Polish “Millionaire” Gives Away First Grand Prize Ever

It’s been a really long time since someone’s won the $1,000,000 prize on our version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire without, you know, skipping around three or four questions.  A few other countries can feel our pain.  Poland is one of them.  Their version of the show, Milionerzy, has been on the air for around six of the past eleven years in two different versions and hasn’t had one until now.  It was announced that their version has finally taped its first 1,000,000 zł winner.  In a very crudely translated article from Poland…

We waited for over 10 years! – Said the program host, Hubert Urbanski. – Before the last question, I told the players that if you win, and to risk a million, then I dance in the studio. Well, I had to keep it – continues.

We learned also that as soon as the participant pointed out the answer and Hubert said that it is correct, all in the studio with the audience began to cry. Persons with production laughed, for the first time be able to see how many people work at the “millionaires”, because after these words the whole team rushed to the studio.

Polish Millionaire is a mix of the European versions with some changes that would be cool to see in America.  First, they use the new 12 question money chain.  They apparently got rid of Phone A Friend before we did.  The three lifelines used are 50:50, Ask the Audience, or Ask the Expert.  They also use the new British graphics and music.  The big change that I really love comes from the new “risk” version of the game you can play.  If you agree to forfeit the second milestone (in this case 40,000), you can have the 4th lifeline Switch the Question.  So if you agree to this and miss, you go back to the first milestone of 1,000.  You can play it safe and keep that milestone, though, just playing with three lifelines.

It’s an interesting aspect of risk and gambling in the show, and since I’ve been watching some old clips on YouTube I’ve really forgotten how that new lifeline when you reach the 3rd milestone, where very few people can go far in, brings new life into the game and a lot more excitement.  We’ll get a video of the win as soon as we can.