A Connecticut woman became the biggest winner in “Wheel of Fortune” history Tuesday night after taking home more than $1 million in prizes.
Christina Derevjanik of Stamford, Connecticut, said in an interview on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday morning that she was in “complete shock” when she won the life-changing amount of money.
“As soon as the clock started, I just said [the answer] and for a second, I forgot about the million-dollar wedge. And then [host Ryan Seacrest] opened it, and I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness. This is real,'” Derevjanik recalled.
Derevjanik won a total of $1,035,155, becoming only the fourth contestant ever to land the show’s $1 million grand prize and the first since Ryan Seacrest took over as host, according to a press release.
Over the course of the game, Derevjanik collected $35,155 in cash and prizes, including trips to Montana and Tokyo, before advancing to the bonus round. She chose the category “Living Things” and correctly solved the puzzle, “PACK OF COYOTES.”
Seacrest then revealed the $1 million envelope, sparking confetti and cheers as Derevjanik celebrated her historic win.
Co-host Vanna White hugged her, saying, “I’m so happy for you!” Seacrest added, “Congratulations, you’re my first million-dollar winner. I have a tear in my eye.”
Following the episode, Seacrest told her she had become the biggest winner in the show’s history, to which Derevjanik responded, “I have no words!”
Derevjanik later admitted, “I was trying to manifest this. I was hoping for confetti, but I never thought it would actually happen.”
During the show, Derevjanik teased that if she did win a lot of money, she might just quit her job, but on “GMA,” Derevjanik revealed she didn’t put in her two weeks’ notice after all.
“My boss, who is also one of my good friends, she’s actually from L.A. originally, so she came with me and we joked like, ‘Well, if you win the $1 million, I may be going home by myself in the office, might have to fill your spot,'” Derevjanik recounted. “So that was just a running joke. Never thinking it would ever happen. But yeah, I’m going to be staying at work.”
Derevjanik’s boss added during her “GMA” interview that she was happy for her friend and colleague.
“She’s great. I’m happy to be cheering her on all the way through,” she said.
On “GMA,” Derevjanik revealed what she plans to spend her winning prize money on.
“The first thing that I am spending that on is getting rid of all my student loans,” said Derevjanik. “It’s something that, you know, the last 15 years I’ve been out of college, I’ve just been like, ‘How am I ever going to pay this off?’ And now, it is just going to be such a relief and then hopefully, invest in a home in the next couple of years.”
Outside the game show spotlight, Derevjanik works in marketing for a utilities company. In her free time, she enjoys solving puzzles, watching Hallmark movies and hiking with her dog, Hazel. An avid runner, she has completed 11 half marathons and one full marathon.
The $1 million grand prize wedge was first introduced in 2008 during the show’s 26th season.
To claim it, contestants must land on the wedge, solve the puzzle and make it to the bonus round without hitting bankruptcy.
The prize has only been awarded three times before, including to Michelle Lowenstein in 2008, Autumn Erhard in 2013 and Sarah Manchester in 2014.
