He won $145,000 on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and now he’s donating it all to charity
If you want to spell the word “generous” on “Wheel of Fortune,” you can either buy three vowels — or be Thursday night’s grand prize champ
If you want to spell the word "generous" on "Wheel of Fortune," you can either buy three vowels -- or be Thursday night's grand prize champion Scott Kolbrenner.
The California resident said he plans to donate all the money to charity after winning $145,000, including the $100,000 grand prize, on the popular game show.
His big moment came when he solved the grand prize puzzle with the clue, "What are you wearing?" (Answer: "Flowing white gown.")
The married father of two and life-long "Wheel" viewer said he is splitting his winnings between two charities, Uplift Family Services and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
"It's been a dark time. When I went on the show, I was doing it for the fun of it, and I said to my wife, 'If I do OK here, anything that I get, let's give it to charity. We're very fortunate. Let's see if we can support some others who aren't as fortunate as we are," Kolbrenner told Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" Friday.
Kolbrenner said besides everyone on the game show set that day, his wife was the only person who knew about his winnings, so it came as a huge suprise to his children and loved ones.
"It was complete and utter shock for everybody in our lives, and they were elated about it," he said.
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Joseph Shavit
Writer, Editor-At-Large and Publisher
Joseph Shavit, based in Los Angeles, is a seasoned science journalist, editor and co-founder of The Brighter Side of News, where he transforms complex discoveries into clear, engaging stories for general readers. With vast experience at major media groups like Times Mirror and Tribune, he writes with both authority and curiosity. His writing focuses on space science, planetary science, quantum mechanics, geology. Known for linking breakthroughs to real-world markets, he highlights how research transitions into products and industries that shape daily life.
