<P> If a tie for first place occurs after the speed - up round, an additional toss - up puzzle is played between the tied contestants . The contestant who solves the toss - up puzzle wins $1,000 and advances to the bonus round . </P> <P> Before the bonus round begins, the winning contestant chooses one of three categories for his or her puzzle (prior to season 35, the puzzle and category were predetermined). After doing so, the contestant spins a smaller wheel with 24 envelopes to determine the prize . He or she is then shown a puzzle in the chosen category, and every instance of R, S, T, L, N, and E is revealed . The contestant provides three more consonants (four if he / she is holding the Wild Card) and one more vowel, then has 10 seconds to solve the puzzle after his or her other letters (if any) are revealed . The contestant may make as many guesses as necessary, so long as the contestant begins the correct answer before time expires . Whether or not the contestant solves the puzzle, the host opens the envelope at the end of the round to reveal the prize at stake . Prizes in the bonus round include various cash amounts (with the lowest being the season number multiplied by $1,000), a vehicle (or two vehicles during weeks with two - contestant teams), and a top prize of $100,000 . </P> <P> If the contestant has the Million Dollar Wedge, the $100,000 envelope is replaced with a $1,000,000 envelope . The $1,000,000 prize has been awarded three times: to Michelle Loewenstein (on the episode that aired October 14, 2008), to Autumn Erhard (May 30, 2013), and to Sarah Manchester (September 17, 2014). Contestants who win the $1,000,000 may receive it in installments over 20 years, or in a lump sum of that amount's present value . At the end of the Bonus Round, Sajak will reveal where the $1,000,000 envelope was on the prize wheel if the contestant failed to land on it . </P> <P> Originally, after winning a round, contestants spent their winnings on prizes that were presented onstage . At any time during a shopping round, most often if the contestant did not have enough left to buy another prize, a contestant could choose to put his or her winnings on a gift certificate, or he or she could put the winnings "on account" for use in a later shopping round . However, a contestant lost any money on account by landing on Bankrupt or failing to claim it by not winning subsequent rounds . The shopping element was eliminated from the syndicated version on the episode that aired October 5, 1987, both to speed up gameplay and to alleviate the taxes paid by contestants . However, the network version continued to use the shopping element until the end of its first NBC run on June 30, 1989 . </P>

How many times has the million dollar prize been won on wheel of fortune