New Jersey woman shares the unexpected aftermath of winning a car on The Price Is Right and it's a long way from driving it out of the studio
Published on Mar 23, 2026 at 3:51 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Mar 23, 2026 at 3:51 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Player beware! You might think winning a car on The Price Is Right game show is an experience like no other, but one woman from New Jersey revealed that what you see on TV isn’t quite what you get in reality.
Debra Field was a lucky winner of a car on the TV game show, and during the show, it was clear just how much the car meant to her.
But the flight attendant later revealed a slightly different experience, one that viewers might be shocked to hear about.
Read on to see why the reality was far different from what we saw on TV.
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How Debra Field won her car on The Price Is Right
Speaking to the Asbury Park Press, Debra Field explained her experience on the show.
Field appeared on the show in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She had been a flight attendant for nearly 30 years, and the appearance on the show was a breath of fresh air.
Field had played well and showed a lot of emotion as she worked her way through the game.
Host Drew Carey was also very supportive of the nervous contestant.
“Drew Carey had to be one of the most personable people,” she said at the time.
Field had also been shocked at just how big and bright the famous ‘The Big Wheel’ actually was.
She walked away with the ultimate prize, winning a car, but she didn’t simply drive it off the set.
What happened to Field’s new car?
Despite the experience and winning the car feeling like ‘destiny’, it wasn’t smooth sailing after the recording.
After The Price Is Right was over, you would fill out a form and pay California income tax on the prizes you received.
But that isn’t the end of the process.
A week before the show airs, a letter is posted detailing the amount that is owed.
Then, a week after the airing of the episode, you post the certified check.
“And then after that, they will contact a local New Jersey car dealership,” Field said.
The dealership then sorts out the car, and eventually, you get your hands on it.
But you don’t simply drive off with your prize after winning a car on the game show.
It turns out you have to pay something towards the car, and wait before you can finally get your hands on it.
A history of The Price Is Right
1956: The original version of The Price Is Right premieres on NBC, hosted by television personality Bill Cullen
1965: The original series ends its run after moving to ABC, temporarily taking the franchise off the air
1972: The modern, revamped version of the show debuts on CBS on September 4, hosted by the iconic Bob Barker
1975: The show expands from a 30-minute broadcast to its now-familiar full-hour format
1987: The Price Is Right officially becomes the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history
2007: Bob Barker retires after 35 years of hosting; comedian and actor Drew Carey takes over as the new host
2019: The show broadcasts its milestone 9,000th episode
2021: The Price Is Right celebrates its 50th season on the air, cementing its legacy in pop culture
2023: The production moves to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Glendale, California, leaving its original home at CBS Television City after 51 years
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
