| Million Dollar Challenge | |
|---|---|
 Million Dollar Challenge logo | |
| Starring | Chris Rose Daniel Negreanu |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Mark Mayer, M&M Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | October 11, 2009 (2009-10-11) – December 12, 2010 (2010-12-12) |
Million Dollar Challenge (also referred to as thePokerStars Million Dollar Challenge andPokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge) is the most watched poker show in television history.[1][2] It is sponsored byPokerStars. The show, which airs on theFox Broadcasting Company, debuted on October 11, 2009.[3] The show is hosted byChris Rose and featuresDaniel Negreanu.[4] The first season included five episodes following the FOX network SundayNational Football League coverage. The finale aired on December 27, 2009. The eight-episode season 2 premiered on September 19, 2010 and concluded on December 12.[5]
Million Dollar Challenge is a poker game show where amateur poker players attempt to defeat celebrities, professional poker players and, eventually,Daniel Negreanu in order to win the show's grand prize, $1 million. In the first round, the amateur (with Negreanu at their side, acting as their coach and lending advice) must defeat a celebrity such asJayde Nicole,Jerome Bettis,Joanna Krupa,John Salley orTito Ortiz. If the contestant is able to defeat the celebrity the contestant wins a trip to the Bahamas and advances to the second round. In the second round, the amateur (with Negreanu now helping them from a sound proof booth, giving them advice through a listening device in the amateur's ear) must defeat a professional poker player such asVanessa Rousso,Barry Greenstein,Joe Cada orChris Moneymaker. If the contestant is able to defeat the professional the contestant wins $25,000 in addition to the trip to the Bahamas. At this point, the amateur has a decision to make. Keep the money and walk away $25,000 richer, or risk the money (the trip is still theirs to keep) and play Daniel Negreanu heads-up for $100,000, knowing that if they lose they walk away with nothing but the trip to the Bahamas. In the season finale, the champions from each episode compete against each other in a sit-n-go tournament, the winner of which becomes the champion for the season and plays Negreanu for $1 million.[1][3]
The first three episodes of the season were the three most-watched Poker television shows in U.S. history.[6] The show aired on Sundays after the FOXNational Football League coverage. In the first episode that aired on October 11, contestant Father Andrew Trapp defeatedJohn Salley, Rousso and Negreanu, winning $100,000 and a trip to the Bahamas in the process, all of which he promised to donate to his church inGarden City, South Carolina. Trapp also won the chance to play in a mini-tournament (Episode 5), the winner of which would play Negreanu for $1,000,000.[4][7][8] On October 18, after contestant Tracy Nguyen defeated Bettis and won a trip to the Bahamas, but lost to Barry Greenstein, the next contestant Sergeant Denny Luna defeated Nicole, Moneymaker to win $25,000 and a trip to the Bahamas. Luna then chose to walk away (and not risk the $25,000 he had already won) rather than face Negreanu in the $100,000 match.[9][10] On the November 22 episode after contestant Oluwasegun Odumuyiwa lost to Bettis, Brian Barboza defeated Nicole, Rousso and Negreanu, winning $100,000 and a trip to the Bahamas. Barboza also won the chance to play in a mini-tournament, the winner of which would play Negreanu for $1,000,000.[11] In DecemberJoanna Krupa andJoe Cada were announced as newly added as celebrity and professional opponents.[12] Ortiz and Krupa appeared on the fourth episode, which aired on December 13.[6] Cada appeared, but he did not play a hand. Dwayne Buth, playing on behalf of the Cal State Fullerton wrestling team, lost to Ortiz. Mike Kosowski, a first responder during theSeptember 11 attacks lost to Krupa.[13] The final airing of the competition among the previous winners was expected on December 27.[14] However, when the contestants on the fourth episode all lost, a single table tournament was held to determine the fourth contestant. Kosowski won and then bested Luna, Barboza and Trapp, in that order, in the Challenge of Champions for a $100,000 prize, becoming the season 1 champion, and a chance to play Negreanu for $1 million. In three hands of heads up play, he bested Negreanu, becoming the show's only million dollar winner.[15]
Season two premiered on September 19 during the second weekend of the2010 NFL season. The program will continue to air on the FOX network as a companion to the NFL programming on the seven weekends that FOX does not have doubleheaders (September 19 and 26, October 10 and 24, November 7 and 21 and December 12). The show will air before or after the football game depending upon the region of the country.[5]
Professional poker playerDoyle Brunson has been critical of bothMillion Dollar Challenge and its contemporary rivalFace the Ace as terrible shows unlikely to draw viewers.[16] Negreanu responded, via blog, to this type of criticism that the show is not intended for the serious poker player, but rather is aimed at more casual audience.[17] There was some controversy about a poker playing priest on national television that sparked theological debate.[18]