“I had staked everything on it.

I loved my job with ABC.

I just felt compelled to do this.”

Meredith Vieira hosting ‘Millionaire’

What happens when you win big on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

So what really happens when you win the big prize onMillionaire?

Still, that’s no small chunk of change!

Regis Philbin hosting Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

John Carpenter was the first person to ever win one million dollars on the American version of the show.

For starters, he was never technically a millionaire even though he won.

It’s not like (major league) ball player money.

It’s a lot of money.

It makes things more comfortable than they would be.

But it’s not like what it used to mean when you said $1 million."