Win less than $20 in HQ Trivia? Now you can still collect your cash

By Gabe Gurwin January 29, 2018

Host of trivia game 'HQ' dishes on the hot new app

The iOS and Android game show app HQ Trivia gives anyone the chance to win big bucks by answering trivia questions, but the app came with a catch: You could only collect your payout after winning at least $20. With prizes split up based on how many users got all questions correct, this could leave some winners unable to get paid, but HQ Trivia has eliminated that stipulation.

“It’s payday, baby! We’ve removed the minimum balance required to cash out your HQ winnings,” HQ Trivia said on Twitter. “Put that money in the bank today!”

HQ Trivia is an elimination-style quiz show available to play every night at 9 p.m. ET, as well as 3 p.m. ET on weekdays. Players must answer a series of progressively more difficult questions, and once you get a question wrong, you’re out of the game and must wait for the next event to try again. Depending on how many players get all questions correct, the prizes can be substantial. In December, player Casey Donahue won $6,000 in a single game. Typically, several people will be able to get all questions correct, resulting in more modest winnings.

The app has managed to catch on for more than just the potential cash, however. Host Scott Rogowsky’s high-energy personality has won over fans, and the show has also used guest hosts during certain days, including The Game Awards producer Geoff Keighley.

As of now, HQ Trivia doesn’t make a profit, as founders Rus Yusupov and Colin Kroll are focused on building its user-base to increase the company’s valuation. Though brand-based questions might seem like they were sponsored, this actually isn’t the case for now, with funding coming through venture capitalists, instead.

HQ Trivia was first released for iOS in 2017 before making its way to Android in January. The game is only available to play on phones, likely to avoid cheaters quickly using their search engines and to simplify payout — you don’t need to make an account with the game, as your winnings are tied to your phone number. You can collect your winnings using PayPal, and we certainly hope they are higher than $20.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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