Local Woman Wins On Hoosier Millionaire
A North Webster woman recently competed at the 25th anniversary championship Hoosier Millionaire Show. Though contestant LuAnn Kissinger did not snag the top spot during Saturday, Aug. 16 show, Kissinger, who was the top place winner in last month’s Elkhart road show, snagged $11,000 in the championship show.
Rick Rhodes of Kokomo took the top spot during though show. Rhodes stopped short of becoming the Hoosier Millionaire Show’s 192nd millionaire, but he walked away with tears of joy in his eyes and $270,000 in winnings.
The event was held in the Farm Bureau Auditorium at the Indiana State Fair (it was moved from the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand due to weather) before a live audience and was the culmination of a series of six road show events around the state that began in March. The top prize winners from road shows in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Terre Haute, New Albany, Elkhart and Indianapolis competed in Saturday’s Championship Show. Original Hoosier Millionaire hosts Mark Patrick, Tony Lamont and Barbara Hobbs reunited to host the shows.
After an exciting three rounds and a dramatic play-off round, Rick Rhodes, who was the Fort Wayne road show winner, snagged the top spot and proceeded to the Millionaire Round where he had a one-in-four shot at $1 million. After his first pick revealed a $250,000 prize, Rhodes found himself with a major choice to make – the ultimate Hoosier Millionaire Show contestant quandry: keep the $250,000, or give it back and take another pick in hopes of revealing the $1 million prize and avoiding “the stopper.”
With a quarter-of-a-million dollars in hand, and a one-in-three shot of either losing it all or winning the million, Rhodes elected to stick with a sure bet and keep the $250,000. Kissinger and Rhodes wasn’t the only winner on the show.
Contestant Dave Dieringer of New Haven, the Terre Haute road show winner, won $19,000. Contestant Connie Woodhouse of Nineveh, the New Albany road show winner, walked away with $10,000. Contestant Michelle Hahn of Indianapolis also won $10,000 in the Championship Show. Hahn was selected from the audience to be the sixth contestant in the Indianapolis road show, which was earlier in the day, and she emerged the top prize winner. Contestant Jack Binkley of Wolcottville, the Evansville road show winner, finished with $5,000 in winnings.