…There’s (usually) no such thing as “requesting the value of the prize in cash, instead of taking the prize.” … If the prize was furnished to the show, there’s no incentive for them to give a contestant the cash value instead. If the prize was purchased, however, the show will very often (but NOT ALWAYS) give a contestant the cash value instead. The show actually saves a little money in that situation by paying the cash instead. But it’s the show that decides to award cash instead of the prize, not the contestant….