US2 min(s) read
Published 13:56 11 May 2026 GMT
A retired military veteran has made The Price Is Right history after winning the biggest single prize total ever awarded in the show’s 54-year run.
The contestant, identified only as “Vanesa from Virginia,” walked away with more than $240,000 in cash and prizes during a special Mother’s Day episode of the CBS game show.
Host Drew Carey congratulated the stunned winner by saying: “Happy retirement,” as Vanesa collapsed to the floor in disbelief and repeatedly looked toward her daughter for reassurance.
Her record-breaking victory came during the show’s newest game, “The Lion’s Share,” which was introduced last year.
In the game, contestants enter a chamber and try to correctly guess the prices of grocery items in order to earn up to five balls.
Those balls then determine prize amounts, with players given the option to either cash out or continue risking their winnings for larger rewards.
Vanesa decided to keep gambling her winnings in a bold move that could have cost her her total, but instead led to a historic payday.
She described the moment as “huge for me” after first winning $2,500, followed by $25,000 and then two separate $100,000 prizes.
Alongside the cash, she also won a luxury trip for two to Morocco valued at nearly $13,000, bringing her final total to $240,150.
The amount officially surpassed the previous daytime record of $210,000, which had stood since 2016.
As the prizes continued piling up, Vanesa became emotional and burst into tears while realizing the scale of her win.
“Vanesa, nice job,” Carey told her. “Almost a quarter mil. Nice job… That’s amazing. Happy retirement.”
Following a commercial break, Carey revealed to both Vanesa and the audience that she had officially broken a long-standing show record.
“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 announced. “Congratulations.”
Vanesa later reflected on the experience in a statement, saying: “From ‘Come on Down’ to playing ‘The Lion’s Share,’ it all felt so surreal – a dream moment that only kept getting bigger.”
She added: “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.”
