Winning a prize on reality shows is not as easy as it seems.
Many reality TV personalities have claimed that they did not receive their prize money and other winnings after their victories.
In some instances, reality show contracts state that the money will be received shortly after the season finale airs. This was the case for Squid Game: The Challenge season 1 winner Mai Whelan, who had a months-long delay in receiving her money due to the contract terms, People reported in January 2024.
However, other reality stars have claimed that they are still waiting for the money years later. In March 2026, Kelly Clarkson alleged that she never received the car she was promised after winning American Idol in 2002.
Keep scrolling to see what reality stars have said about not receiving their prizes:
In March 2026, Kelly Clarkson claimed on her talk show that she never received her prizes for winning American Idol season 1 in 2002.
“I was literally on the show, and they were like, ‘Oh, you win a million dollars,’ or whatever. No, you didn’t,” she said. “They lied. You did not, no. It was like a million dollars worth of investment in you.” (The American Idol prize at the time was a recording contract worth $1 million.)
Additionally, Clarkson claimed that she never received the car she was promised for winning.
“They said you get a car, and I needed it ’cause my car is bashed in and I couldn’t afford the [insurance] deductible. And then, no! I did not get a car!” she continued.
Rob Rausch — ‘The Traitors’Rob Rausch, who won season 4 of The Traitors U.S., claimed on the Kelly Clarkson Show that he had yet to receive his $220,800 prize. (The season was filmed in June 2025 and concluded airing on Peacock in February 2026.)
“They still haven’t paid me,” he told host Kelly Clarkson.
Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge — ‘The Amazing Race’
The Amazing Race season 37 winners Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge claimed shortly after the finale in May 2025 that they had not yet received their $1 million prize.
“When you just won a million dollars on The Amazing Race but the check hasn’t cleared yet,” text read over clips of Jack eating ramen noodles and Carson drinking a Narragansett Lager and riding a New York subway.
It’s unclear if McCalley and Dodge have received their money as of March 2026. However, the pair stated that they wanted to use the funds to create a board game, and they have documented the process of doing so via social media.
Mai Whelan — ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’Squid Game: The Challenge season 1 winner Mai Whelan claimed in December 2023 that she was still waiting for her $4.56 million prize money.
“I feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, show me the money!” she told The Times at the time.
A source later told People that Whelan was aware of the contract stating she would receive the money after the finale. She did receive the money eventually, the outlet reported in January 2024.
During a March 2026 episode of the E! docuseries Dirty Rotten Scandals, America’s Next Top Model cycle 2 winner Yoanna House claimed that she “didn’t get paid” despite being promised a contract with IMG Models, a cover feature in Jane magazine and a Sephora campaign.
“There was no financial reward on my season. I did go into debt, I get no residuals, nothing,” House claimed. “I was in heavy debt coming off that show. As soon as the show was over, I owed my modeling agency a significant amount of money. The only people that knew were my parents.”
