The winner of MrBeast’s Beast Games received £10 million ($10.004M), but taxes significantly reduced the actual payout. Find out how much they truly took home.
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🎥 MrBeast’s Beast Games Winner Takes Home Just Over $5M After Taxes
The inaugural season of Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video concluded with Player 831 winning an incredible £10 million ($10.004M). However, the final payout after taxes has sparked controversy, as reports indicate that the winner only took home around $5.03 million.
📌 The reality competition, featuring 1,000 contestants battling in mental and physical challenges, boasted a $25 million prize pool and quickly became one of Amazon Prime’s most-watched series. Despite its success, the show also faced allegations of contestant mistreatment and a toxic work environment.
💰 How Much Did the Winner Actually Receive?
While $10.004 million is a massive prize, taxation laws significantly reduce the actual amount a winner can take home.
📊 Breakdown of Post-Tax Earnings:
- Federal Taxes (U.S.): The IRS treats winnings as taxable income, placing the winner in the highest tax bracket (37%).
- 37% of $10.004M = $3.70M deducted
- State Taxes: If the winner is a U.S. resident, additional state taxes apply, depending on their state of residence.
- Some states, like Texas and Florida, have no state income tax
- Others, like California and New York, impose 10-13% in additional taxes
- Estimated state tax deduction: $1.27M (based on a 12.7% average rate)
- Final Take-Home Amount:
- $10.004M – $3.70M (federal tax) – $1.27M (state tax) = ~$5.03M
📢 MrBeast himself reacted to the tax deduction claims, responding to an influencer’s tweet with a loudly crying face emoji and the word “Only!”
📅 Prize Money Breakdown for Other Contestants
MrBeast confirmed a total payout of $25,019,995 across multiple winners. Here’s how it was distributed:
🏆 Top 10 Prize Winners:
- 1st place: $10,004,242
- 2nd place: $4,200,000
- 3rd place: $1,800,000
- 4th place: $1,000,000
- 5th place: $650,000
- 6th place: $450,000
- 7th place: $236,878
- 8th place: $200,000
- 9th place: $190,000
- 10th place: $100,000 (Three winners)
Other contestants also won amounts ranging from $2,000 to $80,000, ensuring that 85 participants received a share of the prize pool.
⚖️ Beast Games Controversy: Lawsuits & Allegations
Despite its record-breaking viewership, Beast Games has been embroiled in controversy. In September 2024, five contestants filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging:
- Chronic exhaustion
- Sexual harassment
- A toxic environment of misogyny and sexism
The lawsuit seeks class-action status and could impact the show’s future seasons.
📌 Final Thoughts: Is Winning Still Worth It?
💡 While $5.03 million is still a life-changing amount, the reality of prize taxation often shocks winners. Regardless, Beast Games has proven to be a massive success, drawing millions of viewers and cementing MrBeast’s status as a pioneer in reality competition content.
💬 What are your thoughts on the tax deductions? Is winning still worth it? Drop your comments below! 🚀
