# Question about Winning a non Cash Prize on TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827 "2015-06-06T23:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827/41 "2015-06-10T18:25:00Z")
The article linked to by **sbunny8** suggests that you can challenge the valuation attached to the prize. The author won a five-day trip to Rome, valued at $7,000 but he checked prices for airfare and a hotel on Expedia and used those prices for the valuation. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827/42 "2015-06-10T18:28:07Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The article linked to by **sbunny8** suggests that you can challenge the valuation attached to the prize. The author won a five-day trip to Rome, valued at $7,000 but he checked prices for airfare and a hotel on Expedia and used those prices for the valuation. That could be a new rule. My dad won sweepstakes prizes, including cars and furniture, and had to live wih the valuation given by the provider. But he’s been dead about a dozen years, so maybe rules have changed. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827/43 "2015-06-10T18:41:56Z")
Did your father even try to challenge the valuations? I think most people just accept whatever value is given by the game show. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827/44 "2015-06-10T19:37:31Z")
He contacted the IRS about it and that’s what they told him. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827/45 "2015-06-11T07:43:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The Q&A I linked to in the third post is with someone who appeared on The Price is Right and lived in Reno. Regarding the car she won, she said, “I had to deal with the Mazda dealer in L.A. He had it shipped to the dealer in Reno, and they give you the car. Then you have to go pay the taxes and the registration on it. It was more like an investment, really.” Not a game show, but we met someone who won a car as the millionth attendee at Disney. They gave him a certificate for the car which could be redeemed at his nearest dealer. I won a week at a resort when I was on Jeopardy. I think I had the option to take it in cash, but I don’t remember exactly. What I do remember is that it came with transportation. However the resort was about 60 miles from my house, so I’d have to drive further to fly there than drive there, not counting the cost of a rental car. I still had to pay tax on the transportation voucher, even though I didn’t use it, but it wasn’t that much. You also get junky sponsor donated gifts. No tax on them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-winning-a-non-cash-prize-on-tv/721827.md?page=2)