When the popular reality competition show Beast Games aired its final episode, viewers were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winner and the prize that would come with it: a staggering $10,000,000. It was a sum that promised to change the winner’s life, giving them financial freedom and the opportunity to live out their dreams. But what followed left fans shocked, confused, and disillusioned as the true amount the winner would actually receive was revealed—and it wasn’t anywhere near the $10,000,000 everyone had been led to believe.
The announcement came after weeks of suspense, during which the contestants had endured grueling challenges and extreme physical tests. The winner, having emerged victorious from the intense competition, was expected to receive the full grand prize, the coveted $10 million. However, much to the surprise of fans, the amount that the winner would actually take home was far less than advertised, due to various deductions and stipulations that had not been made clear to the public.
Here’s a breakdown of how much each player in Beast Games won of the $25,019,995.00 we gave away
$ 10,004,242
$ 4,200,000
$ 1,800,000
$ 1,000,000
$ 650,000
$ 450,000
$ 236,878
$ 200,000
$ 190,000
$ 100,000
$ 100,000
$ 100,000
$ 80,000
$ 80,000
$ 80,000
$ 80,000…— MrBeast (@MrBeast) February 14, 2025
First, there were taxes. In most countries, winnings from competitions are subject to hefty taxation. While this is a known fact, the reality of how much the winner had to pay shocked many fans. Depending on the winner’s home country and state of residence, tax rates on such a large prize could reach as high as 40% or more. This meant that nearly half of the $10 million was gone before the winner even had a chance to touch it. The winner, after taxes, was left with just a fraction of the advertised prize, a reality that many viewers hadn’t anticipated.
But taxes weren’t the only deduction. Beast Games had also included various fees for participation in the competition, as well as legal and administrative costs associated with distributing the prize money. These additional fees amounted to a substantial portion of the total prize, reducing the final payout even further. Fans were taken aback when they learned that the winner, in the end, would only take home a fraction of the sum that had been promoted throughout the season.
To make matters worse, some viewers discovered that the winner was also contractually obligated to make certain appearances and fulfill promotional duties related to the show in exchange for the prize money. These obligations, which were buried in the fine print of the contract, left the winner with little time to enjoy their newfound wealth, as they were tied to further commitments that restricted their freedom. Fans expressed frustration, feeling that the winner was being unfairly tied down and that the prize was less of a reward and more of a burden.
The shock continued to grow as people began comparing the winner’s take-home amount to the original prize. While it had been hyped up as a life-changing sum, the reality was far from it. Fans quickly took to social media, expressing their disbelief and disappointment over the situation. Many felt that the show had misled them and the contestants, using the $10,000,000 prize as a marketing tool without properly explaining the numerous factors that would reduce it.
For some, this revelation cast a shadow over the entire competition, raising questions about how transparent the show’s producers had been. While the winner undoubtedly still walked away with a significant amount of money, the fact that the promised $10 million was not what it seemed left a sour taste for many fans. The discrepancy between the advertised prize and the actual payout sparked a wider conversation about the ethics of reality TV competitions and how prize money is presented to the audience. Ultimately, Beast Games became more than just a show—it became a cautionary tale about the realities of competition, taxes, and the fine print of contracts.
