One Million What?

One Million What? is a game show format devised by Endemol Netherlands/Talpa Creative, with an American version produced by TotalAccess Television. It has aired on the Access One network in the US since September of 2008.

In each game, teams can leave with a guaranteed prize of one million. The catch is, the value of that million is in varying terms of foreign currencies, ranging from the Euro, currently the strongest currency on the market, to the Zimbabwean dollar--a million of which converts to a mere three euros and change.

The value of their million will be determined by the spin of a wheel. When the game starts, only the Zimbabwean dollars are on the wheel. To add increasing denominations of currency to the wheel, the team must correctly answer multiple-choice trivia questions. Answers are revealed one at a time--players must decide right there or then whether the answer is correct, or eliminate the answer in favor of hearing the next option. One wrong answer, and the questions and chances for improved currency choices end. The wheel is spun, and the team wins whatever payout it lands on.

As more currencies are added to the wheel, the team is tempted to end the game early by accepting a Buyout--a set offer of money. Only two of these are offered through the game. The team, consisting of three people, never sees each other, as they are seated back to back to back, to prevent nonverbal communication between people.