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A “The Price is Right” contestant set a new daytime record after winning the largest single pricing game prize in the show’s 54-year history.
Vanesa McCaskell, a retired Army veteran from Virginia, took home more than $240,150 in cash and prizes during the CBS series’ special Mother’s Day episode on Friday.
The milestone win came after McCaskell successfully navigated “The Lion’s Share,” a newer high-stakes BetMGM-branded game in which contestants can risk their earnings for a chance at significantly larger payouts.
McCaskell walked away from “The Lion’s Share” with $227,500 in cash and a trip to Morocco worth $12,650. Her win surpassed the previous single pricing-game record of $210,000, which was set by former contestant Christen Freeman in 2016 during a game of “Cliff Hangers.”
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“From ‘Come on Down’ to playing ‘The Lion’s Share,’ it all felt so surreal – a dream moment that only kept getting bigger,” McCaskell said in a statement, via Variety.
“I was nervous, excited and everything at once,” she added. “Winning over $200,000 is life changing. I plan to invest wisely, enjoy a little and treat my mom to a special surprise.”
“The Lion’s Share,” which “The Price Is Right’s” production company Freemantle created in partnership with BetMGM, was introduced during the first episode of the 54th season in September 2025 and allows contestants to win up to $500,000 in cash and prizes.
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In the game, contestants guess the prices of grocery items to earn up to five balls, which are dropped into a wind-tunnel-style chamber to reveal hidden prize amounts. After each reveal, contestants must decide whether to walk away with their winnings or continue playing at the risk of drawing a “lose it all” ball.
During Friday’s episode, McCaskell took an aggressive approach to the game as her daughter watched and cheered from the audience. After winning $2,500 in the first round, McCaskell continued, dropping to the floor in excitement when the prize was revealed to be $25,000. McCaskell proceeded through the third round and began screaming after she won $100,000.
With two balls left and a total of $127,500 in winnings, McCaskell decided to continue playing.
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“The last two numbers are my daughter’s birthday,” she told host Drew Carey. “I have to go.”
“For you, baby,” McCaskell said, pointing to her daughter in the audience.
McCaskell appeared to be in disbelief after it was revealed she won another $100,000 and her daughter jumped up and down in the crowd.
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“Vanesa, we’re almost up to a quarter-million dollars,” Carey said. “One more ball to go.”
“I have to believe,” an emotional McCaskell said while trembling before continuing on.
McCaskell covered her head with her hands as the last prize was revealed to be a “mother-daughter trip” to Morocco valued at $12,650.
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As McCaskell celebrated ending the game with $240,150, Carey congratulated her.
“Nice job. What a haul,” he said before shaking McCaskell’s hand and wishing her a “happy retirement.”
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“The Lion’s Share” is the first custom-branded game in the history of “The Price Is Right” and the first new pricing game that the show has introduced since 2021, according to BetMGM and Fremantle.
In January 2025, BetMGM and Fremantle signed a multi-year partnership agreement that gives BetMGM exclusive rights to use “The Price Is Right” and “Family Feud” intellectual property for online casino content, including slots, table games and other gambling-style games. The deal also included integrated sponsorships and branded segments within the TV shows like “The Lion’s Share.”
“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, via Variety. “That vision was delivered in a historic way during Vanesa’s record-breaking win on ‘The Lion’s Share.’”
“It’s always an exciting moment when we introduce a new game, and ‘The Lion’s Share’ is already delivering in a big way,” Fremantle exec VP of partnership solutions Erica Gadecki added.
The record for the highest total winnings on a single episode of “The Price Is Right” is $262,743, set by contestant Michael Stouber during a 2019 “Big Money Week” episode.
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