Milionerzy Explained

Composer:Matthew Strachan
Keith Strachan
Ramon Covalo
Creator:David Briggs
Mike Whitehill
Steven Knight
Presenter:Hubert Urbański
Country:Poland
Num Seasons:25
Num Episodes:1,432
Runtime:22–44 minutes (1999–2003)
approx. 44 minutes (2008–2010)
approx. 24 minutes (2017–)
Network:TVN
Age of 12 or above
Company:Endemol (1999–2003)
Sony Pictures Television (2008–present)
Intergalactic (2008–2010)
Jake Vision (2017–present)

Milionerzy (Millionaires) is a Polish game show based on the original British format of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?[1] The show is hosted by Hubert Urbański. The main goal of the game is to win 1 million Polish zloty by answering twelve[2] multiple-choice questions correctly. There are three classic lifelines[2] – fifty fifty (Polish: pół na pół, 50:50), phone a friend (Polish: telefon do przyjaciela) and ask the audience (Polish: pytanie do publiczności) – and also two other lifelines – ask the expert (Polish: pytanie do eksperta)[3] [4] and switch the question (Polish: zamiana pytania).[5] From March to December 2010 contestant could choose risk game, where the second guaranteed sum (40,000 zł) was not guaranteed.[6] The first series of Polish: Milionerzy was broadcast from 3 September 1999 to 26 January 2003, the second version was broadcast from 19 January 2008 to 19 December 2010, and the third version has been broadcast since 9 February 2017. Starting in 2024, it will be shown every Monday to Thursday at 8:50 p.m (CET +1 or CEST +2) on the Polish commercial television station TVN. The executive producer of the programme was Endemol in the first version, Intergalactic in the second version, and Jake Vision in the third version. Since 2008, when a contestant gets the second question correct, they will leave with 1,000 zł. When a contestant gets the seventh question correct, they will leave with 40,000 zł.

The game's prizes

In the first version of Polish: Milionerzy, there were fifteen questions:[7]

Question numberQuestion value
1100 zł
2200 zł
3300 zł
4500 zł
51,000 zł
62,000 zł
74,000 zł
88,000 zł
916,000 zł
1032,000 zł
1164,000 zł
12125,000 zł
13250,000 zł
14500,000 zł
15

In the second and third versions of Polish: Milionerzy, there were twelve questions:[8]

Question numberQuestion value
1500 zł
21,000 zł
32,000 zł
45,000 zł
510,000 zł
620,000 zł
740,000 zł
875,000 zł
9125,000 zł
10250,000 zł
11500,000 zł
12

In the 2 million złoty special, the question values were increased and the second milestone was adjustable (see underlined values):[9]

Question number! style="background: #102f66"
Question value
11,000 zł
22,000 zł
35,000 zł
410,000 zł
520,000 zł
650,000 zł
7100,000 zł
8200,000 zł
9350,000 zł
10500,000 zł
11900,000 zł
12

Appearance and changes of appearance

From 1999 through 2003 we could see three changes of the studio stage design, some differ in stylistics. From 2008, after resumption we could see the fourth stage design and now, in 2010, the fifth one.

The first logo of Polish: Milionerzy from 1999 was very different from the standard model used in other editions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. It was a violet rhombus on one of vertexes and rings standing on themselves on background of "Milionerzy" caption.[10] The second one, modelled on the traditional style, is round with green question marks. It was introduced with the changes of credits and scenography in 2000. It is used also now, but in another colour scheme (question marks are gold).

The first and second version of the opening credits were similar with people looking and aiming on Polish: Milionerzy logo. It was patterned on British credits of this time. From 2008, the opening credits of the programme feature an animation showing in sequence all prizes to one million zlotys – it is patterned on the newest British version.[11]

In 2008 except for the opening credits, no big changes were made on graphics and sounds. The 2008 edition had refreshed graphics: the fields with questions and answers were navy-blue and blue (earlier black) and smaller than in first edition of Polish: Milionerzy, and the field with won prize was blue (earlier brown and navy-blue). Also some sound effects and music we could hear in the background when player answers a question, changed.

In 2010 opening credits were changed, fields, where players' names are shown in Fastest Finger First are smaller, question fields and money tree are smaller, also fonts were changed. Also, there are no commercial break intros and outros.

The first edition was recorded in the Warsaw-based WFDiF studio, 21, Chełmska St. from 1999 until 2001 in the TVP studio on 17, Woronicza St until 2003. In 2008 and 2009 Polish: Milionerzy was recorded in the TVP studio in Kraków, 44, Nowohucka St. In 2010, the show was recorded in Farat Film studio in Warsaw, 22, Notecka St.

Light effects during second edition (2008–2010)

Scenography of the second edition (2008–2010).[12] Studio has these light effects:

Moment of the gameColors for the elements of the studio
FloorEntrance and stairsSitting places for the audienceLamps above the studio
  • Before the game
  • After giving the correct answer
  • When a contestant leaves the studio
Gold-yellowYellowBlue-pinkYellow
  • Before Fastest Finger First[13]
RedPowder blueViolet-pinkRed
  • During Fastest Finger First
RedPinkViolet-pinkRed
  • After ending Fastest Finger First[14]
VioletYellowBlue-pinkBlue
  • When the audience is polling
PinkPinkVioletPink
  • First two questions
Steel grayCyaneousBlueViolet-pink
  • Middle-tier questions
CelesteBlueBlueCyaneous
  • Questions 8–10
BlueBlueBlackGlum gold
  • Questions 11–12
BlackCelesteBlackGlum gold
  • After giving the correct answer at the last question
GoldGoldBlackWhite

Way to become a contestant

1999–2003

2008–2010

The highest prizes by episodes

Legend:number of episode • broadcast date; took consideration to prizes of 40,000 zł or more

2008

1 • 19 I2 • 20 I3 • 26 I4 • 27 I5 • 2 II6 • 3 II7 • 9 II8 • 10 II9 • 16 II10 • 17 II
40,000 zł125,000 zł[15] 40,000 zł[16] 125,000 zł[17]
11 • 23 II12 • 24 II13 • 1 III14 • 2 III15 • 8 III16 • 9 III17 • 15 III18 • 16 III19 • 22 III20 • 23 III
75,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł[18] 75,000 zł40,000 zł[19] 75,000 zł[20] [21]
21 • 24 III22 • 29 III23 • 30 III24 • 5 IV25 • 6 IV26 • 12 IV27 • 13 IV28 • 19 IV29 • 20 IV30 • 26 IV
40,000 zł[22] 250,000 zł[23] 500,000 zł[24] 40,000 zł[25] 40,000 zł[26]
31 • 27 IV32 • 3 V33 • 4 V34 • 10 V35 • 11 V36 • 17 V37 • 18 V38 • 24 V39 • 25 V40 • 31 V
250,000 zł[27] 40,000 zł[28]
40,000 zł[29]
125,000 zł[30] 500,000 zł[31] 40,000 zł
41, 42 • 1 VI43 • 7 VI44 • 8 VI45 • 14 VI46 • 15 VI47 • 21 VI48 • 22 VIHolidays49 • 6 IX50 • 7 IX
40,000 zł[32]
125,000 zł[33]
125,000 zł[34] 40,000 zł75,000 zł125,000 zł250,000 zł
51 • 13 IX52 • 14 IX53 • 20 IX54 • 21 IX55 • 27 IX56 • 28 IX57 • 4 X58 • 5 X59 • 11 X60 • 12 X
40,000 zł40,000 zł75,000 zł40,000 zł[35] 40,000 zł
61 • 18 X62 • 19 X63 • 25 X64 • 26 X65 • 1 XI66 • 2 XI67 • 8 XI68 • 9 XI69 • 15 XI70 • 16 XI
40,000 zł40,000 zł
40,000 zł
125,000 zł75,000 zł40,000 zł
71 • 22 XI72 • 23 XI73 • 29 XI74 • 30 XI75, 76 • 6, 7 XII77 • 13 XII78 • 14 XII
500,000 zł40,000 zł[36]
500,000 zł[37]

2009

79 • 7 III80 • 8 III81 • 14 III82 • 15 III83 • 21 III84 • 22 III85 • 28 III86 • 29 III87 • 4 IV88 • 5 IV
75,000 zł40,000 zł[38] 40,000 zł
40,000 zł
40,000 zł125,000 zł40,000 zł
89 • 11 IV90 • 12 IV91 • 18 IV92 • 19 IV93 • 25 IV94 • 26 IV95 • 2 V96 • 3 V97 • 9 V98 • 10 V
40,000 zł250,000 zł500,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł
40,000 zł
125,000 zł
99 • 16 V100 • 17 V101 • 23 V102 • 24 V103 • 30 V104 • 31 VHolidays105 • 6 IX106 • 13 IX107 • 20 IX
40,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł125,000 zł[39]
108 • 27 IX109 • 4 X110 • 11 X111 • 18 X112 • 25 X113 • 1 XI114 • 8 XI115 • 15 XI116 • 22 XI117 • 29 XI
125,000 zł[40] 250,000 zł[41] 75,000 zł
118 • 6 XII119 • 13 XII120, 121 • 25, 26 XII
40,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł
250,000 zł

2010

122 • 7 III123 • 14 III124 • 21 III125 • 28 III126 • 4 IV11 IV18 IV127 • 25 IV128 • 2 V129 • 9 V
75,000 zł40,000 zł75,000 zł
1,000,000 zł
125,000 zł
40,000 zł
Cancelled125,000 zł250,000 zł40,000 zł
130 • 16 V131 • 23 V132 • 30 V133 • 6 VI134 • 13 VI135 • 20 VI136 • 27 VIHolidays137 • 12 IX138 • 19 IX
40,000 zł
125,000 zł
40,000 zł75,000 zł250,000 zł40,000 zł40,000 zł
139 • 26 IX140 • 3 X141 • 10 X142 • 17 X143 • 24 X144 • 31 X145 • 7 XI146 • 14 XI147 • 21 XI148 • 28 XI
40,000 zł40,000 zł250,000 zł40,000 zł500,000 zł
40,000 zł
40,000 zł
75,000 zł125,000 zł75,000 zł
75,000 zł
125,000 zł
149 • 5 XII150, 151 • 12, 19 XII
75,000 zł500,000 zł
40,000 zł

Notable contestants

Third edition

1,000,000 złotys winners

  1. Maria Romanek – 21 March 2018
  2. Katarzyna Kant-Wysocka – 14 March 2019
  3. Jacek Iwaszko – 23 September 2021
  4. Tomasz Orzechowski – 19 September 2022
  5. Mateusz Żaboklicki – 12 March 2024
  6. Tomasz Boruch – 3 April 2024

1,000,000 złotys question wrong (lost 460,000 złotys)

  1. Dawid Michalewski – 5 October 2020

500,000 złotys winners

  1. Sonia Ciuk – 15 March 2017
  2. Kinga Rusin & Piotr Kraśko – 15 April 2017 (Celebrity Edition, used Phone a Friend lifeline in the final question)
  3. Remigiusz Skubisz – 16 October 2017 (used Ask the Audience lifeline in the final question)
  4. Zbigniew Zamachowski & Borys Szyc – 7 December 2017 (Celebrity Edition)
  5. Dominik Komorek – 10 September 2018 (used Phone a Friend and Ask the Audience lifeline in the final question)
  6. Maksymilian Bilewicz – 4 March 2019
  7. Marcin Kot – 16 March 2020
  8. Łukasz Grymuza – 22 October 2020
  9. Maciej Adamski – 16 November 2020
  10. Mikołaj Masłowski – 2 December 2020
  11. Maciej Mędrzycki – 7 April 2022
  12. Przemysław Zieliński – 21 April 2022
  13. Małgorzata Rozenek-Majdan & Krzysztof Skórzyński – 3 October 2022 (Celebrity 25th Anniversary TVN Special)
  14. Jakub Kasperkiewicz – 20 October 2023
  15. Sławomir Świątecki – 17 April 2024

500,000 złotys question wrong (lost 210,000 złotys)

  1. Joanna Stroczkowska – 22 February 2017
  2. Wojciech Zaręba – 27 September 2017
  3. Wojciech Czubak – 19 February 2018
  4. Aleksandra Burdka – 4 April 2018
  5. Katarzyna Wincza & Lena Pachuc – 5 December 2019 (Saint Nicholas Day Special)
  6. Anna Serzysko – 27 October 2020
  7. Sabina Pecio – 25 March 2021
  8. Konrad Jurgiewicz – 16 September 2021
  9. Michał Tadeusz Koziej – 28 September 2021
  10. Łukasz Zdrojkowski – 14 March 2022
  11. Klaudia Rymut – 23 March 2023
  12. Ryszard Kusina – 21 September 2023
  13. Marta Wasińska – 6 November 2023
  14. Radosław Radowski – 9 November 2023
  15. Jarosław Kowalczyk – 7 March 2024

250,000 złotys winners

  1. Jakub Rudnicki – 8 March 2017
  2. Katarzyna Kołaczkowska – 29 March 2017
  3. Ilona Rasińska – 12 April 2017
  4. Alicja Bańczyk – 14 September 2017
  5. Agnieszka Dachterska – 25 October 2017
  6. Maciej Krawiec – 8 November 2017
  7. Hanna Czapla – 21 February 2018
  8. Magdalena Rybicka – 27 March 2018
  9. Andrzej Gręziak – 28 March 2018
  10. Bartosz Kołecki – 18 April 2018
  11. Łukasz Półrolniczak – 25 April 2018
  12. Tomasz Otręba – 5 September 2018
  13. Judyta Perczak – 3 December 2018
  14. Anna Cichosz – 26 February 2019
  15. Joanna Liszowska & Tomasz Sapryk – 21 March 2019 (Celebrity Special)
  16. Bartłomiej Marcjaniak – 25 April 2019
  17. Joanna Szczudlik-Kowalczyk – 3 September 2019
  18. Ewa Kamarad – 4 September 2019
  19. Filip Olszówka – 12 September 2019
  20. Dawid Tusiński – 26 September 2019
  21. Dorota Rutkowska-Skwara – 16 October 2019
  22. Zbigniew Górski – 23 October 2019
  23. Agata Langowska – 29 October 2019
  24. Jolanta Glinka-Kalisz – 14 November 2019
  25. Mikołaj Wieczorek – 4 March 2020
  26. Hanna Przydatek – 5 March 2020
  27. Magdalena Ziółek – 11 March 2020
  28. Marta Maszkiewicz – 12 October 2020
  29. Jan Sękowski – 16 February 2021
  30. Anna Wrona – 18 February 2021
  31. Piotr Rutkowski – 26 April 2021
  32. Marzena Szymanowska-Pietrzyk – 2 September 2021
  33. Szymon Batura – 13 September 2021
  34. Leszek Kędzierski – 11 October 2021
  35. Bogdan Wójcik – 3 November 2021
  36. Marek Kalus – 21 March 2022
  37. Piotr Tyburski – 5 September 2022
  38. Magdalena Wilczek – 29 September 2022
  39. Rafał Rak – 17 October 2022
  40. Jacek Borusiński & Wojciech Malajkat (Saint Nicolas Day Special) – 1 December 2022
  41. Marta Kuligowska & Magdalena Cielecka (Women's Day Celebrity Special) – 7 March 2023
  42. Justyna Nahajowska – 3 April 2023
  43. Paulina Krupińska & Wojciech Łozowski (Celebrity Special) – 24 May 2023
  44. Bartłomiej Bar – 14 September 2023[42]
  45. Michał Kosacki – 19 October 2023
  46. Konrad Walkowiak – 6 December 2023
  47. Anna Mandes – 25 March 2024
  48. Filip Kuśmierczyk – 11 April 2024
  49. Krzysztof Marczak – 23 April 2024

200,000 złotys winners

  1. Mikołaj Mielczarek – 20 October 2023

125,000 złotys winners

  1. Mateusz Buczek – 21 February 2017
  2. Beata Wodejko-Kucharska – 1 March 2017
  3. Michał Kowalczewski – 22 March 2017
  4. Katarzyna Romanek – 4 April 2017
  5. Joanna Flasza – 6 April 2017
  6. Konrad Janik – 6 April 2017
  7. Karol Pietrowicz – 17 May 2017
  8. Maciej Walewski – 19 September 2017
  9. Mariusz Boheński – 2 October 2017
  10. Jakub Pękala – 11 October 2017
  11. Adam Fuchs – 18 October 2017
  12. Magdalena Wiaterska – 15 November 2017
  13. Szymon Wojtyra – 5 December 2017
  14. Paweł Duda – 20 February 2018
  15. Arkadiusz Skiba – 26 February 2018
  16. Emilia Dadan – 28 February 2018
  17. Weronika Zblewska – 12 March 2018
  18. Justyna Męcik – 11 April 2018
  19. Weronika Bujnowska – 3 September 2018
  20. Wioletta Ryczek – 11 September 2018
  21. Jacek Piątkowski – 17 September 2018
  22. Agnieszka Nawrocka – 19 September 2018
  23. Błażej Szulc – 7 November 2018
  24. Wojciech Lipiński – 13 November 2018
  25. Tomasz Remian – 15 November 2018
  26. Damian Zieliński – 18 April 2019
  27. Błażej Krzywicki – 13 May 2019
  28. Jarosław Hirny-Budka – 23 May 2019
  29. Mirosława Obst – 8 October 2019
  30. Piotr Maćkowiak – 24 October 2019
  31. Paweł Jokiel – 31 October 2019
  32. Karol Filczak – 7 November 2019
  33. Marek Muszyński – 11 November 2019
  34. Mirosław Kobus – 21 November 2019
  35. Szymon Jankowski – 27 November 2019
  36. Adrian Pietrzak – 26 March 2020
  37. Sebastian Zasada – 10 September 2020
  38. Filip Wołowski – 24 September 2020
  39. Paweł Goleniowski – 6 October 2020
  40. Hanna Janus – 5 November 2020
  41. Filip Dawidowicz – 10 November 2020
  42. Paulina Krupińska & Damian Michałowski – 3 December 2020 (Saint Nicolas Day Celebrity Special)
  43. Jerzy Kuhn – 2 March 2021
  44. Andrzej Grabowski – 24 March 2021
  45. Przemysław Dąbek – 30 September 2021
  46. Michał Ślusarz – 21 October 2021
  47. Sebastian Kusz – 25 November 2021
  48. Emil Witczak – 30 November 2021
  49. Marcin Wojciechowski – 1 December 2021
  50. Jan Steinmetz – 3 March 2022
  51. Sebastian Jurgielewicz – 5 May 2022
  52. Łukasz Wesołowski – 11 May 2022
  53. Monika Zega – 7 September 2022
  54. Jakub Maj – 12 September 2022
  55. Marek Sławik – 9 November 2022
  56. Agnieszka Suchora & Agata Kulesza (Women's Day Special) – 7 March 2023
  57. Mikołaj Sadek – 13 April 2023
  58. Jarosław Bieniuk & Szymon Bieniuk (Children's Day Special) – 1 June 2023
  59. Zbigniew Szalak – 22 November 2023
  60. Łukasz Meyer – 28 November 2023
  61. Michalina Kwiecińska – 30 November 2023
  62. Ewa Kubczak-Wodejko – 19 March 2024
  63. Jacek Bargieł – 9 April 2024
  64. Wioleta Adamiec – 18 April 2024
  65. Anna Downar – 25 April 2024
  66. Tomasz Witkiewicz – 6 May 2024

Second edition

1,000,000 złotys winners

  1. Krzysztof Wójcik – 28 March 2010

500,000 złotys winners

  1. Paulina Kowalczyk – 5 April 2008 (used 50:50 and Ask the Audience lifeline in the final question)
  2. Dagna Sieńko – 18 May 2008
  3. Rafał Tomański – 22 November 2008 (used 50:50 and Ask the Audience lifeline in the final question)
  4. Renata Dancewicz & Piotr Adamczyk – 7 December 2008 (Celebrity Edition, used 50:50 lifeline in the final question)
  5. Marzena Rogowska – 25 April 2009
  6. Katarzyna Zaręba – 24 October 2010
  7. Karolina Korwin-Piotrowska & Michał Piróg – 19 December 2010 (Celebrity Edition)

Four players guessed the correct answer after resigning from playing.

500,000 złotys question wrong (lost 210,000 złotys)

  1. Sławomir Kucharczyk – 6 April 2008
  2. Lidia Wołk-Karaczewska – 14 March 2009
  3. Dorota Śliwak – 19 September 2010

250,000 złotys winners

  1. Elżbieta Orłowska – 29 March 2008 (used Phone a Friend and Ask the Audience lifelines in 500,000 złotys question)
  2. Dorota Kwiecińska – 27 April 2008
  3. Marek Kraśnicki – 7 September 2008 (used Phone a Friend lifeline in 500,000 złotys question)
  4. Marcin Bobrowski – 19 April 2009
  5. Tomasz Radko – 1 November 2009
  6. Szymon Hołownia & Marcin Prokop – 26 December 2009 (Celebrity Edition)
  7. Jakub Tomys – 2 May 2010
  8. Jędrzej Wiczkowski – 20 June 2010
  9. Magdalena Lula – 10 October 2010

125,000 złotys winners

  1. Elżbieta Sokołowska – 27 January 2008
  2. Paweł Staszyński – 10 February 2008
  3. Joanna Słowińska – 17 May 2008
  4. Ewa Drzyzga & Szymon Majewski – 1 June 2008 (Celebrity Edition)
  5. Małgorzata Czepek – 7 June 2008
  6. Waldemar Kazimierski – 6 September 2008
  7. Wojciech Przybyłowicz – 25 October 2008
  8. Weronika Bielacha – 29 March 2009
  9. Sławomir Chromik – 10 May 2009
  10. Jolanta Falcman – 20 September 2009
  11. Artur Szczęsny – 18 October 2009
  12. Sebastian Rzodkiewicz – 4 April 2010
  13. Łukasz Weber – 25 April 2010
  14. Kajetan Pawełczyk – 16 May 2010
  15. Mikołaj Dulęba – 7 November 2010
  16. Maciej Piszcz – 21 November 2010

First edition

1,000,000 złotys question wrong (lost 468,000 złotys)

  1. Filip Łapiński – 2 June 2002 (special edition with participation of children, used 50:50 lifeline in the final question)

500,000 złotys winners

  1. Władysław Kostrzewski – 21 October 2000 (first contestant to walk away with 500,000 złotys)
  2. Zbigniew Chrzanowski – 21 May 2001
  3. Jerzy Mirski – 14 October 2001

500,000 złotys question wrong (lost 218,000 złotys)

  1. Leszek Musiał – 29 December 2000
  2. Andrzej Bibel – 30 September 2001
  3. Renata Dancewicz & Paweł Wilczak – 24 December 2001 (Celebrity Edition)
  4. Waldemar Myszkiewicz – 5 January 2002
  5. Krzysztof Paliński – 3 March 2002
  6. Ziemowit Stefański – 2 June 2002 (special edition with participation of children)

250,000 złotys winners

  1. Krzysztof Karwowski – 5 March 2000
  2. Jarosław Olejnicki – 5 May 2000
  3. Marek Janowski – 8 October 2000
  4. Stanisław Pietrasiewicz – 17 February 2001
  5. Katarzyna Dobras – 28 February 2001
  6. Jerzy Zadrożny – 12 March 2001
  7. Tomasz Micorek – 24 September 2001
  8. Artur Wiśniewski – 16 December 2001
  9. Edyta Olszówka & Olaf Lubaszenko – 25 December 2001 (Celebrity Edition)
  10. Szczepan Gardecki – 9 February 2002
  11. Gogoł family – 23 September 2002 (Family Edition)
  12. Aleksandra Woźniak & Rafał Królikowski – 25 December 2002 (Celebrity Edition)

125,000 złotys winners

  1. Andrzej Zubala – 17 September 1999
  2. Bogdan Rzepka – 24 September 1999
  3. Barbara Płachta – 27 November 1999
  4. Katarzyna Niziałek – 31 December 1999
  5. Grażyna Tomaszewska – 3 January 2000
  6. Maciej Kondratowicz – 12 March 2000
  7. Paweł Wasilewski – 18 March 2000
  8. Alfred Znamierowski – 16 April 2000
  9. Marzena Bralska – 29 April 2000
  10. Łukasz Kaźmierczak – 30 April 2000
  11. Ryszard Ćwirta – 14 May 2000
  12. Katarzyna Kreczmer – 29 May 2000
  13. Bogdan Wencel – 21 June 2000
  14. Bożena Pieczara – 28 June 2000
  15. Grażyna Eysmont – 2 September 2000
  16. Edward Mierzwa – 2 September 2000
  17. Marek Pawlak – 8 September 2000
  18. Tadeusz Biały – 9 September 2000
  19. Piotr Kopczyński – 30 September 2000
  20. Tomasz Guzek – 4 October 2000
  21. Wojciech Chocianowski – 25 November 2000
  22. Marek Duszczyk – 9 December 2000
  23. Mariusz Jaszczuk – 15 December 2000
  24. Jan Mika – 1 January 2001
  25. Mieczysław Kulesza – 14 January 2001
  26. Marcin Grzelak – 22 January 2001
  27. Przemysław Radowicz – 11 February 2001
  28. Barbara ? & Mirosław ? – 14 February 2001
  29. Tadeusz Grabowski – 11 March 2001
  30. Tomasz Lipiński – 19 March 2001
  31. Mariusz Kowalski – 7 April 2001
  32. Arkadiusz Jadacki – 14 April 2001
  33. Marek Fotek – 23 April 2001
  34. Wiesław Czekaj – 4 May 2001
  35. Stojan Nedalkov – 6 May 2001
  36. Zbigniew Męcik – 17 June 2001
  37. Andrzej Łukaszczyk – 30 June 2001
  38. Monika Żuczkowska – 22 October 2001
  39. Jacek Branas – 19 November 2001
  40. Joanna Dymczyk – 24 November 2001
  41. Andrzej Kamiński – 3 December 2001
  42. Henryk Bronner – 30 December 2001
  43. Ewa Wota – 6 January 2002
  44. Maciej Krawczyński – 13 January 2002
  45. Henryk Czarny – 3 February 2002
  46. Piotr Bednarczyk – 10 March 2002
  47. Marek Piłat – 16 March 2002
  48. Katarzyna Skrzynecka & Maciej Kozłowski – ? April 2002 (Celebrity Edition)
  49. Artur Barciś & Cezary Żak – ? April 2002 (Celebrity Edition)
  50. Witold Myśliwiec – 6 April 2002
  51. Andrzej Wardyn – 27 April 2002
  52. Mirosław Monczyński – 29 April 2002
  53. Monika Brochacka & Piotr Borucki – ? June 2002 (Big Brother Edition)
  54. Tomasz Derda – 20 October 2002
  55. Józef Mieluch – 10 November 2002
  56. Jerzy Pasternak – 2 December 2002
  57. Krzysztof Bendkowski – 16 December 2002
  58. Agnieszka Stachurska – 26 January 2003

Statistics

Winnings from 3 Sep 1999 to 26 Jan 2003

WinningsAmountSum
01
b100 zł?? zł
b200 zł?? zł
b300 zł?? zł
b500 zł?? zł
c1,000 zł77,000 zł
d2,000 zł?? zł
e4,000 zł?? zł
f8,000 zł216,000 zł
g16,000 zł580,000 zł
h32,000 zł10320,000 zł
i64,000 zł2128,000 zł
j125,000 zł587,250,000 zł
k250,000 zł133,250,000 zł
l500,000 zł31,500,000 zł
m1,000,000 zł00 zł
mSum?? zł

Winnings from 19 Jan 2008

WinningsAmountSum
044
b500 zł00 zł
c1,000 zł284284,000 zł
d2,000 zł00 zł
e5,000 zł945,000 zł
f10,000 zł28280,000 zł
g20,000 zł521,040,000 zł
h40,000 zł1325,280,000 zł
i75,000 zł322,400,000 zł
j125,000 zł384,750,000 zł
k250,000 zł215,250,000 zł
l500,000 zł126,000,000 zł
m1,000,000 zł22,000,000 zł
mSum65227,489,000 zł

Last update: 15 October 2018.

Special episodes

1999–2003

Also in 2002 TVN was broadcasting series of family episodes. Teams of three people were taking part, and all had to be related. Every team had its captain. The rules were the same as in normal episodes, but the captain decided about choosing an answer after consultations with the rest of family members. After winning 32,000 złotys, one person left the team and went to the audience; after winning 125,000 złotys another person left and only one person left had to answer last three questions.[47] Najwyższa wygrana w tych wydaniach to 250 000 złotych.[47]

2008–2010

2017 onwards

Broadcasting

Small season numberTime of broadcastDays of the weekHoursLength of episodePicture format
1September 1999 – May 2000[50] Monday, Friday20:3030 minutes4:3
Saturday, Sunday19:3060 minutes
June 2000Monday, Wednesday, Thursday20:3030 minutes
Saturday, Sunday19:3060 minutes
2August 2000 – March 2001[51] Monday, Wednesday, Friday20:3060 minutes
Saturday, Sunday19:35
March–July 2001[52] Monday, Friday20:50
Saturday, Sunday19:35
3September–December 2001, March–May 2002Monday20:5045 minutes
Saturday, Sunday19:35
January–February, June 2002[53] Saturday, Sunday20:00
4September–December 2002Monday21:20
Sunday20:00
January 2003Sunday20:00
5January–June 2008[54] [55] Saturday, Sunday18:0060 minutes16:9
6September–December 2008
7March–May 2009
8September–December 2009[56] Sunday
9March–June 201016:9 HD[57]
10September–December 2010[58]
11February–May 2017Monday to Thursday[59] 20:5530 minutes[60]
12September–December 2017
13February–May 2018
14September–December 2018
15February–May 2019
16September–December 2019
17March 2020
18September–December 2020
19February–May 2021
20September–December 2021
21February–June 2022
22September–December 2022
23February–June 2023
24September–December 2023
25March–May 2024
26November 2024 – present20:50

Number of viewers

The biggest number of viewers was on 5 March 2000, when a contestant won 250,000 zł as the first person in the show. The number of viewers of this episode was 6.51 million people.[61] [62] [63]

Average number of viewers of the January–April 2008 episode was 3.5 million viewers.[64] First episode of 2008 series (19 January 2008) was watched by 3.5 million viewers. The biggest number of viewers in 2008 series was on 5 April 2008, when the 1,000,000 zł question came up the first time in the 2008 series. The episode from 6 April 2008 in which contestant got the 500,000 zł question wrong was watched by 4.2 million viewers.

YearNumber of viewers (in millions)[65]
19992.87
20003.05
20012.9
20022.25
20032.33
Spring 20083.27
Autumn 20082.92
Spring 20092.32
Autumn 20092.43
Spring 20102.21[66]
Autumn 20102.65
Spring 20172.35
Autumn 20172.08
Spring 20181.99
Autumn 20182.09
Spring 20191.98
Autumn 20191.82
Spring 2020[67] about 1.85
Autumn 20201.56
Spring 20211.51
Autumn 20211.52
Spring 2022[68] 1.43 (according to Wirtualne Media)
1.44 (according to press)
Autumn 20221.34
Spring 20231.28
Autumn 20231.07

Questions for million złotys

In Milionerzy, 33 questions for one million złotys appeared. 24 players walked away, and nine players answered the question. Two players answered incorrectly, while seven players answered correctly and won 1 million złotys. Here are the questions:

Records and faux pas

Notes

  1. Web site: Who Wants to be a Millionaire? – UKGameshows. ukgameshows.com. 2009-12-25.
  2. Web site: Trochę odświeżeni, jeszcze lepsi… – O programie – TVN – Milionerzy. milionerzy.plejada.pl. 2008-01-16. 2010-02-12. Polish.
  3. The experts were: in the autumn 2009 season – Andrzej Fabianowski, Piotr Gąsowski, Michał Ogórek and Kazimiera Szczuka; in the 2010 seasons – Bartosz Węglarczyk, Michał Ogórek, Szymon Hołownia, Dorota Wellman and Jan Wróbel.
  4. Web site: W "Milionerach" wielkie zmiany – O programie – TVN – Milionerzy. 15 October 2019. milionerzy.plejada.pl. pl.
  5. News: "Milionerzy" – nowe koło ratunkowe "zmiana pytania". Co się zmieni? . 2024-01-03 . 2024-03-12 . TVN24 . pl.
  6. Web site: Wiosenna rewolucja w Milionerach – O programie – TVN – Milionerzy. milionerzy.plejada.pl. 2010-02-25. pl. 2010-03-04.
  7. Web site: Regulamin programu z lat 2002–2003. tvn.pl. 2010-02-12. Polish. https://web.archive.org/web/20021208093243/http://tvn.pl/regmil.htm. December 8, 2002.
  8. Web site: Regulamin programu od 2008 roku. onet.pl. 2010-02-12. Polish. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725131414/http://slimak.onet.pl/_m/TVN/milionerzy/regulamin_casting.pdf. 2011-07-25. dead.
  9. News: W "Milionerach" zagrają dziś o dwa miliony złotych. Zasady finału specjalnej edycji . 2023-10-20 . 2023-10-21 . TVN24 . pl.
  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_NhEQmjoro First version of logo (YouTube)
  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ErtUa0i70 Second version of logo (YouTube)
  12. Web site: The great return . 19 March 2008 . TVN .
  13. From moment when host announces Fastest Finger First to moment when he ends reading the question.
  14. This effect wasn't used in the first episodes of second series.
  15. Winning question: One of the official languages of the United Nations is: A. German; B. Arabic; C. Latin; D. Polish. Correct answer: "B". Question for 250,000 zł was: Zbigniew Zamachowski plays on a comb melody of the song "To ostatnia niedziela" (This last Sunday) in the film: A. "Zmruż oczy" (Squint Your Eyes); B. "Pułkownik Kwiatkowski" (Colonel Kwiatkowski); C. "Trzy kolory. Biały" (); D. "Cześć Tereska" (Hi Theresa) and the correct answer was answer "C".
  16. A player who had 75,000 zł decided to answer the next question and chose answer "B" for this 125,000 zł question: Which of these famous connoisseurs had to say: "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"? A. Mark Twain; B. Winston Churchill, C. Sigmund Freud, D. Alfred Hitchcock. Correct answer was "C".
  17. Question for 125,000 zł was: In which voivodeship known from Polish jokes is the town Wąchock? A. in Lower Silesian; B. in Podlachian; C. in Świętokrzyskie; D. in Pomeranian. The correct answer was "C". The player refused to play for 250,000 zł, which question was: How many cats are on Édouard Manet's painting "Olimpia"? A. zero; B. one; C. two; D. three. Correct answer was "B".
  18. A player answered 9 question for 125,000 zł, having one lifeline fifty fifty (pół na pół) left. After using it on the 250,000 zł question, she risked and said gave a wrong answer to a question about place of red gape on palm cockatoo. After using the lifeline, two answers remained: C. on mirror near the wing and D. on the bottom of the beak.
  19. Question for 75,000 zł:Veduta is a painting showing:A) still lifeB) view of townC) family portraitD) war scene.Player chose D answer, but correct answer was B.
  20. Player resigned playing in the question for 125,000 zł, what was:: Who of these persons from cosmetics field was born in Łódź? A. Estée Lauder; B. Helena Rubinstein; C. Max Factor; D. Irena Eris. He initially bet on "B" answer, but "C" was correct answer.
  21. 5 players played in this episode. Three of them won 1000 zł, one player left the studio with nothing, and one won Fastest Fingers First round, but the programme ended before he heard the first question.
  22. Player had 75,000 zł and he decided to answer question for 125,000 zł: What violet colour on vestment of ecclesiastic in Roman Catholic Church symbolize? A. atonement; B. happiness; C. royal dignity; D. innocence.After using lifeline 50:50 "A" and "B" answers stayed. Player chosen "B" answer, which was incorrect. Correct answer was "A".
  23. Player who had 250,000 zł said that she want to play for 500,000 zł. Question for 500,000 zł: Which of these words isn't anagram of word "skrzynka"? A. zarys; B. krzak; C. kryzys; D. kryza, after using lifelines ask the audience and phone a friend, she resigned from answering. She bet on "A" answer, but "C" was correct answer. Winning question for 250,000 zł was: If young couple stay under chuppah, what religion do they profess?? A. buddhism; B. judaism; C. islam; D. hinduism. Correct answer was "B".
  24. Player while having 500,000 zł had a question for million zlotys: Who is the master of the same arms that Artemis specialises? A. Zorro B. Legolas C. Don Quixote D. Longinus Podbipięta, and after using ask the audience (46% of votes for correct answer) and fifty fifty ("A" and "B" answers stayed) lifelines, she resigned from answering the question. She intuitively bet on "B", which was correct answer. If she would use fifty fifty, and then ask the audience (where probably would be about 65% of votes for correct answer), she would probably answer correct answer, "B". Many people say that this player was a corrupted player. Winning question for 500,000 zł: Which of these words are also in singular form? A. name day (imieniny) B. doors (drzwi) C. thicket (chaszcze) D. shaft (drzewce)Correct answer was "D".
  25. Player while having 250,000 zł decided to play for 500,000 zł and he chose answer "C" at question for 500,000 zł: In which of these countries English language isn't an official language? A. in Canada B. in the US C. in the RSA D. in Ireland. Correct answer was "B". Winning question for 250,000 zł:
  26. Player while having 40,000 zł answered intuitionally "B" at question for 75,000 zł: Which of these chemical elements was called "kwasoród" (acid-borner) in the past? A. oxygen; B. hydrogen; C. carbon; D. nitrogen, but correct answer was "A". Winning question for 40,000 zł was: Flowers of cucumber are in what colour? A. red; B. blue; C. yellow; D. violet. Correct answer was "C".
  27. Question for 500,000 zł was: On flag of which country hoe crosses with machine gun? A: Mozambique; B: Uganda; C: Eritrea; D: Republic of the Congo. Correct answer was "Mozambique", but player resigned from playing. Winning question for 250,000 zł was: Which island was main bid of First Punic War? A: Majorca B: Sicily C: Sardinia D: Corsica.
  28. Question for 75,000 zł: What is in Polish buttonhole beside hole of button in jacket's flop. Correct answer was: little flacon, but player said it is fancy handkerchief and ended his game. Other possible answers were: decoration of well and miniature of order.
  29. Player while having 40,000 zł decided to answer "A" in question for 75,000 zł: How editors in Poland call one-letter words which can be found at the end of the verse in newspaper or book? A. karzełek (dwarf); B. bękart (bastard); C. podrzutek (oaf); D. pustelnik (anchoret) but correct answer was "B".
  30. Question for 250,000 zł was: Who of these prime ministers of Israel was born in Poland? A. Shimon Peres; B. Ariel Sharon; C. Benjamin Netanyahu; D. Ehud Olmert. Player resigned from playing, but the player bet on correct answer. Correct answer was "A". Question for 125,000 zł was: Snowflake is usually a star with how many sides? A. eight; B. seven; C. six; D. five. Correct answer was "C".
  31. Question for million can be found in "Questions for million złotys" article's part
  32. Result of Piotr Gąsowski's and Katarzyna Skrzynecka's game for charity from first part of programme was prize of guaranteed 40,000 zł. They answered incorrectly at question for 125,000 zł.
  33. Result of game for charity in second part of programme by Szymon Majewski and Ewa Drzyzga. Question for 250,000 zł was: Vests of people who fill up the fuel in aircraft carriers are in what colour? A: yellow; B: violet; C: blue; D: white. Players resigned from playing. Ewa Drzyzga bet on a wrong answer, while Szymon Majewski bet on the correct answer, which was "B". Question for 125,000 zł: Whose exertion for role summed up with this text: "Isn't able to play, isn't able to sing. Becomes bald. Dances a little". A: Frank Sinatra's; B:Fred Astaire's; C: John Travolta's; D: Bruce Willis'. After using two lifelines, a player chose "B", which was correct answer.
  34. Question for 125,000 zł: Countries, which ratified the Kyoto Protocol, decided to reduce what? A. use of conventional weapon; B. use of nuclear weapon; C. emission of greenhouse gases; D. output of petroleum. Player chose the correct answer, which was "C".
  35. Player incorrectly answered on question for 75,000 zł: "On Oscar statuette, knight is standing on what? A: on roll of film tape; B: on sword; C: on clapperboard; D: on earth. Player chose "D" answer, but the correct answer was "A".
  36. Special celebrity edition on Saint Nicholas Day
  37. Special celebrity edition
  38. Player has lost on 500,000 zł question.
  39. Question for 250,000 zł was 'Where's the Wharton's jelly?". Player resigned from playing. The winning 125,000 zł question was: "In which Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum game a player could become buster of street gang? A: 1942; B: ; C: Saboteur; D: Commando" After 50:50 B and D stayed. B was correct.
  40. Player answered correctly on 125,000 zł question "Which of these politicians was a senator of Poland? A: Donald Tusk; B: Waldemar Pawlak; C: Aleksander Kwaśniewski; D: Wojciech Olejniczak". Correct answer was A. The question, on which player resigned from playing, was "Which of these poets worked in Institute of Rudolf Weigl as foster of sucking louses? A: Leopold Staff; B: Jan Brzechwa; C: Czesław Miłosz; D: Zbigniew Herbert". Correct answer was D.
  41. Question for 500,000 zł, on which player resigned from playing, was: "Gala, wife and muse of Salvador Dalí was: A: a Russian immigrant; B: a Spanish dancer; C: a French marchioness; D: a Greek journalist. Correct answer was "A". Player used "ask the expert" lifeline on this question, but he didn't get the answer. Winning question for 250,000 zł was: Which of these writers took part in the French invasion of Russia? A: Adam Mickiewicz; B: Julian Niemcewicz; C: Aleksander Fredro; D: Jakub Jasiński. Correct answer was "C".
  42. 13 September 2023 on Player.pl
  43. Web site: Milionerzy on-line: Wyniki 24 – 26 grudnia 2001 (charytatywny). 1000000.prv.pl. 24–26 December 2001. pl. https://web.archive.org/web/20020213130440/http://mariuszysko.fm.interia.pl/wyniki/charyt.html. February 13, 2002.
  44. Web site: Milionerzy: Barciś i Żak grają o milion. vipnews.pl. 2002-03-25. 2010-02-13. Polish.
  45. Web site: 1 i 2 czerwca z okazji Dnia Dziecka specjalne wydanie "Milionerów". tvn.pl. 2010-02-12. Polish. https://web.archive.org/web/20020614065934/http://www.tvn.pl/rozrywka/07e.htm. June 14, 2002.
  46. Web site: MILIONERZY – wydanie z uczestnikami BIG BROTHERA. vipnews.pl. 2002-06-10. 2010-02-13. Polish.
  47. Web site: Regulamin konkursu "MILIONERZY RODZINNI". tvn.pl. 2002-08-21. 2010-02-07. Polish . https://web.archive.org/web/20040211005310/http://tvn.pl/regmil_rodzinny.htm . 2004-02-11.
  48. Web site: Gwiazdy TVN wygrały dla Dzieci!!! – Wideo – Multimedia – TVN – Milionerzy. milionerzy.plejada.pl. 2010-04-05. Polish.
  49. Web site: Gwiazdy TVN zagrały dla Fundacji!!! – Aktualności – TVN – Milionerzy. milionerzy.plejada.pl. 2009-12-27. Polish. 2010-02-18.
  50. Web site: Milionerzy – TVN. tvn.pl. May 2000. 2010-03-10. Polish . https://web.archive.org/web/20000518141241/http://www.tvn.pl/rozpp.htm#mil . 2000-05-18.
  51. Web site: Milionerzy – TVN. tvn.pl. February 2001. 2010-03-10. Polish . https://web.archive.org/web/20010203222900/http://www.tvn.pl/rozpp.htm#mil . 2001-02-03.
  52. Web site: Milionerzy – TVN. tvn.pl. March 2001. 2010-03-10. Polish. https://web.archive.org/web/20010331134125/http://www.tvn.pl/mil.htm. March 31, 2001.
  53. Web site: Milionerzy – TVN. tvn.pl. 2002. 2010-03-05. Polish . https://web.archive.org/web/20020604072117/http://www.tvn.pl/rozrywka/07.htm . 2002-06-04.
  54. Web site: Program telewizji TVN – 2008-01-19 – Program TV TVN. programtelewizji.pl. 2010-03-05. Polish.
  55. Web site: Program telewizji TVN – 2009-05-31 – Program TV TVN. programtelewizji.pl. 2010-03-05. Polish.
  56. Web site: Milionerzy – TVN. tvn.pl. 2010. 2010-03-05. Polish.
  57. Web site: Zobacz kulisy "Milionerów" – Aktualności – TVN – Milionerzy. milionerzy.plejada.pl. 2010-03-04. 2010-03-05. Polish.
  58. Web site: TVN: 2,1 MLN widzów "Milionerów", powrót jesienią.
  59. The exceptions are the Easter episodes from 2017, which aired on Saturday and Monday at 20:00; and the final episode of the 2 million złoty special, which aired on Friday at 20:00.
  60. The special episodes are longer, lasting 26–50 minutes. The final episode of the 2 million złoty special lasted 60 minutes.
  61. Web site: TVN rozpoczęła eliminacje do nowej edycji 'Milionerów'.
  62. M. I. Niemczyńska, "Hitchcock w teleturnieju" ("Hitchcock in a game show"), Gazeta Telewizyjna (Television Magazine) – addition to Gazeta Wyborcza, N°21, page 9
  63. Web site: Koniec nadawania teleturnieju "Milionerzy".
  64. Web site: 5 milionów widzów śledziło grę o milion w 'Milionerach'.
  65. Web site: 'Milionerzy' stracili widzów, ale powrócą wiosną.
  66. Web site: Reality-TV.pl • TVN zadowolona z oglądalności Milionerów, program powróci jesienią . 2010-10-10 . 2010-08-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100801035135/http://www.reality-tv.pl/2010/06/28/tvn-zadowolona-z-ogladalnosci-milionerow-program-powroci-jesienia/ . dead .
  67. The fourth (last) week of episodes was not included.
  68. All episodes except two special episodes (14 February and 1 June).