" It was so wildly surreal , and I could n’t believe I had in reality win that amount of money until after the show ventilate and they institutionalise me a physical check in the mail . "
Everyone dreams of winning a game show — you get to be on TV, you get free money and cool stuff, and you get to meet the famous hosts.
But just how cool is it to actually win? How do the prizes measure up once the adrenaline’s worn off, and how much of the money do you actually get to keep? If you’re curious to hear what actually happens after the credits roll, here are stories (fromthesethreeReddit threads) from 29 game show winners!
1.“My parents were onThe Newlywed Gamein the early ’80s and won! I guess beforehand, there was a list of items they were given, and they were supposed to pick three of the prize items and put them in order of their first choice down to their third. 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 third 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 may see my mum visibly upset they did n’t get the automatic washer and dryer … hahaha poor mom . Anyway , they did n’t find their booty until their episode transmit , and they had to go peck it up themselves down in Los Angeles or pay a hefty price to have the prize delivered ( they choose to pick it up themselves ) . They then receive cost to upgrade my mom ’s car to an sport utility vehicle with a towage encumbrance for the house trailer .
All in all , it end up being a great dirty money because they maintain it for 12 year , which included the first 8 years of my life . We take a lot of big family encampment trip in that minuscule trailer with some astonishing computer storage made . My mom did n’t wholly hate it , but she eventually made my dad sell it and elevate to a bad dawdler with it ’s own bathroom and shower . "
— u / Smoky - The - Beer
2.“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. My brother bought a Nintendo and a couple of games. I bought a ton of Cabbage Patch stuff LOL.”
— u / tbone56er
3.“I was on a game show calledLet’s Ask Americain 2013, and I ended up winning $24,000. It was so wildly surreal, and I couldn’t believe I had actually won that amount of money until after the show aired and they sent me a physical check in the mail. It was absolutely life-changing for me. I was 26 at the time of filming and had been working three jobs (marketing firm, restaurant, bar) just to get by in an otherwise shitty economy.”
" I was n’t exactly drowning in debt or anything , more so just dumbfound by payroll check to paycheck . I also did n’t mind work at all . It was just that I had all these travel plans that I was constantly dreaming about .
I pretty much felt like I was in this constant cycle in which I could never really save much . So , when I received this relatively tumid nub of money , I decided to trade everything and plan out some locomotion . I ended up get a one - year work and vacation for Australia and make it here in 2014 with nothing but a haversack and a duffel grip .
I ’m now a permanent resident of Australia and have about six months until I can give for citizenship . Since living in Australia , I ’ve been to 12 different countries which for some reason always felt impossible when I was living back home . I ’ve just loved my overall experience and am so grateful that those winnings were the accelerator for it . "
— u / attawnnc
4.“I was on and won a Canadian kids game show calledUh-Oh(with quirky host and active redditor Wink Yahoo) in the sixth grade. In about half an hour’s time, I had brown paint water dumped on me twice before nailing a couple speed rounds and taking home the crown. The prize came as advertised, a sweet Sony three-CD stereo system which served as my alarm clock as well as a tool for me to play drums along with my favorite albums for many years.”
— u / grizzsnow
5.“My high school drama and speech teacher was the ‘friend’ someone called for a ‘phone a friend’ option onWho 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 my teacher used the money to adopt a baby.”
— u / GreenLigh
6.“My brother won $15,000 onWho Wants to Be a Millionaire?in 2009. … 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, $2,000 at the mall, just like dumb kids.”
— u / MandrewCarrion
7.“Not me, but best friend. … Friday night, very, VERY drunk (he had no memory for about a four to six hours), lots of drugs, generally a complete…mess. So, he wakes up in the morning, with the world’s worst hangover, he proceeds to sit in front of his Sky Box and chillax. During the course of the day, he looks at his recorded shows only to see a new recording from the night before. So, watching the recording, it’s a call-in game show. The aim of the game was to guess 1 of 10 answers, but the question was completely random, like ‘There is a knock at the door, who is it?’ — aka, pure luck really. In his drunk state, he called in (via work to avoid the perm number) and made a guess. He said, ‘Gas man.’ The result? He won £6,000.”
" So , my admirer with the bad hangover of his life-time is sitting in front of his TV watching himself win 6k ; they put the money in his account that day , win profits . He then spent it on a brand new blood plasma TV ! ( This was a while ago . ) "
— uranium / le_anon_le_story
8.“I won the grand prize on this game show calledBeat the Geeksthat was on Comedy Central. This was back in, like, 2003 or so. The grand prize was a trip to the Cannes Film Festival as part of Troma Films. Turns out my contact person at Troma who was supposed to pick me up and take me to the group had quit a week prior and did not leave a follow-up plan for me. So, my first night ever in a foreign country, I was all alone, and there were pretty much no rooms available.”
" I was always kind of a pushover and never really stood up for myself , but I instantly became a ' do n’t take no for an reply ' kid , and after walk around townspeople for a while , I find a fancy ass hotel and lecture my way into get one of the room . I went out , I become food , I baffle wine , I smoke French cigarettes , and I laugh with the swell sensation of superbia and sureness I ’ve ever had in my sprightliness . I afterwards met up with the squad , took a day trip to Monaco , met friends I still blab out to from all around the human race , and almost got arrested while dressed up as the Toxic Avenger doing some irregular parading on the principal street with these wild beau from Baltimore . The other prize , like the DVD and the TV , were nifty , but this one … this one made me find awake . "
— u / dandehmand
9.“Canadian — won $3,600 onWheel of Fortunein 1995. After the completion of the taping of the show, we were hustled into a side room where we had the option to accept or decline any of the winnings and prizes we get. On the advice of my accountant, I was told to accept everything. Canadian tax law classifies game show winnings as lottery winnings and are tax-exempt. However, IRS still takes their cut. Lost about 1/3 to IRS — but can be reclaimed in the form of a US tax credit against any future US earnings I may have. CA state lottery commission takes a chunk as well.”
" Anyway , we were told that we would be responsible for transport and duty on all parting endowment . Were also apprise that the last cheque would be sent after the last of the leave gift had been claimed . ' No trouble , ' I thought . ' When will I ever do this again . '
job ! Each of the leave gifts was shipped to me severally of the others , and the shipping and cargo forwarding fee butt against on usury .
First to go far was a Dirt Devil Dust Buster — along with a UPS charge of $ 65 . in all likelihood could have wandered down to Wal - Mart and picked one up for $ 35 .
Next to arrive was a three - piece toddler ’s clothing set . avowedly , a courteous little perspirer , shirt , and gasp set — but scarcely worth the $ 38 in shipping and cross border brokerage fee .
The facial cleansing agent and loofah sponge were next — a snip at just $ 29 . cry a bit on the interior when I set up the accurate product ( complete with a bonus facial toner ) for $ 11 at a drugstore in townsfolk .
The gift certificates for the four bottles of sleeping pills came by standard mail — but were only valid for redemption in the USA .
The best was the item I had conceive to be a SunBeam bread maker . I was surprised when the UPS driver showed up and only asked for $ 27 in brokerage firm and shipping fee . Seemed like a somewhat good muckle until I start the loge and discovered two loaves of SunBeam bread … or something that resembled that . They ’d been defy up in a brokerage firm warehouse for three week , and were more worthy for a ' skill project ' than a ' sandwich . '
The last of my prizes having get in , I did receive the check soon thereafter .
Last small incentive — UPS driver made one last trip with another $ 65 tab . Not sure what it could be as all of the talent had been accounted for . By error , a 2nd Dirt Devil Dust Buster . FML .
19 years after , still a good company history . "
— u / chrish4151
10.“My brother was on$25,000 Pyramidin ‘77 or ‘78. He got a lifetime of Rice-A-Roni. It was a case of, like, 48 boxes every year for, like, three years. We got a letter that the show was going off air and out of the Rice-A-Roni business. Cut us right off.”
— uranium / c3h8pro
11.“I wonJeopardy!twice. … After you win, they pull you aside and make you sign triplicate carbon receipts for the money you won. It’s a really weird day — going from exhausted shambling at 5 a.m. to THE MOST ADRENALINE IMAGINABLE to bureaucracy to walking around shell-shocked, but it’s still two hours to dinnertime. Bonus: I just poked around the Sony Pictures lot for a bit and bumped into Ron Howard in a bathroom.”
And if you ’re wondering what happens directly after you acquire … " They line you up . One of you is completely adrenaline - intoxicated and shaking , and the other two are completely spent and escape from and very bloody pitiful . So , you just stand up there under those lights and sway a little . Alex starts babble , asking light questions — about your misstep in , the hotel , the weather condition back home . You just involve something to do with all that energy and muddiness , and Alex channeled it into fatuous babble . "
— u / Prufrock451
12.“A family friend won a lifetime supply of Tic-Tacs off ofMatch Gamein the ’70s as a consolation prize. She said they sent her one box a month for about a year and stopped. She was okay with that.”
— u / thatoneguy889
13.“I wonWheel of Fortunetwo 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.”
" I did n’t get to talk to Pat much , but he was nice , for sure . We did get to see Vanna before taping . She was wearing Ugg kicking , I will never forget that . One swell cried when she walked in . "
— u / hrmhrh
14.“My girlfriend (now wife) won a year’s supply of pizza as a consolation prize onThe Price Is Right.Only problem was we live in California, and the pizzeria was in New York. So, what did they do? You guessed it, they shipped the pizzas via regular delivery (not even overnight) from New York to our apartment in California. When the pizzas got there, they were often three or four days old, and were not refrigerated, thus moldy and disgusting. After about a week of this, we contacted the show, and they agreed to a ‘cash value’ of just over $100 (far less than the value of the pizzas). Ever since then, I have had a dislike forThe Price Is Right.”
— u / ChewyIsThatU
15.“I was onLet’s Make a Dealin 2016, and I won a new car. It was actually perfect timing because my old car was on its last legs, and I had started saving for a new one, then I won a new one and the money I had saved paid the fees and stuff.”
" I won the car in August but did n’t really get it until November when the episode air out , but they drive it to my flat and had me ratify the human activity , and it was all pretty painless . I had listen rumors throughout life about come through on game shows ' costing you ' and thing like that . I guess because I already had some money economise for fees and taxes , it ended up really painless . get a brand new car worth 16k for about 3k in fees and stuff . whole worth it and would whole recommend it !
Here ’s a tip : If you ever go to one of those plot shows that peck protester out of the hearing , they have a producer briefly interview EVERYONE ( normally in group ) beforehand , and as long as you ’re lively without being theatrical , and seem interesting without being bonkers , you have a good shot at being picked . When the manufacturer was interviewing the 20 - member slot of interview member I was grouped with , he asked everyone their name and what they did and one interesting fact about themselves . And one random guy who desperately desire to be on television receiver part doing the worm there in the interview area . You could immediately see on the manufacturer ’s face that though he was forcing laugh , that ’s definitely not what they ’re looking to put on video . Loose carom are a freehanded no - go . "
— u / itsjustmoran
16.“I won the showcase onThe 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 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.”
" Had to yield tax on the economic value of all the prize as if it were income . Luckily , I impinge on a dollar sign on the big wheel and a nickel on my bonus twirl and won enough hard currency to cover taxes . [ I also deliver the goods ] $ 11,000 , two surfboard and wetsuits , a week - farseeing trip to Sandals Bahamas , and a few other odds and finish like a printer . "
— u / Fluxmuster
17.“My family and I were the last family to win $10,000 onFamily Feudback in 2000 when Louie Anderson was the host. We were the third show of five on the last day of taping for the season, and the two families behind us didn’t win the $10,000, and they began the next season with a $20,000 prize. (We were also on the show when winners weren’t allowed to come back and repeat, which sucks).”
" We taped the show in October , and our show did n’t air until February . We were tell to keep the final result under wraps , but of course , we told all our class and friends about it . We did n’t receive the money until April . … They machine break up the prize for us , and sent me and my four family member $ 2,000 each and a W-2 form at the end of the year . I made a photocopy of the check before I cash in it , but I do n’t know where it is . I was only 18 when we won so that was , like , a Brobdingnagian deal to me , and I bought a computer and a few other thing for myself for my upcoming college didactics . "
— u / The_Hardways
18.“I was on the showThe Substituteon MTV. Haven’t heard of it? No surprise there, it sucked. I won $5,000 on the show which was the grand prize, and on camera, they handed me a briefcase full of money. The money was fake, though, and if anyone knows anything about money, then they would realize the amount of cash in that briefcase would have been significantly more than $5,000. After recording finished, they took the briefcase and fake money back and gave all the participants pizza and told us we would receive a check in one to two months after the episode aired. The way this particular show worked I ended up splitting the $5,000 with the other 19 contestants, so we all got a check for $100 about four months later.”
" Since the plunder money was under $ 500 for each person , none of us had to pay revenue enhancement on it . "
— u / EmergencyTaco
19.“I was onU-Pick Liveon Nickelodeon once as a kid. They were about to wrap up the season before the summer started so they were traveling around a bit and did one week of shows in Orlando, Florida where coincidentally, my dad was taking my brother and I. At the front gate, there was a group of people handing out tickets to get into the screening like they were bibles or something. I begged my dad to let us get them, and then I had to beg him again later to let us go and watch the show. Then, when we’re there, ‘Pick Boy’ comes out, and everybody is raising their hands to be picked and screaming. I STAND UP and put both hands in the air and shout. He points at me, I point at myself, he nods, and I run down to the set.”
" They stick in me and require me what door I wanted to blame from the prize rampart . I think I had a chance at win a ' can of cash ' which , as the name imply , was a trash can full of money of an unrevealed appellation . I did n’t get that , but I got a GameCube , which was not bad at all . The sucky parts were : It took , like , four month for them to send it to me , and I lost the taping of the show pretty quickly after I got it . "
— u / bigdicksidekick
20.“I won a contest on early ITV kids television around age 11. This was the time that laptops were just starting to come out and get big, and thus, when the prize was a laptop, I decided to enter. The question was something to do with the cartoon version ofTarzan,and I won. The picture showed a brand new laptop. When it arrived, it was a leapfrog learning laptop aimed for 6-year-olds. I was 11. And batteries weren’t included.”
— u / Chilljin
21.“My mom got on (and won)Wheel of Fortune.I’ll try to be vague to protect her identity. Per the show, she officially won an all-expense-paid trip to a country I won’t list, a (at the time) brand new Infinity (2010 range), and, like, $25,000 cash. She said she was required to pay taxes on the car, which was several thousand dollars upfront that she just had to pay as her game show winnings took a while to arrive so she couldn’t use that. She took out a short-term loan using the car as collateral to pay that tax. She sold the car, paid off the loan, and kept the difference.”
" Something they do n’t tell you is how heavily taxed income from game show is ; I remember her only keeping a few grand out of her 25k . She did , however , get to keep most of the money from trade the car , AND the tripper to a alien country was legit ( including the spending cash they give you when you ’re out there ) . Overall , she used the money to pay off some debt and lived basically the same after the show ( minus some debt and with the add life experience in another country ) .
For anyWheel of Fortunefans , she said Pat is unretentive in person , that everyone stand on pedestals to make them come along monovular in height , and that Vanna White is passing nice . "
— u / Lord_Metagross
22.“I was onWheel of Fortunein 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.”
— u / radioflyerrr
23.“My old boss won on GSN’sTrivial Pursuitshow while that was still on the air. He said the person that won in the taping just before his got a trip to Jamaica, so he was looking forward to a tropical vacation. Imagine his surprise when they announced he’d won an all-expenses-paid trip…to San Antonio. In his words: ‘After you’ve gone to Six Flags, you know what’s fun to do? Pack your shit and leave.'”
— u / Chastain86
24.“My mom was onJeopardy!in 1991 and got no money but won: a cellphone (huge ’90s cellphone that you plug into your car), a year’s supply of centrum silver (one of the show’s sponsors, a vitamin for men), [and] a blender that immediately broke.”
— u / nom_yourmom
25.“This was way back in the early aughts; my roommate was booked on a Fox Network game show, I think it was calledGreed,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, shit-eating grin, and declares, ‘I just won a LOT of money!!’ Apparently, he had signed an NDA of sorts, so he couldn’t tell any of us (friends and 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.”
— u / SaMoSetter
26.“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 Australia (from the UK), and they’re living their best life.”
" The show was calledRed or Black . It was delete not long after . "
— u / greengiantsbaby
27.“I won $1,600 onCash Cab. Who would have thought that knowing the name of George Clooney’s pet pig would prove to actually be useful someday? We were given ‘money’ on the show, but after filming wrapped, the producers took it back, and the money was sent to us after the episode aired. None of our earnings were taxed because this wasn’t in the US.”
— atomic number 92 / glass_kites
28.“About $60K onThe$100,000 Pyramid.Got a check in the mail about two weeks after the show aired. They tell you beforehand (and you have to sign a paper confirming your understanding), that they do not have to pay you your winnings if the show gets canceled and your episodes are never broadcast.”
" I do n’t recall a mint of tax withholding , but you do have to hold the profits just like steady income , so you ’re taxed on it at the same rate your other income is taxed . The bummer is that employ to both cash and dirty money , so if you win a $ 5,000 cruise , it ’s still gon na cost you a few grand in taxes . Thus , when you walk off the stage at the close of the show , the contestant coordinator has a tilt of the prize you pull ahead , and you’re able to dispense with your right to any of them to fend off the tax bill . ( In the old day ofWheel of Fortune , the contestant won an amount of money in each stave , and then had to go ' shopping ' from a gallery of prizes with moderately high price , so they ended up with no immediate payment but a lot of useless crap that they had to compensate taxation on . Due to contestant complaints , they did away with that part of the secret plan , and now , you get to keep the money you win . Check YouTube to see some of those . )
Finally , the secret hoarded wealth you win are the ' parting natural endowment . ' They advert them quickly during the end credits , but your find a parcel on your doorstep every few days from the most random companies . I develop about 50 coupons for free bag of kitty litter ( gave them to classmate who had cats ) , a vacuity cleaner , a clock wireless , a showcase of Hormel Chili , and a stop for $ 25 from a denture pick company . And because they are consider promotional items , there ’s no revenue enhancement on those . "
— u / Dogface99
29.And finally, let’s end on the person that lived out every kid’s dream… “I was slimed onSlime Time Live.Won a razor scooter and a year subscription of Nickelodeon magazine.”
— u / egnaro2007
compliance have been edited for distance / limpidity .
