Do Family Feud Contestants Get Paid? (Explained)

 

Family Feud has a reputation for bringing unexpected laughs when contestants provide outlandish answers.

Perhaps the funniest part is when the answer is correct, and everyone watches Steve Harvey question the sanity of humanity a little more.

Family Feud pits two families of five against one another.

Contestants must come up with an answer that they believe is one of the ranked answers for a survey the show conducted.

If they answer correctly, then they earn points for their team.

The team with the most points at the end goes to a final round called “Fast Money,” in which two members of the team answer the same five questions in a short amount of time to try and reach a total of 200 points between them.

(The second player is secluded and unaware of the questions the first player is being asked.)

If they manage to win this round, then the family will go home with $20,000 in their pockets or a new car.

Since contestants are aiming to win money on the show, you may wonder if they receive money to pay for their time filming.

Here’s what you need to know about whether Family Feud Contestants receive compensation or not.

 

Do Family Feud Contestants Get Paid?

 

No, Family Feud contestants do not get paid.

The show doesn’t cover any of their expenses either.

While the contestants don’t have to pay to audition for the show, they are going to have to cover their travel and lodging expenses.

Depending on how far they are from the set, their travel expenses could become quite expensive.

The good news is that the show typically shoots several episodes in a single day.

That limits how much they’re going to need to spend on their hotel costs.

If the family doesn’t win the show, then they go home empty-handed.

Those who do win the show receive either $20,000 in a cash prize, or they can choose to take home the car.

 

How Long Does It Take For The Family Feud Contestants To Get Their Money?

 

Although they may show off a giant check on the show, the contestants don’t go home with money in their pockets.

They’ll need to have enough of their own money to afford a flight back home.

It takes contestants at least 90 days to receive their money.

Perhaps one of the worst parts is that the money is also taxed.

You won’t be getting the full $20,000.

If you do, then you’ll need to claim it on your taxes for that year and pay the government its portion of your cash prize.

 

How Is The Money Split On Family Feud?

 

Besides needing to wait 90 days to receive their money, the contestants on Family Feud also have their checks split.

Because the game has five players on each side, the money is split up between all five players.

Each player will receive a check for a little under $4,000 after tax.

Clearly, you won’t earn a lot on the show, but it can be useful for smaller projects.

Of course, factoring in how much it cost the family to travel to the studio, they might come out with barely a profit.

 

How Does Family Feud Split The Car?

 

After winning the game, the family gets a decision.

They can either take the car or take a cash reward based on the car’s value.

Many family members end up choosing the cash because they’re unsure of how to split the car.

Family Feud doesn’t split it for them.

It simply gives them the car, then leaves it to the family to decide who gets legal ownership of the car.

The family can decide from there who gets to use the car and how often.

Those who choose to take the cash value of the car have the money split up between them.

 

Can Family Feud Contestants Win Multiple Times?

 

One way that a Family Feud group can make the most of their money is by playing multiple times.

When a family wins the show, they go on to face the next family.

This repeats a few times until they’re eventually stopped.

Family Feud has a legal clause that states that families who compete on the show have to wait 10 years before they can play again.

This includes both families who have won and lost.

After a family that’s winning finally loses its consecutive wins, they’re unable to play again for 10 years.

That said, a family that wins consecutively can win up to $100,000 if they’re successful on all Fast Money rounds.

That money is then split between the players.

Even a family that only wins twice can earn around $40,000.

Family Feud contestants who want to make playing on the game worth it need to try and win a few matches in the row.

Otherwise, they’ll have to wait 10 years to try their luck again.

 

How Does Family Feud Pay Its Winners?

 

Since Family Feud is a daily show, you may wonder how it can afford to give a family $20,000 or a new car every day.

The answer comes from the show’s budget.

Because it’s a game show, the show doesn’t have to pay a lot for things like props and lighting.

That allows them to use the bulk of their budget to pay for their crew and set aside prize money.

The producers set the budget for the show and how much the cash prize is.

They receive their money through commercials that run on the network.

Because Family Feud is a popular show, it pulls in a good amount of money from ad sales.

The network gets a portion of those sales, and the show gets the rest.

The show can then use that money to fund future cash prizes.

If the show ever starts to decline in popularity, then the cash prize may need to become smaller, or the producers will need to find an alternative method for funding.

 

How Much Does Steve Harvey Make On Family Feud?

 

While there have been several hosts of Family Feud over the years, Steve Harvey has been one of the long-term hosts.

His ability to tease the contestants and his comedic reactions to some of their answers have been a hit with audiences.

Because of his charisma with the contestants and viewers, you might wonder how much the show pays him to keep him around.

Steve Harvey makes around $3.5 million per season of Family Feud.

 

How Do You Audition To Become A Contestant On Family Feud?

 

There are a few steps to the audition process if you want your family to be on Family Feud.

Here’s how you can audition to be a contestant on Family Feud.

 

1. Satisfy The Eligibility Requirements

Because of its name, one of the most important requirements that you need to satisfy is to have a family.

In particular, your comprised team has to be five family members related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

You must also be a U.S. citizen and be able to work within the United States.

One eligibility requirement that confuses some applicants is the age requirement.

Technically, Family Feud doesn’t have an age limit.

However, they recommend that family members should be at least 15 years old.

This is because some of their questions can be a little adult-oriented.

Also, if you want to win, then you don’t want the fate of your $20,000 to be up to a toddler.

Family Feud also makes it ineligible for anyone running for political office to be on the show.

Another requirement is that no one could have been on any other game show within the past two weeks.

They expand this by also stating that if any member of the family has played Family Feud within the past 10 years, then they’re unable to participate.

Other members of the family can play as long as they haven’t been on the show in the past 10 years.

Finally, they bar from playing anyone who knows of or has a relation to anyone related to the creation, production, or running of the show.

This is to ensure that no one receives favorable treatment.

If you have an affiliation with any of the other Steve Harvey productions, including the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, then you’re also ineligible to play.

 

2. Send An Audition Tape

One of the steps towards being a contestant on Family Feud is to send an audition tape.

While the show doesn’t require an audition tape, they do highly recommend it.

An audition tape allows the showrunners to see your family’s personality.

They can then determine if there’s enough personality to make a good TV show out of your family.

They’re looking for drama, comedy, and other family antics that they know their audience would love to see.

They’re also looking for marketable opportunities.

It’s easier to show that your family has personality through an audition tape.

If you choose not to send an audition tape, then you’ll need to include photos of your family.

Again, the showrunners will try and glean the type of personality that your family has through the photos.

Sending an audition tape, however, is one of the best ways to land a spot on the show.

You can submit your video to Family Feud through the application process.

You’re allowed to submit links from YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms that you used to make the video viewable to them.

 

3. Plan Your Audition Script

One of the most important parts of planning your audition is to determine its script.

Family Feud requires a few things from your audition tape.

They prefer that everyone introduces themselves and that someone indicates where you’re from.

From there, you can include things like your occupation and hobbies.

In particular, they want to see how eloquent your family is and if they’re fun.

Since the sweet spot for an audition tape is between three and five minutes, you have to prove to them why your family is perfect for Family Feud within that amount of time.

There are also different ways that you can make your family stand out.

A popular method is to hold a quick mock-up game with your family as your audition.

Not only does this allow the showrunners the chance to get to know your family, but it also gives them an idea of what your family will be like on the show.

If they like what they see, then they’ll consider you as contestants for the show.

 

4. Wait

Even though your family may be waiting on pins and needles for a response, it’s important to remember that you’ll need to wait to hear back from the studio.

They receive tons of auditions every day from families across the country.

They need to go over each one and then respond to each one to tell them whether they’ve made the cut or not.

The Family Feud website states that it can take up to four weeks for the studio to contact you.

They’ll either politely reject your audition tape or schedule a ZOOM meeting with you to talk about the next step.

 

5. ZOOM Interview

Although the show may have enjoyed your audition tape, it doesn’t mean that you’re automatically on the show.

You need to pass an interview next.

You’ll receive either an email or a phone call stating the schedule for the ZOOM meeting.

During the meeting, the interviewer will have a few more questions for you.

They’ll also check to ensure everyone playing the game meets their eligibility requirements.

The interview can be difficult to ace since you still need to show off your personality while maintaining some form of professionalism.

After the interview, you’ll then need to wait to determine whether or not your family is going to play.

 

6. Schedule A Booking

If the show chooses your family to play the game, then you’ll receive a phone call.

In the call, they’ll want to schedule a booking date with you to film the episode.

You have some say over that date, but they usually have a specific date in mind.

Once everything checks out, you’ll need to figure out how to get to the set.

They’ll usually have someone who can help you access the set, but the expenses are yours to pay.

Otherwise, you’re on your way to filming an episode of Family Feud with your family.

 

Does Family Feud Pay For Wardrobe?

 

One of the questions contestants and some viewers might have is whether the show pays for a new wardrobe for them.

Family Feud does not pay for wardrobe expenses.

They suggest that their contestants bring clothes with them that are business casual.

Some bring formal clothes while others bring extremely casual clothes.

Often, the clothes end up matching the personality of the family.

If contestants want to wear something new to the show, then they’ll need to pay for those clothes themselves.

 

Do The Losing Contestants On Family Feud Win Anything?

 

No, the contestants who lose on Family Feud do not win anything.

Those who played a single game on the show go home empty-handed.

If anything, they take home with them the incredible experience of having been on television.

For some families, sharing memories together is enough.

For others, losing can feel pretty bitter.

Families that lose but have won a few previous matches take the earnings they’ve gained in each successful Fast Money round.

Even if they don’t win five consecutive games, they’re bringing home some money.

 

Conclusion

Family Feud contestants do not get paid simply for playing the game.

They only receive money or a car if they win against the other family and then win the Fast Money round at the end of the game.

It often means that many families spend a lot of money to play only to go home empty-handed.