iShowSpeed Hands $250,000 to Nursing Student Who Had Just $2,000 in His Bank Account Before Winning His Challenge

A nursing student named Ben has won $250,000 (approximately £187,000) after tracking down YouTube streamer Darren 'iShowSpeed' Watkins Jr in a little over an hour during a livestreamed scavenger hunt across New York City on 28 October 2026.

According to Win.gg, Ben became the first participant to locate the 21-year-old streamer during the final hunt of Dr Squatch's SPEEDRUN: Million Dollar Mission. The nine-week promotional campaign offered $1 million (approximately £750,000) in prizes across 25 challenges.

The competition required viewers to find hidden mascots, collect clues and follow GPS coordinate updates to discover Watkins' secret location. The first eligible participant to find him could claim the $250,000 grand prize.

Nursing Student Uses Local Knowledge to Find iShowSpeed

Win.gg reported that five Dr Squatch mascots were positioned at undisclosed locations across New York City. Participants had to find a mascot, take a selfie and use the accompanying clue to help locate Watkins.

The streamer also promised to reveal one digit of his GPS coordinates every 10 minutes during the broadcast, allowing viewers to narrow down his whereabouts.

Fans began finding the mascots shortly after the challenge started. Watkins offered additional clues, including: 'My location is a secret where there is a typo.' Another hint pointed towards a location associated with kayaking.

Ben, who was already in New York City when he learnt about the livestream, decided to participate. According to Win.gg, he reached Watkins' location in a little over an hour.

During their conversation, Ben explained that he had previously kayaked around the area, helping him work out where the streamer might be hiding. He also credited luck and the final location reveal for helping him complete the challenge.

iShowSpeed Confirms Ben Won the Challenge

When Ben arrived, Watkins asked whether he was certain he had reached the location first. Ben explained that another participant had arrived shortly afterwards but maintained that he had got there earlier.

Watkins asked his team to bring the other participant over to verify the result. The second fan confirmed that Ben had arrived first, allowing the streamer to declare him the winner.

In its 28 October report, HypeFresh described the prize presentation on a rooftop, where Watkins handed Ben a novelty cheque as confetti fell around them.

The streamer initially told the nursing student that the situation was a prank before revealing the result. He announced: 'You just won $250,000! Congratulations, bro! You found me.'

HypeFresh reported that Ben had approximately $2,000 in his bank account before the challenge. His surname and school have not been publicly confirmed.

Dr Squatch Campaign Offered $1 Million in Prizes

The New York scavenger hunt was the grand finale of Dr Squatch's SPEEDRUN: Million Dollar Mission, a nine-week campaign featuring 25 challenges across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

According to HypeFresh, earlier activities included searches for golden soap bars containing cash, social media missions and scratch-off tickets distributed through TikTok Shop promotions.

The final challenge centred on locating Watkins through livestream updates and clues hidden around New York City. The campaign was developed in partnership with creative agency MSCHF, combining the streamer's interactive content style with the brand's promotional activities.