time for her show to film, her boyfriend was allowed to enter with the rest of the live studio audience. “The show is filmed live, so everything you see is what really happened.” She describes the experience as unreal, but she remained focused. “I was in the zone during the show. I never noticed how much money I had, or how other people were doing. I stayed focused on the game. I’ve never been a gambler, so I didn’t let myself get distracted by the money. I just played the game, and it paid off!”
During her first show, Jill moved onto the Bonus Round, and won a total of $65,698 along with a 16-day all-expenses-paid vacation to Portugal and Spain. She had no idea that she’d be moving on to play a second show, with the opportunity to play again and win more.
She was whisked away to film the second show almost immediately, which aired this past Friday, February 9th. During this show, Jill won an additional $56, 290 as well as a tour of Alaska and a trip to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. She solved the bonus round to say, “This is Far From Over.”
Although Jill was a bit starstruck, she reports host Pat Sajak and Vanna White both very nice, down-to-earth people. “Pat is very witty, and Vana White is such a nice woman. I spent a lot of time with Maggie Sajak, Pat’s daughter. She’s their Social Media PR manager, who is also very personable and enthusiastic.” Pat has been hosting since Wheel of Fortune began 41 years ago. With his retirement on the horizon, the show is transitioning for Ryan Seacrest to host in the near future.
While it was difficult to keep everything a secret once returning home from filming, Jill is excited to finally be able to share this experience with her friends and family. “We had 2 viewing parties, and both were incredible. We celebrated at Tony’s Napoli in Olean, made t-shirts, festive candy bars and enjoyed watching both shows with our family and friends.”
While Jill did win big, her favorite experience on the show was the people. “It might sound cliché, but the people were just so much fun! Not only the contestants, but the producers and everyone involved in making the show a success. They really pump you up and give you pep talks behind the scenes. The production crew works hard to make sure everyone has a good experience. They make you feel excited and are very good at coaching throughout the process.”
Wheel of Fortune airs weekdays at 7pm on NBC. For more information and to play online visit https://www.wheeloffortune.com/.