Entertainment,Movies & tv,Economy & LaborJUL 6, 2023

30 People Share What Happened With Their Prizes After Winning A Game Show

106

And behind Door Number 3, you’ll see that you just won a brand new car! We can’t wait to send you home with your prize! Just remember that first you’ll have to pay taxes on it, buy car insurance, pay for gas and figure out a way to transport it all the way back to your home state. Congratulations!

Game shows have been a television staple for decades, but have you ever considered what it’s actually like to win one? Well, lucky for us, plenty of former game show contestants have detailed their experiences online, so we don’t have to go on The Price Is Right to understand what it’s like. Below, you’ll find info about the money awarded, the downsides of the prizes, and how the experience impacted participants’ lives, as well as interviews with game show champions Stephen Hall and Cory Anotado. Enjoy getting a glimpse into the wild world of game shows, and be sure to upvote the stories that make you want to audition for Jeopardy!

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 People Share What Happened With Their Prizes After Winning A Game Show

My high school drama and speech teacher was the “friend” someone called for a “phone a friend” option on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? back when Regis was still the host. The guy who called him shared a portion of the money with my teacher, like 20-30k and and my teacher used the money to adopt a baby

GreenLigh, olia danilevich

Report

321points

#2

Not a game show. I rang the bell on the sledgehammer game at a country fair. The girl I was on a date with was impressed. Still married after 35 plus years.

championofadventure, JohnsonL623

Report

282points

To learn more about what it's like to win a game show, we reached out to Stephen Hall, the man behind HowToWinGameShows.com. Stephen is an experienced game show winner, and lucky for us, he was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about his experiences.

"Here in Australia, Sale of the Century was a hugely popular show from 1980 - 2001," he shared. "I competed on it in 1994, and lost. Then I went back on five years later... and lost again. After that, the show was axed... but then resurrected in 2005 under the new name Temptation. I went on Temptation that year and won seven nights in a row, taking home the entire prize showcase and an incredible cash jackpot! As a result, the following year I competed in Australia's Brainiest Quiz Master (against other quiz show winners), and managed to win that too!"

#3

I won $125,000 on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire about 20 years ago. After taxes, I still had about $80,000. I paid my car off, got a computer, was able to quit a full-time job I hated and take a more enjoyable part-time job, and went to college. Now I work at a job I love that I wouldn’t have if I never got a college education. RIP Regis.

lavenderincense, Hector Alejandro

Report

271points

#4

This will get buried but I won Wheel of Fortune 2 years ago. I won $67,000. After taxes it ended up being about $52,000. I paid off all my debt, went to Disney, bought some new furniture for the house and paid cash for a car. Still have about 20k sitting in savings. It was absolutely phenomenal. It had always been my dream and I still can’t believe it happened.

hrmhrh, Paul Hudson

Report

269points

We were also curious if Stephen found the prizes he won to be worth it. "You bet they were!" he told Bored Panda. "Among the prizes I won on Temptation were holidays (domestic and international), jewelry, a lounge suite, a big screen TV, a kitchen renovation, a new car, a huge cash jackpot... and a telescope. Absolutely life-changing stuff, the benefits of which I - and my family - are still feeling today. The prize on Australia's Brainiest Quizmaster was a $20,000 donation to a charity of my choice (the RSPCA)."

Stephen added that he had been "avidly studying Temptation" as he trained for it, so he was "super familiar with the all ins and outs of the format and all the prizes on offer." The only thing that may have surprised him was the telescope!

#5

Not a game show, but I won a mooing contest at a fair. Prize was a walkman in the 90s. MOOOO🐄

unamusedbouche7

Report

249points

#6

This was way back in the early aughts; my roommate was booked on a Fox Network game-show, I think it was called 'Greed', and meant to compete with the wildly popular (at that time) 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'.

I still remember the day he comes home from taping the show; opens the door, throws his arms up in the air in a victory pose, s**t-eating grin, and declares, "I just won a LOT of money!!"

Apparently he hd signed an NDA of sorts, so he couldn't tell any of us (friends & Family) how much it was until the show aired a few months later

He won 300K before taxes (which were significant). Funny thing; he only bought one big thing, a new but entry-level Honda and put the remaining $$ in the bank. Didn't change him in the slightest from my recollection.

SaMoSetter, Kindel Media

Report

235points

#7

I won a few thousand on Jeopardy a few years ago. It allowed my wife and I to finally go on a honeymoon two years after getting married. Maybe not life-changing on a grand scale, but definitely made our lives a bit better.

whiskeyalfredo, Nguyễn Thanh Ngọc

Report

211points

We also asked Stephen what game show contestants should understand before deciding to go on any of these programs. "Rule #1 is make sure you know - I mean, REALLY know - the show," he says. "Watch the show, study the show, analyze it and play along against the other contestants on recorded episodes - or on episodes on streaming services - using your remote control as the buzzer. If you're serious about winning, remember that it IS a competition, and you need to train for it in a serious way. But if you're just going on for a bit of fun, and to maybe win a nice prize or two as a bonus, of course that's cool too. It just wasn't my approach... I always approached it as a mission."

#8

I was on a kids game show in the late 80s with my brother. We won, but lost the grand prize (trip to Disneyland) in the bonus round, and were given a $500 gift certificate to a toy store instead. $250 each for a toy store was absolutely incredible for a couple of kids, especially in the 80s. I still remember that shopping trip.

tbone56er, Nong

Report

190points

#9

When I was 10 I correctly guessed the weight of a pumpkin and won a packet of giant cabbage seeds. I never got round to planting them. Life has been downhill ever since that peak.

EmpireofAzad, Neon Tommy

Report

185points

#10

Not a game show, but when I worked at a hardware store we got a phone call for help in tools. I was free and grabbed the call. Introduced myself, asked how I could be of help and the customer said they were looking for a 'drill that has a function to help drill through concrete' so I answered a hammer drill, and all these alarms and s**t started going off. The dude on the other end of the call said he was from some radio show about tools, and since I had gotten the answer correctly, he'd send me a pizza.

Got a pizza. Was dope.

Mocavius

Report

174points

Due to how much success he's had, Stephen believes that his game show days are behind him. "It's definitely someone else's turn, and I think going back after all the incredible good fortune I had on Temptation and Australia's Brainiest Quizmaster might just be a little bit greedy," he shared. "These days, I'm more interested in sharing all I've learned, through my blog HowToWinGameShows.com. You can find ten years' worth of tips, hints, interviews, behind-the-scenes features and general game show-related information there."

If you're interested in learning more about Stephen or thinking about auditioning for a game show yourself, be sure to check out his blog or his eBook, How To Win Game Shows: Winning Tips, Tactics and Strategies from Game Show Producers, Hosts, Writers... and Champions!

#11

Mine was technically a game show. I remember vividly as I was reading through the disclosure agreements, it was listed as such. I was on a show on CNBC `Make me a Millionaire Inventor." We were episode 1 season 1; the premiere.

We had developed a mouthguard that measures the severity and frequency of sport impacts. We ended up "winning" $100,000 investment from the investors and everything worked out.

We received the capital and deployed it effectively. We are now a growing company, that helps keep athletes safe around the world.

For us it was rather monumental!

FITGuard

Report

165points

#12

Years ago called into a radio show and won two tickets to a cruise through the Bahamas. Only seconds later to be told it was strictly for couples 25 and up. Was extremely disappointed (was like 19 or something) and never understood why

nawkles, Matthew Barra

Report

146points

#13

I won the showcase on the price is right. It was the spring break episode so it was only college students. It was my senior year of college. Winning a new car and a bunch of other stuff made the last semester of college awesome. It's s been 9.5 years and I still drive the car. So I guess it's changed my life in that I've never had car payments.

Fluxmuster, Branson Convention and Visitors Bureau

Report

141points

To learn even more from a game show expert, we were also lucky enough to get in touch with game show champion and the founder of BuzzerBlog, Cory Anotado. Cory has competed in 5 game shows already: Jep!, Wheel of Fortune, Wowowee, The Chase, and Jeopardy! So we were curious what this expert's thoughts on the programs were.

"Game shows are intertwined with the history of television. Some of the very first television programs ever were game shows!" he explained. "They’re a mainstay in many cultures because people love playing games, and people love watching people play games. From the dramatic highs of someone winning a million dollars on Millionaire, to the lows of someone absolutely saying something stupid on Family Feud, game shows provide all the things people expect from entertainment."

#14

I was on Wheel of Fortune in 2017 and won the bonus round. I ended up with $46,200 and a trip to Cuba. After taxes I made close to $30,000 and the trip was amazing. I was on for Teachers Week and am still treated as the local celebrity around school. Vanna was a doll and Pat is what you would expect.

radioflyerrr, Brady Knoll

Report

131points

#15

Not me, but my parents were on the "Newlywed Game" in the early 80s and won!

I guess beforehand, there was a list of items they were given and they were supposed to pick 3 of the prize items and put them in order of their 1st choice down to their 3rd. They had just moved into their first house and really needed a washer and dryer, so they put that first (and assumed that's what they would end up with if they won), and for the 3rd choice they put a new pop-up tent trailer with camping supplies (something my mom definitely did NOT want lol)

Wellllll... they ended up with the pop-up tent trailer and camping supplies. On the video you can see my mom visibly upset they didn't get the washer and dryer hahaha poor mom.

Anyway, they didn't receive their prize until their episode aired and they had to go pick it up themselves down in Los Angeles or pay a hefty price to have the prize delivered (they chose to pick it up themselves). They then incurred costs to upgrade my mom's car to an SUV with a tow hitch for the trailer.

All in all, it ended up being a great prize because they kept it for 12 years, which included the first 8 years of my life. We took a lot of great family camping trips in that little trailer with some amazing memories made. My mom didn't totally hate it, but she eventually made my dad sell it and upgrade to a bigger trailer with it's own bathroom and shower haha

Smoky-The-Beer, Kampus Production

Report

117points

#16

I won the top prize ($500) on a quiz show called Inquizition. This was around 1999. The check arrived right before my car registration was due, which was helpful because I had just lost my job.

froglover215, Karolina Grabowska

Report

113points

When it comes to giving out great prizes, Cory says one show in particular has changed the game. "The one game show on modern television that has absolutely transformed the art of prizes is Press Your Luck on ABC. Hosted by Elizabeth Banks, the new modern Press Your Luck contains a bonus round in which the player attempts to Beat The Whammy by using all their spins against a Big Board filled with not only cash and whammies, but personalized prizes catered to the contestant that won the game," the expert explained. "Dream cars, fantasy trips, multitudes of their favorite candies or foods—the notion that the prizes are specifically catered to the contestant playing hasn’t been done this successfully ever."

#17

My girlfriend and I were on Shop Til You Drop and won big. I still use the dishes every day. The trip (trips? It was a long time ago) I won was decent. I paid the taxes on my winnings with a check before leaving the lot. It took months and months for all the deliveries to come in, which was weird. I sold off some of it, used a lot of it, and can’t find the episode anywhere.

How did it help my life? The producer became a friend of ours and helped me propose to my gameshow partner girlfriend and we’re still happily married 15 years later.

FAHQRudy

Report

108points

#18

My brother won $15,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2009. It's funny 'cause we were both on the show in November (I was in the audience), but we didn't get the check until February. Then, we got a letter from "The Executives of ABC" or some arbitrary name like that with a check for 15-large. Since my brother and I were only used to cashing our checks at check-cashing places, that's exactly where we brought it. They charged us $100 and we got $14,900 in 100s, 50s, and 20s.

As soon as we got home, my brother dumped all the money on the bed and rolled around in it. Quite possibly one of the only times in my life where I'll be able to do that with that much money. We also blew like $2000 at the mall, just like dumb kids.

MandrewCarrion, David Gomes

Report

106points

#19

One of my parents won £500,000 on a game show in 2012. Before this parent went on the show we had been served an eviction notice from the rented house we were in; needless to say they bought a lovely house and it was the first time I ever had a nice bedroom to decorate. Being on the property ladder changed their lives drastically and now they’ve moved to the upside down place (from the UK) and they’re living their best life.

Edit: for people getting asking about the pronouns it was a protection of identity is all.

The show was called red or black. It was cancelled not long after

Yes I meant Australia, no it wasn’t bought; they had to prove their societal worth

greengiantsbaby, Rental Realities

Report

105points

Cory also has some wise words for anyone considering going on a game show. "If you are an American and going on a game show, don’t do it to get rich quick or to get out of dire straits—the taxes will eat up a lot of your winnings and chances are you won’t be left with much more than 30 minutes of memories," he explained. "If that’s okay with you, then get on a game show and have the time of your life. It’s such a unique and fun experience that I recommend anyone who wants to should definitely try. And if you need help getting on a game show, read the BuzzerBlog guide How To Get On A Game Show."

While Cory has plenty of game show experience already, he says he would absolutely be interested in participating in another. "Out of the game shows currently on the air, I know I could win the top prize on GSN’s Split Second—trivia is right up my alley," he shared.

#20

A friend of mine won one of the last episodes aired of The Weakest Link. It was an episode where they were supposed to be look alikes of the host😂 she won 100k! She was wanting to be able to stay home with her kids and this allowed her to do that. She homeschools her six kids now and is just such a happy, sweet lady!

ChickenMathisReal, cottonbro studio

Report

86points

106