Randi $1,000,000 paranormal challenge

Note: The JREF no longer accepts applications for the million dollar prize from members of the general public. Check theorganization's website for any updates.

James Randi and the James Randi EducationalFoundation offered a one-million-dollar (US) prize to anyone who could show, "under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power." The rules were little more than what any reasonable scientist would require. If you are a mentalspoon bender, you couldn't use your own spoons. If you claimed to seeauras, you'd have to do so undercontrolled conditions. If you claimed to be able to do remote viewing, you wouldn't be given credit for coming close in some vague way. If you were going to demonstratedowsing powers, you would have to be prepared to be tested under controlled conditions. If you were going to dopsychic surgery or experience thestigmata, you would have to do so with cameras watching your every move.

In January 2007, Randi announced a major change in the rules:

In January 2008, the JREF announced that the offer of the million dollar prize will cease on March 6, 2010.However, the prize was still being offered under new conditions.

In the summer of 2015, the JREF announced that it was now "a grant making foundation." The announcement also said:

We plan on continuing the Million Dollar Challenge as a means for educating the public about paranormal claims. 

Over the years, we have spent a great deal of time dealing with claims ranging from yet another dowsing claim to some VERY eccentric and untestable claims. The overwhelming majority refuse to fill out the application or even state a claim that can be tested. Some of them show up in person and demand to be tested while they wait. We can no longer justify the resources to interact with these people. 

Effective immediately, JREF will no longer accept applications directly from people claiming to have a paranormal power. We will however offer our Challenge to anyone who has passed a preliminary test that meets with our approval. We will provide example protocols early next year [2016]. Of course, any established psychic may always contact JREF to be tested directly (preferably with an independent, third party TV crew.) 

Since 1980, Australian Skeptics has issued a challenge to people who claim to have extraordinary powers, to demonstrate their ability under proper observing conditions. The first person to do so will receive a great deal of recognition and prestige as well as meeting the requirements for the awarding of A$100,000.

We make this offer because we are sincere about seeking out the truth of claims that might be described as paranormal or that confront accepted laws of science. We see many such claims made by professed psychics, healers, witnesses to paranormal events and those selling devices which do the apparently ‘improbable’ or even ‘impossible’ (ie defy scientific laws). If there really is a way to generate free energy or read minds, to communicate with extraterrestrials or to tell the future, we want to tell the world, and in our own way give the claimant proper recognition.

On the other hand, if a claim is proved to be unfounded or fraudulent, we would reserve the right to expose this situation so that clients do not waste their money and time on a product or service that fails (and can only ever fail) to deliver what is claimed for it.
In either case, we think the public deserves and has the right to know the truth. Consequently, the Skeptics’ Challenge is a genuine and serious undertaking, and the A$100,000 award a genuine offer.

Belgian and European Skeptics offer 25,000 € to anyone who can prove they have paranormal or extraordinary powers. The prize is calledthe Sisyphus prize.