If you are a bit of a trivia-head, chances are you have considered going onto a game show or two to win some cash, armed with your extensive wide-ranging knowledge.
While, obviously, knowing more than everybody else is the real prize, it’s hard to ignore the sometimes six-figure cash prizes awarded to those that battle through various rounds of a show.
However... do you know which shows have the biggest prize winnings? It’s actually quite surprising, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire isn’t as unchallenged as I had expected.
The UK game shows with the biggest ever prize wins
Research from Spin Genie UK has revealed the top prize winnings on UK game shows, and some of our all-time faves are in there.
The third biggest pay out came from the BBC show The Wall, hosted by Danny Dyer.
The programme, which was based on an American show of the same name, was described as being ‘the ultimate game of risk and reward’. Players compete in the show by not only answering trivia questions but taking their chances on ‘defeating the wall’, which comes down to chance.
Back in 2020, brothers Gabriel and Daniel won over £122,000 after successfully defeating the wall. Although they did initially reach £130,000, the pair received multiple red balls towards the end of the game, meaning money was deducted from their prize fund.
Adorably, their overall prize fund was donated to their mum!
Then, in a joint tie for first place, is the classic Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, and Ant and Dec’s Limitless Win, which first aired in 2022.
Of course, in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, contestants can win up to £1 million if they manage to answer all 15 questions correctly. Since it was first broadcast in 1998, only six contestants have managed to bag the jackpot.
As for Limitless Win, well, it’s in the name. The available jackpot on the programme is hinted at in the name, with contestants able to win an unlimited amount of money. The highest amount won on the show to date is £1 million and has only been achieved by one pair.
The UK game shows with the biggest prize winnings
- Limitless Win, with £1 million won
- Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, with £1 million won
- The Wall, with £122,142 won
- The Chase, with £120,000 won
- The Wheel, with £116,000 won
- Beat The Chasers, with £100,000 won
- The Cube, with £100,000 won
- The 1% Club, with £99,000 won
- Moneyball, with £86,000 won
- Eggheads, with £75,000 won
Brb, I need to practice my quizzing skills.