Million Dollar Minute
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | September 16, 2013 |
| Founder | Seven Network |
| Defunct | September 2015 |
| Fate | Cancelled, replaced by The Chase Australia |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Parent | Seven Network |
Million Dollar Minute was an Australian quiz program broadcast on the Seven Network from 16 September 2013 until September 2015. Initially presented by Grant Denyer, and later by Simon Reeve, the show aired on weeknights at 5:30 pm. After its cancellation in 2015, it was succeeded in the same timeslot by The Chase Australia. Currently, reruns are shown on 7TWO, occupying the gap left by Home and Away's Early Years.
History
The production of Million Dollar Minute took place at Global Television Studios located in Melbourne, utilizing the same studio that previously hosted Deal or No Deal.
In November 2013, original host Grant Denyer stepped down citing "family reasons," with Weekend Sunrise sports presenter Simon Reeve taking over for the 2014 season. This transition coincided with enhancements to the program's sound effects and theme music. On 30 August 2015, after nearly two years on air, the series was discontinued and replaced by The Chase Australia.
Gameplay
The competition involved three participants contending through four buzzer-based rounds, each starting with a score of 15 points.
Round 1
Contestants faced six questions where buzzing in first allowed them to answer. Correct responses awarded five points, while incorrect answers resulted in a five-point deduction, permitting scores to fall below zero. The leading player was then offered $2,000 as "safe money," which they could accept within five seconds to lower their score to match that of the second-highest contestant, or reject it. In cases of tied leads, the first player to buzz during the offer claimed the safe money; if all three were tied, no safe money was presented.
Viewer question
Beginning in March 2014, a question directed at viewers was posed prior to the first commercial break, with the solution revealed afterward. In 2015, these questions alternated between picture-based and multiple-choice formats akin to those in the main game. From July 2015 onward, viewer questions were occasionally omitted.
Round 2
This segment started with "Snap Shot," a visual multiple-choice challenge where a blurred image is gradually clarified through successive frames. Contestants buzzed in to answer; incorrect guesses caused temporary exclusion from answering during subsequent frames. If no correct response was given after all frames were shown, the round concluded. A variation introduced in 2015 called "See It, Say It" displayed three images sequentially that combined to form an answer when spoken from left to right; clues accompanied each image. Correct answers allowed contestants to choose between $1,500 safe money or an addition of 15 points. The remainder of this round consisted of buzzer questions similar to Round 1, including some featuring four multiple-choice options prior to reading the question. At the end of this round, $5,000 safe money was offered.
Round 3
In this phase, six buzzer questions were followed by a Snap Shot challenge presenting three images as possible answers before reading the question. The 2015 version revealed these three images one at a time, requiring contestants to identify the subject depicted. Correct answers granted either $1,500 in safe money or an increase of 15 points. As before, a contestant could secure the Snap Shot by default.
Double points decider
Under a 90-second timeframe (extended from the original 60 seconds in 2013), each question awards 10 points for a correct response; however, an incorrect answer disqualifies the contestant from answering the subsequent question. The player with the highest total advances to the "Million Dollar Minute" segment. In the event of a tie, sudden-death buzzer rounds determine the winner, continuing until one contestant answers correctly.
"Million Dollar Minute" questions
During a one-minute period, the host—Grant Denyer in 2013 or Simon Reeve from 2014 to 2015—poses five multiple-choice questions spaced at 12-second intervals. Contestants are required to respond within a brief two-second flashing window. After all responses are submitted, answers are verified in random order; achieving a flawless score secures the jackpot prize. If any answer is incorrect, contestants must return on a future episode to try for the same jackpot once again.
Winners have the option to accept their jackpot along with any safe money accumulated or to forgo it in pursuit of a larger prize, following a format comparable to Sale of The Century. Attaining the $1,000,000 jackpot necessitated nine consecutive victories.
Starting January 2014, reaching $75,000 guaranteed contestants that amount plus any safe money earned. On November 17, 2014, the prize progression was extended to nine levels, introducing a $750,000 safety net between $500,000 and $1 million, reflecting a structure similar to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
| Win | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $20,000 |
| 2 | $50,000 |
| 3 | $75,000 |
| 4 | $100,000 |
| 5 | $200,000 |
| 6 | $300,000 |
| 7 | $500,000 |
| 8 | $1 Million |
| Win | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $20,000 |
| 2 | $50,000 |
| 3 | $75,000 |
| 4 | $100,000 |
| 5 | $200,000 |
| 6 | $300,000 |
| 7 | $500,000 |
| 8 | $1 Million |
| Win | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $20,000 |
| 2 | $50,000 |
| 3 | $75,000 |
| 4 | $100,000 |
| 5 | $200,000 |
| 6 | $300,000 |
| 7 | $500,000 |
| 8 | $750,000 |
| 9 | $1 Million |
Noteworthy winners
- Brydon Coverdale – secured $307,000 (inclusive of safe money) after choosing not to return for the $500,000 round on March 4, 2014. He is known as "The Shark," a "Chaser" on The Chase Australia, and previously appeared on The Weakest Link (2001) and Letters and Numbers (2011).
- Pierre Sutcliffe – earned $503,000 (including safe money) after opting out of competing for the million-dollar prize on May 5, 2014.
- Lisa Paton – was the first contestant to attempt the $1 million prize; she left with $77,000 after losing her third buzzer round on May 22, 2014.
- Jonathan Maher – won $510,500 (including safe money) after deciding against returning for the million-dollar challenge on July 8, 2014.
- Dougal Richardson – took home $535,500 (inclusive of safe money) after refraining from returning for the grand prize on October 7, 2014.
- Marc Vandenberg – amassed $315,500 (including safe money), becoming the first to play for $300,000 in the final round following the format revision on December 4, 2014; he returned but was defeated in the buzzer round.
- Michael Nunan – collected $205,000 (inclusive of safe money) after declining to continue for the $300,000 prize on September 11, 2015—the series finale.
Top Prize Recipient
- Andrew Skarbek secured the grand prize of $1,016,000 (including guaranteed money) by successfully answering every "Million Dollar Minute" question on his fifth try, achieved on 27 March 2015. He remains the program's only contestant to reach millionaire status.
Global Adaptations
The format was broadcast in New Zealand on TV3 from 30 June to 26 July 2015, with Simon Reeve as host. Additionally, it premiered in Vietnam under the title Một trăm triệu một phút on VTV3, hosted by Trấn Thành and Ngô Kiến Huy, running from 26 July 2015 until November 2024.
| Nation | Show Title | Network | Hosts | Debut | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:NZL | Million Dollar Minute | TV3 | Simon Reeve | 30 June 2014 | 26 July 2015 |
| Template:VIE | Một trăm triệu một phút (100 triệu 1 phút) | VTV3 | Trấn Thành Ngô Kiến Huy |
26 July 2015 | 10 November 2024 |
Notable Episodes
On 23 March 2014, Melbourne radio hosts Ross Stevenson, John Burns, and Tom Elliott took part in a charity special aired exclusively in Melbourne and regional Victoria. The competition featured a $20,000 prize pool with each correct answer valued at $4,000. Stevenson answered all questions correctly, securing $25,000 for charity.
A special edition aired on 3 May 2014 featuring the Saturday night Footy Team—Mick Molloy, Samantha Lane, and Matthew Richardson.
In July 2014, presenters from Sunrise—David Koch, Samantha Armytage, and Natalie Barr—competed over two days in a non-cash format; Armytage emerged victorious despite missing some final queries.
On 27 September 2014, AFL athletes Tim Watson, Wayne Carey, and Cameron Ling participated in a charity episode supporting Victoria’s Royal Children’s Hospital. The game offered $50,000 with each accurate answer worth $10,000. Watson answered all five "Minute" questions correctly and won $60,000.
Teams from the sixth season of My Kitchen Rules appeared on 13 April 2015 with their winnings donated to charity. Ash and Camilla claimed victory in the final round, earning $12,000 for their chosen cause after splitting safe money with teammates Jac and Shaz.
Between 15 and 19 June 2015, a Champion of Champions contest brought together thirteen former contestants competing through heats and semi-finals. Winners advanced to challenge millionaire Andrew Skarbek in the grand final for the People's Champ title and an opportunity to win $100,000 for a home viewer. Alex Dusek and Jonathan Somic reached the final stage; Skarbek ultimately claimed both the title and prize.