MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A lifelong fan of game shows took a spin on "Wheel of Fortune" and hit the jackpot.
Mike Gaethke is a father to two girls in Milwaukee. He's a bartender, real estate agent and plays guitar in a band. He says he's always enjoyed watching game shows and had previously made an appearance on "The $100,000 Pyramid."
"My entire life, I would watch 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' almost nightly. I’d record them. My old college roommate called me 'game show,'" Gaethke said. “It was always regular people just winning money, you could see yourself in their shoes, and you root for them.”
On Wednesday, April 23, fans of "Wheel of Fortune" were able to watch Gaethke buy a couple vowels and make it to the bonus round, where he pulled $40,000. His earnings totaled $72,298.
“It was crazy, I didn’t expect it to happen, I was just happy going and having the experience and the money was just a bonus," Gaethke said. “I was pleased with my performance, I don’t think I embarrassed myself too much."
Gaethke said he plans to put his earnings toward a shopping spree for his daughters and a new guitar, among other things. He said appearing on the show was a fun experience.
“You see it on TV, and then see it in person, just looking around, it’s wild," Gaethke said.
You can watch "Wheel of Fortune" weeknights at 6:30 p.m. on CBS 58 and past episodes for free exclusively on Pluto TV.