The Price Is Right contestant made show history after her huge win in cash and prizes during a record-breaking game.
The Price Is Right contestant secures record prize in jaw-dropping CBS episode
The Price Is Right contestant Vanesa made show history after her huge win in cash and prizes during a record-breaking game.
A contestant from Virginia has made history on The Price Is Right after winning the largest prize ever awarded in a single pricing game during the CBS daytime show’s 54-year run
During Friday’s special Mother’s Day episode, Vanesa walked away with a staggering $240,150 in cash and prizes. Her winnings included $227,500 in cash along with a trip to Morocco valued at $12,650.
The record-breaking victory came during a round of The Lion’s Share, a game introduced this season through the show’s partnership with BetMGM. The previous single-game record was set in 2016, when a contestant won $210,000 playing Cliffhangers.
After every reveal, players must choose whether to keep their winnings or continue playing for more, risking everything if they land on the “lose it all” option. Vanesa decided to keep going through all five rounds, ultimately securing the massive payout.
The retired veteran became visibly emotional after securing the huge prize haul, shouting with excitement, jumping up and down, and embracing host Drew Carey once she realized she had also won the trip to Morocco. Her daughter could be seen cheering and applauding from the audience during the celebration.
“Vanesa, nice job,” Carey gushed, noting that she’d won “almost a quarter mil.” He reiterated, “Nice job. That’s amazing. Happy retirement.”
Fans quickly reacted online following the historic win. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one person wrote, “I’ll be damned this is pretty good news.”
Another added, “She made it all the way to the showcase at the end and almost became the all-time prize amount winner in the history of the entire franchise (including the nighttime show). Alas, she lost her showcase. Even still…an amazing accomplishment! Kudos to her!”
A third viewer commented, “Wonderful news. Congratulations to her!” With a fourth penning, “This came on today it was great!”
The Price Is Right first premiered on CBS on September 4, 1972. Legendary host Bob Barker led the program from its debut until retiring in 2007.
Over the decades, the game show has aired more than 10,000 episodes, making it the longest-running game show in U.S. television history and one of the longest-running network series overall.
The show’s 53rd season debuted on September 23, 2024, with both daytime and primetime episodes, while its landmark 10,000th episode aired on February 26, 2025.
