‘The Price Is Right’ contestant wins biggest prize in show’s 54-year history after heart-stopping gamble
Vanesa, a retired veteran from Virginia, just made 'The Price Is Right' history. The veteran won more than $240,000 in cash and prizes during the Friday episode. All these winnings came from a single pricing game called 'The Lion's Share.' This game is a new addition to the almost five-decade-old show. Never before has a contestant earned this much, playing just one game. It is safe to say that despite being a late addition, the BetMGM-branded game has already made waves.
The game's concept is simple. Contestants will have to guess the cost of grocery items displayed in front of them. For each correct guess, the participants get one ball. In total, the contestants can win five balls hiding various prizes. They will then have to dash into a chute to collect these balls and throw them into a wind chamber. After all the balls have been gathered, the host will reveal the prizes for each of them, one by one. Contestants have the option of leaving the game every time the prizes from a ball are revealed. There are some 'Lose it All' balls in the mix, making a contestant's winnings go back to zero. If a contestant leaves before such a ball is revealed, it would not affect their winnings. However, they can choose to continue, which Vanesa did.
The first and second balls won Vanessa $2,500 and $25,000, respectively. The next two balls were worth $100,000. The last ball hid a trip to Morocco. It helped Vanesa earn $227,500 in cash and a trip worth $12,650 from her five balls. These winnings broke the previous record by a contestant named Christen, who won $210,000 from ‘Cliff Hangers’ in 2016. The record-breaking haul took place in a Mother's Day-themed episode, so it was fitting that Vanesa's daughter was seen cheering her heart out in the audience section for her mother. Vanesa became emotional after the win. She was screaming, jumping, and hugging host Drew Carey, moments after her big win became a reality. The host was evidently happy for her. “Vanesa, nice job,” Carey gushed and pointed out that she had won “almost a quarter mil.” “Nice job,” he later added. “That’s amazing. Happy retirement.”
Afterwards, the host explained to the audience that the win was historic. “Just so you know, Vanesa, she won $240,150 in cash and prizes, which makes her the biggest pricing game winner in ‘Price is Right’ daytime history,” he said. As per Variety, Vanesa enjoyed every bit of the dream ride that was 'The Price Is Right.' “From ‘Come on Down’ to playing ‘The Lion’s Share,’ it all felt so surreal – a dream moment that only kept getting bigger,” Vanesa shared with BetMGM and “The Price is Right” producer Fremantle. “I was nervous, excited, and everything at once. Winning over $200,000 is life-changing. I plan to invest wisely, enjoy a little, and treat my mom to a special surprise,” she added. New episodes of 'The Price Is Right' air every weekday at 11/10c on CBS.
