A contestant on the long-running game show “The Price Is Right” has achieved a historic milestone, winning the largest single pricing game prize in the show’s 54-year history. Vanesa McCaskell, a retired Army veteran from Virginia, took home an incredible $240,150 in cash and prizes during a special Mother’s Day episode that aired on Friday.
A Record-Breaking Game
McCaskell’s monumental win came after she successfully played “The Lion’s Share,” a newer, high-stakes game developed in partnership with BetMGM. This game allows contestants to risk their accumulated earnings for the chance at significantly larger payouts. McCaskell’s total winnings included $227,500 in cash and a trip to Morocco valued at $12,650. This surpasses the previous single pricing-game record of $210,000, which was set in 2016.
McCaskell’s Journey and Reaction
Describing the experience as surreal, McCaskell stated, “From ‘Come on Down’ to playing ‘The Lion’s Share,’ it all felt so surreal – a dream moment that only kept getting bigger.” She admitted to feeling nervous and excited simultaneously, calling the over $200,000 win “life-changing.” McCaskell plans to invest wisely, enjoy some of her winnings, and surprise her mother.
During the game, McCaskell, with her daughter cheering her on from the audience, adopted an aggressive strategy. After winning $2,500 in the first round, she escalated her earnings to $25,000, then $100,000. With two balls remaining and $127,500 in winnings, she chose to continue playing, motivated by the fact that the remaining prize amounts were linked to her daughter’s birthday. She ultimately secured another $100,000 and a trip to Morocco.
‘The Lion’s Share’ and Future Partnerships
“The Lion’s Share” is the first custom-branded game in “The Price Is Right’s” history and the first new pricing game introduced since 2021. It was developed by Fremantle in collaboration with BetMGM. This game is part of a broader multi-year partnership between BetMGM and Fremantle, which grants BetMGM exclusive rights to use intellectual property from “The Price Is Right” and “Family Feud” for online casino content. This partnership also includes integrated sponsorships and branded segments within the television shows.
Matt Prevost, BetMGM’s chief revenue officer, expressed excitement about the historic win, stating, “Our partnership with Fremantle was designed to bring the thrill of BetMGM gameplay to life on one of television’s most iconic game shows. That vision was delivered in a historic way during Vanesa’s record-breaking win on ‘The Lion’s Share.’” Erica Gadecki, Fremantle’s exec VP of partnership solutions, added that the new game is already proving to be a significant success.
While McCaskell set a new record for a single pricing game, the record for the highest total winnings on a single episode of “The Price Is Right” remains $262,743, achieved by Michael Stouber in 2019.
