After establishing procedures and measures of success agreed upon beforehand between the challengers and the claimants, a challenge is usually divided into two steps. The first is a "preliminary test", or "pre-test", where claimants can show their purported abilities under controlled conditions in front of a small audience, before being admitted to the final test. Sometimes these pre-tests have a smaller prize attached to them.[4] Several local organisations have set up challenges that serve as pre-tests to larger prizes such as the JREF's One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge[1][5][6] or the 2012–2013 SKEPP Sisyphus Prize (for one million euros).[7][8]
History
In 1922, Scientific American made two US$2,500 offers: (1) for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions, and (2) for the first psychic to produce a "visible psychic manifestation."[9]Harry Houdini was a member of the investigating committee. The first medium to be tested was George Valiantine, who claimed that in his presence spirits would speak through a trumpet that floated around a darkened room. For the test, Valiantine was placed in a room, the lights were extinguished, but unbeknownst to him his chair had been rigged to light a signal in an adjoining room if he left his seat. Because the light signals were tripped during his performance - indicating that he did leave his seat multiple times, sometimes for up to eighteen seconds - Valiantine was confirmed to be a fraud, and did not collect the award money.[2]
Since then, many individuals and groups have offered similar monetary awards for proof of the paranormal in an observed setting.[2] Indian rationalist Abraham Kovoor's challenge in 1963 inspired American skeptic James Randi's prize in 1964,[10] which became the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. In 2003, these prizes were calculated to have a combined value of US$2,326,500.[11] As of December 2023, none of the prizes have been awarded, as no proof of paranormal has been provided.
In 2015, James Randi ceased to accept public applications directly from people claiming to have paranormal powers.[12] As of 2018, these prizes combine to approximately US$1,024,215. They take place in multiple countries and the conditions to be met may vary considerably. As of January 2024, none of the prizes have been claimed.
"...to anyone who can demonstrate any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power under scientific test conditions." The person who refers a successful applicant to the CFIIG earns $5,000 as well.[15]
Prabir Ghosh will award the prize "to any person of this world who can demonstrate his/her supernormal power by performing any one of the following activities without taking help of any hoax/trick at my designated place and circumstances."[17]
Unclaimed
2000–
Italy
Alfredo Barrago's Bet
50,000 Euro
$60,737
"[...] shown at least a 'phenomenon' produced by 'medium, seers, sensitive etc.' of paranormal nature."[18]
The original Sisyphus Prize was €10,000. Between 2012 and 2013, for the duration of one year, an anonymous Antwerp businessman raised the prize €1,000,000, while several European skeptical organisations attached their pre-tests to it.[8][19] Afterwards, the regular Sisyphus Prize was continued and raised from €10,000 to €25,000.[4]
The prize is awarded for demonstrating paranormal or supernatural abilities under conditions scientifically valid experiment.[20][21]
Unclaimed
2001–
United States
North Texas Skeptics
12,000 US dollars
$12,000
"[T]o any person ... who can demonstrate any psychic or paranormal power or ability under scientifically valid observing conditions."[2][22]
Unclaimed
1997–
Great Britain
Lavkesh Prasha, Asian Rationalist Society of Britain
10,000 British pounds
$13,779
"[T]o any person who could prove to possess magical powers before the media and scientists." The initial amount of £2,000 was increased fivefold in 2006 to attract more applicants.[23][24]
For anybody in Finland who can produce paranormal phenomena under satisfactory observing conditions or prove that she/he/it is an extraterrestrial by providing a DNA (or equivalent) sample for investigation. Money partially from astronomer Hannu Karttunen and magician Iiro Seppänen.[28]
Formerly moderated by Basava Premanand, deceased in 2009. Offered after Abraham Kovoor fell ill with cancer in 1976.[34] Premanand's magazine and organization have continued the challenge after his death in 2009.[35]
To anyone who could prove the 1995 "Hindu milk miracle" was, in fact, a miracle.[36] Since 2002, it includes "anyone who can provide scientific evidence for iridology".[37]
Unclaimed
2011–
Mexico
Daniel Zepeda
20,000 Mexican pesos
$1074
"To anyone who can show, under proper observational and replicable conditions, evidence of a paranormal, supernatural or occult power for which science has no answer."[38]
Unclaimed
1989–
United States
Tampa Bay Skeptics
1000 US dollars
$1,000
"[T]o anyone able to demonstrate any paranormal phenomenon under mutually agreed-upon observing conditions."[2][39]
Unclaimed
2023
New Zealand
NZ Skeptics & NZ Association of Rationalists and Humanists
100,000 New Zealand dollars
$60,000
"[T]he challenge is open to anyone who can prove they possess a supernatural or paranormal ability. However, entry is limited to “prominent” people like those named by the society to kick things off."[40][41][42]
Launched by James Randi as $1,000 in 1964,[43] raised to $10,000 by 1980,[44] to $100,000 by 1989,[45] and finally to a million in 1996.[46] Since the launch of the James Randi Educational Foundation, applications were processed and tests prepared and conducted by a committee.[43] In 2015 the challenge was officially terminated.[citation needed]
Two $2,500 offers: (1) for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions, or (2) for the first psychic to produce a "visible psychic manifestation."[2][9]
Unclaimed
Unknown–2005
United States
New York Area Skeptics
2000 US dollars
$2000
Awarded to the successful completion of the JREF One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.[citation needed]
Awarded to anyone who passed the British preliminary test to the Belgian Sisyphus Prize.[7]
Unclaimed
1994–2022
New Zealand
Stuart Landsborough (member of the NZ Skeptics)
100,000 New Zealand dollars
$60,000
"[T]o anyone who could prove by psychic ability that they can indicate the exact location" of two halves of a promissory note hidden within an area of 100 metres inside Stuart Landsborough's Puzzling World. Over the years, the search area has been reduced from 5 kilometres to 100 metres and the prize doubled, but the note split in two to reduce the chance of winning by sheer luck.[58] Contestants have to donate NZ$1,000 to charity if they fail.[59][60]
Unclaimed
Notes
^In 2003, the "Yellow Bamboo group" from Bali claimed they passed an (unofficial) JREF preliminary test. However, the JREF determined they had not passed this test, saying that regarding the video submitted to prove their claim, "...a Sony camera that takes a floppy disk, was used; it makes 12-second "snaps" of action, at very low resolution... that video "clip" is very obscure and dark, so it doesn't tell us much... we've now viewed the clip frame-by-frame, and... there is no evidence of anything supernatural available here."
[47][48]
^"The CFIIG Paranormal Challenge". CFI Investigations Group. 8 April 2012. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023. CFIIG will work with applicants to design the test protocol and define the conditions under which the test will take place. In most cases, the applicant will be asked to perform an informal demonstration of the claimed ability or phenomenon; if the demonstration is successful, it will be followed by a formal test, which will be administered by CFIIG representatives.
^Правила премии (in Russian). Премия имени Гарри Гудини. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
^Шутова Е. (2015-07-24). Миллион за колдовство. Наука → Мракобесие (in Russian). ЗАО «Газета.Ру». Retrieved 2015-08-03.
^Gregory H. Aicklen; John F. Blanton; Prasad N. Golla; Mike Selby; John A. Thomas. "The North Texas Skeptics Paranormal Challenge". NTS website. North Texas Skeptics. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
