“Vanesa from Virginia” is likely pretty happy today that she came on down to “The Price is Right.” The contestant — last name not revealed — just won the largest prize in a single pricing game in the 54-year history of the CBS daytime game show. As revealed on Friday’s special Mother’s Day episode, Vanesa won more than $240,000 in cash and prizes.
Vanesa won while playing “The Lion’s Share,” a new game that was introduced this season on “The Price is Right” via a partnership with BetMGM. Vanesa won $227,500 in cash, as well as a trip to Morocco valued at $12,650 (total $240,150). The previous record win for a single pricing game on “The Price is Right” came in 2016, when a contestant won $210,000 playing “Cliffhangers.”
“From ‘Come on Down’ to playing ‘The Lion’s Share,’ it all felt so surreal – a dream moment that only kept getting bigger,” Vanesa said in a statement supplied by 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,” said Vanesa.
“The Lion’s Share” follows contestants as they guess grocery item prices to earn up to five balls. Each ball is dropped into a wind tunnel, revealing a hidden prize amount. Contestants must decide after each reveal whether to take the money and prizes — which can add up to as much as $500,000 or continue — with the risk that a ball might correspond to a “lose it all” option. Vanesa went all the way, taking the prizes for all five balls.
According to BetMGM and Fremantle, “The Lion’s Share” is the first custom-branded game in the show’s history, and the first new pricing game on the show since 2021. BetMGM and Fremantle seled a multi-year deal last year that lends “The Price is Right” and “Family Feud” intellectual property rights for slots, table games and non-traditional casino games.
“Our partnership with Fremantle was designed to bring the thrill of BetMGM gameplay to life on one of television’s most iconic game shows,” BetMGM chief revenue officer Matt Prevost said in a statement. “That vision was delivered in a historic way during Vanesa’s record-breaking win on ‘The Lion’s Share.’”
Added Fremantle exec VP of partnership solutions Erica Gadecki: “It’s always an exciting moment when we introduce a new game, and ‘The Lion’s Share’ is already delivering in a big way.”