"Millionaires" have been lighting the imagination of Poles for more than 2 decades, offering a chance to make a luck in exchange for cognition and steel nerves. The breathless spectators follow the participants' struggles, dreaming of what they would do with the main win. However, what happened after the last question and symbolic presentation of the check remained long in the sphere of conjecture. Only recently, game show winners decided to halt their silence and show what amounts actually affect their bank accounts. It turns out that the way from winning on the screen to real money is simply a small more complicated than it might seem, and the Polish taxation strategy plays a key function here.
The format led by Hubert Urbański became an icon of Polish television. Simple rules – 12 questions, 3 rescue wheels and a million PLN in the final – attracted millions before the screens. Emotions reached out erstwhile the contestant faced a final, decisive question. But behind the scenes, erstwhile the camera lights go out, a completely different process begins. The money on the check is 1 thing and the real profit is another. The difference, though not drastic, is due to regulations that many viewers have no thought about.
"Millionaires" return in a fresh installment. What will change?
After years of airing on TVN, which established the show's position as 1 of the ratings leaders, the station decided not to extend the license. For many fans, it was the end of an era. However, the emptiness on the marketplace did not last long. The rights to the format rapidly took over Polsat, which announced the large return of the "Millionaires" already in autumn, but in a refreshed formula. The changes aim not only to attract fresh audiences, but besides to adapt the program to contemporary tv amusement standards.
One of the key modifications is Resigning from the elimination phase ‘first come, first served’. From now on, each qualified associate will immediately sit in the chair other the leader, which will greatly accelerate the pace of the gameplay. The strategy of rescue wheels will besides change – their number will be reduced from 4 to three, which will rise the level of difficulty and force players to think more strategically. crucial changes besides concern guaranteed thresholds. The first threshold will be raised from PLN 1000 to 2000 PLN, and the second, key for further play, will increase from PLN 40,000 to PLN 50,000. The full will be presented in a new, dynamic setting with a led level and a modern logo. Despite all these innovations, 1 remains unchanged – the main prize is inactive a million zlotys. At least in theory.
A million dollars on paper. What taxes does the winner pay?
Although winning a million zlotys sounds like a dream come true, Polish taxation law rapidly brings winners to the ground. According to Personal Income taxation Act, wins in competitions, games and wagers shall be taxable. A flat-rate taxation rate of 10% of prize value. Importantly, the work to collect and transfer the taxation to the taxation office lies with the organiser, in this case on the tv station.
In practice, this means that the winner never receives a full million. After deduction of 10% of the tax, i.e. 100 000 PLN, it should be on his account precisely PLN 900,000. It's inactive a immense amount that can change life, but knowing that the fiscal is taking the equivalent of a good-class car can be a surprise to some. However, the procedure is standard and applies to all awards in competitions organised in the media, the one-off value of which exceeds PLN 2000. So the winner receives a transfer with a net amount, and the remainder of the formalities are handled by the program manufacturer. This is simply a convenient solution, but as the experience of erstwhile players shows, this is not the end of mathematics.
Surprise from the tax. Why is the transfer even lower?
It turns out that even PLN 900,000 is simply a theoretical value. A real storm on the net caused Tomasz Orzechowski, the winner of 2022, who decided to publically show proof of the transfer from the production of the "Millionaires". The amount has been transferred to his account 899 990.85 zł. Where did this seemingly tiny but intriguing difference come from? The answer is amazing – all through an additional symbolic gift.
In addition to the monetary prize, Mr. Thomas received a "Millionaires" board game from production. The IRS treated this gift as part of a full win. The value of the game was so added to the million PLN, which somewhat increased the taxation base. As a result, a 10% taxation was charged above the million, and this translated into a somewhat lower final transfer. The same situation happened Thomas Boruchwhich after his win reached in April 2024. He besides received an amount little the main prize taxation and an additional gift.
The winners themselves approach the substance with a distance, treating it alternatively as a curiosity and anecdote that they can share with the media. They stress that the satisfaction of beating 12 questions and the fact of winning alone are invaluable. Nevertheless, this communicative perfectly illustrates how complicated and sometimes amazing taxation regulations can be, even in the context of specified a joyful event as winning a popular game show.
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The Millionaire winners revealed the transfers. That's what he truly gets into the account after winning!
