Price Is Right Contestant Wins Record $240K Playing BetMGM's Lion's Share

^{Vanessa McCaskill stands in awe of her record-breaking winnings while playing The Lion’s Share on The Price is Right. (Photo: courtesy of CBS)}

A Price Is Right contestant walked away from the show with a record-breaking $240,150 last Friday from one of the show’s newest games. Vanessa McCaskill, a retired Army veteran from Virginia, set the record for the largest single-game prize in the show's 54-year history while playing BetMGM’s The Lion's Share. 

It was a huge milestone for her during a special Mother's Day-themed edition of the show on CBS, with her daughter cheering her on in the audience. 

McCaskill’s Game Winning Strategy

McCaskill started off by selecting the number 13 and instantly won $2,500. She continued playing and selected the number 21, which earned her another $25,000. She then picked the number 25, which got her $100,000, and decided to keep playing because the remaining numbers (8 and 27) matched her daughter's birthday. 

She selected number 27 to add another $100,000 to her total, then picked number 8 to seal the deal with a mother-daughter trip to Morocco with $12,650, bringing her grand total to $240,150. 

She later told Variety how amazing the moment of victory felt for her.

“I was nervous, excited, and everything at once,” she said. “Winning over $200,000 is life-changing. I plan to invest wisely, enjoy a little, and treat my mom to a special surprise.”

McCaskill has now surpassed the previous record of $210,000, set by Christen Freeman during a game of Cliffhangers in 2016.

Though this win is the largest prize won in a single game on The Price Is Right, it doesn’t top the show's all-time total winnings record for one contestant. Contestant Michael Stouber still holds the record for $262,740 in cash and prizes after his win back in 2019. His winnings included $202,000 during Plinko, a $30,000 prize in Showcase, a Nissan Sentra S, and a diamond bracelet. 

The Lion's Share Game Gets a Spotlight Since Debut

The Lion's Share was introduced in September 2025 as part of a partnership between BetMGM and MGM Resorts International. It’s not only the newest game added to the show since 2021, but also the show’s first branded game since it debuted in 1972. 

The name is a nod to the legendary Lion’s Share slot machine that used to be at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The slot went years without paying out and then paid out $2.4 million to one person in 2014. 

In the game, contestants can earn up to five numbered balls by guessing the prices of grocery items. They then step into a wind chamber to collect those balls one at a time, with each ball revealing either a prize or a "lose it all" result. After they select a ball, they can walk away with their earned prize amount thus far, or they can continue to play for larger payouts and risk what they've already won. The casino-themed game gives contestants a chance to win up to $500,000 in cash and prizes like trips and jewelry. 

The Price Is Right is produced by British media company Fremantle and airs on CBS. BetMGM has confirmed that an online casino version of the game is in development, with a release planned for later this year.