Wheel of Fortune fans are furious after a contestant lost out on a whopping amount of cash as a result of missing a difficult puzzle on Thursday night’s (May 18) episode of the long-running game show.

Cesar Redaja, a clinical pharmacist and horror movie fanatic, held the highest score of $26,393 — but things took a turn for the worse when he entered the special prize round.

The Tampa Bay native chose “Phrase” as his bonus round, as his husband Chris — whom he met at the hospital where he works — cheered him on from off-stage.

After choosing additional letters “HGMA,” Redaja was given the four-word puzzle which read, “THAT _AS A ____TAL _A__T_R.”

“That was a … uh…” he stumbled, before ultimately failing to correctly guess the answer, which was later revealed to be: “That was a pivotal factor.”

Noting that it was a “toughie,” host Pat Sajak quickly closed the prize envelope when Redaja read the amount he would have won should he have gotten it right.

“Cesar did really well tonight, I want to point that out,” Sajak said, telling the audience that he would have won $100,000 — which was only the fourth time that amount has been selected this season.

While Sajak attempted to comfort Redaja — who still went home with over $26,000 — by calling it “fake money,” Wheel of Fortune fans took to Twitter to sound off on the show for giving a nearly-impossible puzzle.

“‘That was a pivotal factor’ no one says that smfh,” one wrote, while another added, “‘That was a pivotal factor’….that’s a phrase?? Caesar got robbed!!”

A third person said, “‘That was a pivotal factor’??? Who has ever said that??” before someone else joked, “‘That Was a Pivotal Factor’ is a ‘phrase’ in the same Universe that Bon Jovi is ‘Metal.'”

“Yeah, I’m always going around saying ‘That was a pivotal factor!’ It’s so common!!! How could he not get that?! ????” another sarcastically quipped. “What the hell is wrong with Wheel of Fortune?”

Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.