Extra word costs 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant $10K

LOS ANGELES -- A "Wheel of Fortune" contestant was just one letter away from winning $10,000 -- but one tiny technicality cost her the prize.

Graduate school student Kristen Shaw racked up some serious wins during Thursday night's game and accumulated nearly $10,000 worth of prizes, including a trip to Nashville.

The clue for Shaw's final puzzle was "(blank) FIELD," and with only one letter to go, she told host Pat Sajak that she'd like to solve the puzzle.

"Say everything. Don't add anything. Go ahead," Sajak said beforehand.

The correct answer was "Right, football, left, Sally," but Shaw made the mistake of adding the word "and" between "left" and "Sally," causing her to lose everything.

"Most times, I caution people not to add anything, and you maybe didn't even hear yourself say it, but you threw an 'and' in there with the last thing, and we have to go by the rules," Sajak said.

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Several fans took to Twitter defending Shaw, calling the "Wheel of Fortune" rule "ridiculous" and "garbage."

Others praised the show for sticking to the rules.

"Wheel of Fortune" also defended its decision in a statement, saying "contestants are thoroughly briefed prior to the show, and Pat often reminds them of this rule when solving a puzzle in this particular category."

And Shaw? She said nerves and excitement got the best of her.

"I don't think there needs to be a rule change. You know, rules are rules ... the show's been on for so many years," she said.