Los Angeles, May 11, 2026, 03:02 PDT
Vanesa McCaskell, a retired Army veteran from Virginia, set a new benchmark on CBS’s Mother’s Day episode of The Price Is Right, taking home $240,150 in a single pricing game—the largest payout in the show’s 54-year history. That total includes $227,500 in cash, plus a mother-daughter Morocco trip worth $12,650.
The timing is notable: just months after “The Lion’s Share”—a sponsor-driven game—joined the lineup, it delivered the show’s biggest-ever single pricing-game payout. BetMGM and Fremantle confirmed the news following the May 8 episode, touting it as the largest win for a pricing game in CBS show history. PR Newswire
The move hands a fresh milestone to a long-standing daytime franchise, just as branded game-show formats lock in tighter with licensing pacts. September 2025 saw “The Lion’s Share” launch as the first ever custom-branded game on The Price Is Right, dangling up to $500,000 in cash, cars, vacations, and more for contestants. BetMGM Casino
McCaskell guessed grocery prices, snagging five balls for the main event. Inside the wind tunnel, contestants scoop up balls, then prizes are revealed as they go, choosing each time to quit or push on. The risk: a single “Lose It All” ball can erase every dollar in the bank. BetMGM Casino
She pressed on, racking up $2,500, then $25,000, and then two separate $100,000 cash prizes. The last prize—a trip to Morocco—brought the tally to $240,150, all under her daughter’s eyes in the crowd.
Drew Carey told McCaskell she was “almost up to a quarter-million dollars” before that final ball. Later, he called her the biggest pricing-game winner in daytime history. Carey also wished her a “happy retirement,” according to People. People
The prize outstripped the prior single pricing-game high of $210,000, which Christen Freeman set back in 2016 on “Cliff Hangers.” Still, it didn’t top the daytime episode record: Michael Stouber’s $262,743 from 2019 stands, driven by his Plinko and Showcase windfall. Ew
In a statement, McCaskell described the experience as “surreal,” adding that taking home over $200,000 is “life changing.” Her plans: invest some, have a little fun, and do something special for her mother. PR Newswire
BetMGM’s chief revenue officer, Matt Prevost, said teaming up with Fremantle aims to inject BetMGM’s signature style into a classic television game show. “Fresh energy” is how Fremantle executive vice president of partnership solutions Erica Gadecki described the new game, which she said still sticks to the show’s recognizable gameplay. PR Newswire
The commercial arrangement stretches beyond just a single show. BetMGM disclosed in 2025 that it had struck a multi-year deal with Fremantle, securing online casino rights for both The Price Is Right and the game-show heavyweight Family Feud. The agreement covers slots, table games, and various casino-themed offerings.
The rules aren’t always generous. That stop-or-continue twist that let McCaskell cash in big can also wipe out a player’s haul in an instant if the wrong ball drops. High rewards, sure, but the risk runs just as deep.
Friday’s episode landed on CBS and can now be streamed through Paramount+. The Price Is Right—still going with Drew Carey at the helm since 2007—keeps its weekday schedule.
