Couple must choose between three life-changing wishes or $1 million after discovering a magic lamp

Since we first watched Aladdin All those years ago, many of us had a wish to stumble upon an old oil lamp that could make our wildest dreams come true.

For this couple, it’s no longer just a fantasy – it just wasn’t a larger-than-life blue genie with the voice of Robin Williams offering to grant them three wishes… or alternatively give them a million dollars (£800,000).

Instead, it was a US company that made it its mission to bring some of the Disney magic into everyday life by organizing extraordinary treasure hunts.

Look at that:

If you like a little mental challenge and fancy winning a life-changing prize, Treasure Game$ is the place for you.

The company explains that it “gives players the opportunity to find real-world treasures with a series of fun games, the first of which launched in January this year.”

In the exciting treasure hunt called “Wish Lamp$”, numerous Treasure Game$ subscribers try to decipher various clues that ultimately lead them to where a magic lamp is hidden.

The person who finds the coveted prop then has the choice between a whopping million dollars in cash or the fulfillment of three wishes.

Dirk Gibson, founder of Treasure Game$, explained that he came up with this exciting concept because he simply wanted to spread his wealth – and what better way to do that than with a Aladdin-inspired treasure hunt?

Speaking about the first game in January, he said, “I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if you could find a lamp in real life and grant three real wishes? That’s a better way to distribute wealth.”

“You could have these treasure hunt games for valuable things, but instead of one person winning, you build a model where the more people join and the more sponsors you have, you can have hundreds of games throughout the year where people are constantly winning.”

Ron Novak and Michelle Bush were named winners of the first Treasure Game$ contest after spending about two months tracking down the magic lamp.

The couple from New Mexico said they had to drive across Dallas three times to find the prop.

They succeeded in His field-Clue that led them to the magic lamp in the Texas bush after they had extended their arduous journey by a day because they felt that they were very close to their goal.

Speaking to WWLP, Ron said of the moment they found it: “At first I was shocked.”

The couple tracked down the magic lamp in Texas (Treasure Game$)

He and Michelle decided to live out every child’s dream and made three of their wishes come true – much to the delight of the people who had been eagerly following the Wish Lamp$ game.

With Treasure Game$ willing to fulfill all of their wishes—within a $1.2 million budget—the couple decided to ask for a Mercedes Sprinter van that could accommodate their four dogs, an entire motel that they wanted to renovate, and a generous charitable donation “to a place that is connected to their lives.”

Ron explained that they donated part of their profits to the Hare Krishna Food for Life Group, a charity he said he helped get back on its feet when he was homeless.

“For me, it was the greatest gift to be able to give them money for this, because before I was a taker. I just took and I needed help and I wanted help,” explained the treasure hunting champion.

They decided to grant three wishes, including a Sprinter van for their four beloved dogs (Treasure Game$).

He and Michelle are now also the proud owners of the Southwest Motel in Grants, New Mexico, which they now want to breathe new life into.

Since they had conducted the treasure hunt together with their four dogs in a cramped Subaru, the couple thought it would only be fair if their beloved animals were also rewarded for their efforts.

So they treated themselves to a chic Sprinter van that offers plenty of space for their four-legged companions.

Michelle added: “We bought the van for the dogs. It’s an internal joke.”

The couple wants to keep the fun going and plans to launch their own treasure hunt with a grand prize of $5,000, which they promise will be “a lot easier than this one.”

But for those who want to make their own three wishes come true, Treasure Game$ is hosting its next Genie Hunt in June, with a prize of $1 million.

Photo credit: Treasure Game$

Topics: Money, Good News, Weird, US News