‘The Price Is Right’ Contestant Said She ‘Manifested’ Her $100,000 Win

Riley Shepherd, from North Hollywood, California, won $100,000 on the new The Price Is Right game called The Lion’s Share, and she claims she “manifested her win.”

She is a communications/journalism major at San Diego State, and can now use that money to pay off her college loans. A new game that premiered on Season 54, The Lion’s Share, works as follows: the contestant must stand in a glass dome and collect as many balls as possible in a short amount of time. The number of balls correlates with how many numbers the game show contestant can pick. The contestant then selects numbers off the board, which have prizes and cash behind them. They have to guess if the price shown is true or false, and if they are correct, they win that number. 

“Your adrenaline is so high when you’re up there that you can’t process what the game is,” Shepherd told TV Insider. “I was so excited to be up there.”

Shepherd wound up with 24, 33, and 30. Behind 24 was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, worth $25,399. She then picked 33, which had $100,000 behind it. Shepherd decided not to go for the third ball, as she could lose everything. However, the item was later revealed to be a massage chair.

She won a jukebox during the items up for bid, which she is “really excited about.” “I was so stoked to go home with that. It was worth $1,000,” Shepherd shared. She also won the Showcase, which included a trip, a car, and free gas for one year.

The game show contestant talked to TV Insider about her win, her love for TPIR, how she will spend her winnings, and more. 

TVI: How long have you been a fan of The Price Is Right?

Riley Shepherd: I grew up watching it because it was something that was always on in my house. My parents are the big fans, especially my stepdad. I don’t remember a morning that it had not been playing.

Since The Lion’s Share is a new game this season, did you have to quickly come up with a strategy on how to play?

I don’t think I had any strategies for any of the games because even though I’ve always watched the show, I’ve never been the type to think of a strategy. I feel like it’s fun to watch people win and to guess the prices.

[Host] Drew Carey told me to just grab the balls that were falling. So, the strategy was just to have fun and grab the balls. I didn’t really have a strategy because I wasn’t thinking straight. I had to look at my parents for advice, though.

Did you ever think that you would win $100,000?

It’s interesting because the week before the show, my mom got the tickets, and surprised us. We’re very local to where it is filmed, so we were like, “Why not go?” I kept saying the whole week, “I’m going to get called up,” so I feel like it was manifested.

Right before we left, I took a video on my phone, and I said, “This is me before I win big on The Price is Right.” I didn’t know that I was going to win, but something inside of me knew because I was really excited and hopeful.

Do you think you’re going to keep the motorcycle? 

I don’t know yet. I don’t know how to ride one. We have some family friends who collect motorcycles and cars, so maybe it’ll be mine, but live at their house. I feel like it’s too cool to get rid of.

What are your plans with the $100,000?

I’m going to help my family pay off bills and debt. I will probably give a bit to my grandmom. The rest I’ll put into savings and investing, so it can double over time. Maybe I’ll take a few thousand to have fun with and go on a trip or something. I feel so fortunate to have this much money at my age to start saving it. I know how fast money goes and how important it is to invest it.

What was your reaction to making it to the Showcase?

I was so excited to spin the wheel because that is just so famous, and then I won that. It was so exciting standing up there. It was such a surreal moment. The woman next to me was so nice.

When they announced that I won, my reaction was probably delayed in real life. My family and I talk about it every day. We’re like, “Is this real? Did that really happen?”

Did you get to interact with Drew Carey or the crew at all?

Yes! Drew was so nice and funny. We had to refilm my segment because I didn’t understand the game, and he had to explain it again.

What would you say the atmosphere was like at the taping?

Everyone was hyping each other up and cheering for other people. It did not feel competitive at all. I felt a sense of guilt that I won all of this when people travel from so far and need this money. Everyone was cheering me on and excited for me. You never experience that at any game or event.

Would you want to go on any other game show?

For sure. I would love to do Let’s Make a Deal. You get to wear costumes. I’d love to do that with a friend.

Any last takeaways? 

I’m so grateful, and it was so much fun. I can’t wait to tell people in my life. No one, except my parents, knows yet. It’s funny because I’ve seen friends recently, and we’re all broke college kids. And we usually have McDonald’s or a meal at home, but recently I’ve been like, “Let’s go get sushi. It’s on me.” My friends are kind of like, “Are you rich?” I haven’t gotten the money yet, but why not dip into my savings a little?