'Wheel Of Fortune' Contestant Robbed? Twitter Debates After Player Loses $100,000 Prize

Some "Wheel of Fortune" fans felt that contestant Alexa Hoekstra was "robbed" after she failed to win a $100,000 prize on the game show this week.

Hoekstra won Thursday's episode of "Wheel of Fortune" and made it to the bonus round for a chance to win a bigger prize.

The Texas Woman's University student was given the "What Are You Doing?" category. After choosing her letters, co-host Vanna White flipped over some blocks on the board, and Alexa was left with "__ST _IN_ING IT."

She was given 10 seconds to complete the puzzle, and a number of viewers believed she said, "Just winging it," which was the right answer, Us Weekly reported.

However, "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak believed that Hoekstra said, "Just winning it," and she didn't contest it.

"So close," Hoekstra said after the round was over.

Though the contestant still walked away with $19,950 after the episode, some fans believed she said the right phrase and was "robbed" of $100,000.

"'Wheel of Fortune,' I think you folks just denied this girl $100k ... I sure heard 'Just Winging It,'" one person tweeted alongside a clip from Thursday's episode.

"I was like, 'She said it!'...And I got mad that she didn't acknowledge saying 'Just winging it,'" another agreed.

"Lifelong watcher here!" a third Twitter user quipped. "Alexa got robbed tonight. Her first attempt was 'Just winging it!' I've rewatched it a dozen times – you guys goofed. Give her the $100K she rightly won!"

"I heard winging and had no context. Was just given her audio. She seems confused herself as to what happened and I see her convincing herself maybe she didn't say it," a fourth person opined.

But others defended the show and insisted that the contestant said "winning" instead of "winging." They suggested that she would have argued with the host otherwise.

"She 100% said 'just winning it' and it's not even a debate. She didn't even contest it either. She knew she didn't say it. She just kept changing the first word of the phrase," one commented.

"That's because she *hadn't* said it. If your first guess had been 'just winging it' and that turned out to be the answer, the first thing out of your mouth when it was revealed would have been 'I SAID THAT.' She reacted as if 'oh darn, I was so close,'" another replied.

"I tried hard to hear 'winging,' but it's clear she said 'just winning it' first and then she changes the first word. It was probably nerves and then seeing 2 Ns up there already might have tripped her up. But she said winning for sure," a third commenter said.

"Sorry.. she said 'winning'. If she was confident, she should have shouted WINGING," another wrote.

Hoekstra hasn't publicly commented on the matter. But after the episode aired, she shared a photo and gushed over her "amazing experience" on the game show.

"Back in January, I had the opportunity to compete on 'Wheel of Fortune,' representing Texas Woman's University. Last night was my air date! It was an amazing experience and I am so proud to represent my university!" she shared via LinkedIn Friday.

"Wheel of Fortune" airs weeknights on 6 ABC at 7:30 p.m. EDT.