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A retired U.S. veteran won playing pricing game The Lion's Share, a BetMGM-sponsored game
Published May 11, 2026 • Last updated 1 minute ago • 2 minute read
A contestant on The Price Is Right has set a record for the largest prize in a single pricing game in the history of the 54-year-old game show.
Retired U.S. Army veteran Vanesa McCaskell took home more than US$240,150 in prizes and cash last Friday on a special Mother’s Day episode of the TV show.
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McCaskell won pricing game “The Lion’s Share,” a BetMGM-sponsored game in which contestants gamble earnings for a higher payout of up to $500,000. She won $227,500 in cash and a trip to Morocco worth $12,650.
Her win passes Christen Freeman’s record of $210,000 set in 2016.
How McCaskell won big
McCaskell took an aggressive approach to the game. After winning $2,500 in the first round, she continued and the prize was revealed to be $25,000. McCaskell kept going and won $100,000. She then won another $100,000.
“Vanesa, we’re almost up to a quarter-million dollars,” host Drew Carey said. “One more ball to go.”
McCaskell kept testing her luck and it paid off, winning a trip to Morocco valued at $12,650.
“Nice job. What a haul,” Carey said in congratulating her.
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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, according to 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 show’s deal with BetMGM
In early 2025, BetMGM and show producer Fremantle signed an agreement that gives Bet MGM exclusive rights to use intellectual property from game shows The Price Is Right and Family Feud for online gambling content.
“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.’”
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