Who Wants to Be a Millionaire first hit North America in 1999, becoming a huge success in prime time. The game show is now a staple in syndication, continuing to draw a faithful audience every weekday. It's a smart quizzer that combines challenging questions with artful game play, giving each contestant the chance to become a game show millionaire.

The show has seen some turmoil and viewer decline in recent years, with several new hosts following the departure of Meredith Viera, a relocation from New York City to Connecticut, and several changes in game play. Still, it's become an iconic daytime game that will likely be around for several years to come. Bringing in Chris Harrison to host the show may be just what it needs to regain its ratings foothold.

•Be a Contestant on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'

If you've ever wanted to sit in the hot seat and try your hand at Millionaire, here's how to get the application process going. You can apply in person in New York, at an open casting call, or, as of 2015, you can apply via YouTube video. Here's how.

 

• Be a Contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

•Meet the Host, Chris Harrison

The host of the daily syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is Chris Harrison. Of course there have been several past hosts as well including Regis Philbin and Meredith Vieira, and you can learn about them too!

• Chris Harrison bio
• The Hosts of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

•Get Free Audience Tickets

Want to see how a taping of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire works? You can get free audience tickets for the show, which tapes in both Connecticut and New York City.

 

• Get free audience tickets for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

•The 'Millionaire' Lifelines

Contestants playing Who Wants to Be a Millionaire are able to take advantage of the various lifelines on offer. The most popular lifeline, Phone-A-Friend, was discontinued in 2010, while others have since been retired as well. Here are the main lifelines, past and present, and how they work.

 

• Ask the Audience
• Ask the Expert
• Double Dip
• Jump the Question
• Phone-a-Friend
• Plus One

•10th Anniversary Prime Time Special

For two weeks in the summer of 2009, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire returned to prime time, with Regis Philbin at the helm, to celebrate ten years of great gaming. Celebrities were invited to answer a single question at the end of each episode to raise money for charity. One moment defined the show for one contestant.

 

• Prime Time Millionaire's Million Dollar Moment - What Would You Have Done?

•The Tournament of Ten

Following the success of the 10th Anniversary special, Millionaire tried another event. This one was called the Tournament of Ten, and invited the ten top-seeded contestants from the current season to return and face their million dollar questions. Learn more about this tournament:

 

• Tournament of Ten Contestant Photos and Results
• How the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Tournament of Ten Works

•'Millionaire' Guest Hosts and Celebrity Guests

Every once in a while, Meredith Vieira needs a vacation. These weeks can be fun for Millionaire fans as guest hosts take over the show and give us something a little different. Other weeks have special themes and celebrities popping by, with varying results for the contestants.

• Photo Gallery: Cat Deely Guest Hosts Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
• Regis Philbin Guest Hosts Millionaire
• The Real Housewives of Millionaire