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Persistence paid off — literally — for a Laurel man who was featured in the Jan. 29 episode of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" after several years of unsuccessfully trying to make it on the show.

Clyde Wheeler, 35, participated in a taping of the show in October 2009 and earned $25,000 after taking an incorrect guess at the $50,000 question.

"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" is a trivia game show with contestants who answer multiple-choice questions to increase their winnings. It is currently hosted by Meredith Vieira and taped in New York City.

A self-proclaimed "trivia junkie," Wheeler has used a number of different approaches to try to get on the show, including a telephone trivia quiz and an open audition that was held at Arundel Mills Mall two years ago.

Wheeler, who owns a dry cleaning business in Hyattsville, was selected as a contestant last fall after submitting a home video of himself and his 6-month-old daughter, Liliana. In the video, Wheeler said he used his daughter's "cuteness factor" and a bit of humor to convey his desire to compete on the show.

"Please, you need to select me because at least if I get to go to New York I can get some rest," he said on the video.

Trisha Miller, a publicist for the show, said its producers look for contestants who have a good personality and are comfortable on camera. The producers also give the potential contestants a written test to ensure they are capable of doing well on the show, she said.

When Wheeler got the call in early October asking if he could attend a taping later that month, he did not hesitate.

"I was like, ‘I'll find a way to get up there,'" he said.

Wheeler's wife, Leilani, and his brother and sister-in-law, Kris and Shanay Wheeler, accompanied him to New York. His daughter stayed with his parents in Silver Spring.

Shanay Wheeler, a Bowie resident, said both brothers have always retained random facts and information.

"He just kind of knows a little bit of a lot of things, so that's very cool," she said.

Once on stage, Wheeler said he relied on that knowledge to get him through the game. But as the questions became more difficult, he turned to his three "lifelines" —the show's term for hints.

For the $50,000 question, Wheeler used his last lifeline, "Ask the Expert." The question read: "A person with a rhotacism would most likely seek treatment from which of these professionals? A: Cardiologist, B: Ophthalmologist, C: Speech therapist, D: Massage therapist."

The expert, "Good Morning America Weekend Edition" host Kate Snow, told Wheeler she didn't know the answer for sure, but would guess "B." Wheeler took her suggestion, but the correct answer was actually "C" — speech therapist.

Wheeler said the letdown of being eliminated from the show wore off as soon as he realized he had just won $25,000. He ended up answering 10 of the game's 15 questions.

"I was a little disappointed, but I bounced back pretty quickly," he said, adding that he plans to keep the money in the bank for future expenses and might use it toward a down payment on a house.

John Roerty, a Mount Airy resident, met Wheeler through a "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" online message board. The two men also regularly participate in a trivia night event at the Greene Turtle restaurant in Mount Airy.

Roerty, who has also tried to get on the show several times before, said he got some advice from Wheeler after his appearance.

"His suggestion is just be yourself and don't try to do anything special," Roerty said. "And it got him on the show."