"My intuition is wild" Million Dollar Secret winner Cara reveals how she felt when she received the box of money 

Netflix's newest reality competition, Million Dollar Secret, concluded with In-N-Out cook Cara emerging victorious, walking away with the coveted million-dollar prize.

Million Dollar Secret's unique premise placed contestants in "The Stag," a lavish compound where one player secretly held a million dollars from day one. Speaking candidly about her win on The Viall Files podcast with Nick Viall, Cara credited her success to an almost supernatural sense of inner guidance.

"That morning when I put on my cross, I knew that I was getting the money. So when I tell you guys my intuition is wild, it is. And now, people understand," she explained to Viall.

Her confidence was so apparent that she admitted:

"I actually really terrified the producers with this. It was a whole thing."

The moment of truth came during the finale when she opened her box and exclaimed, "I knew it," confirming what her instincts had been telling her all along. The high-stakes competition required players to maintain perfect poker faces, as even small behavioral changes could lead to suspicion. For Cara, staying calm under this intense pressure while strategically navigating complex social dynamics proved to be her winning formula.

Million Dollar Secret winner Cara Kies’ strategy revealed

Million Dollar Secret star Cara didn't stumble into her victory. Behind her calm exterior lies the mind of someone who has studied competition shows for years.

"I am such a gamer," she told Netflix's Tudum in a post-show interview.

Explaining:

"I grew up watching The Challenge, Big Brother, and Survivor, so I always dreamed about being on a show like this."

This background knowledge helped her avoid common pitfalls that trip up reality show contestants. When another Million Dollar Secret player, Se Young, compared the game to Werewolf (a popular social deduction game), Cara kept her gaming knowledge hidden.

"You can't say you're a gamer, because that's the first person that's going home in these situations," she explained.

Her strategy focused on building genuine connections while revealing very little about herself—a delicate balance that paid off handsomely.

While many reality competitions rely heavily on physical prowess, Cara deliberately downplayed her competitive side in challenges on Million Dollar Secret.

"I'm a competitive person and if I really wanted to try for challenges, I could've, but I didn't," she revealed.

She declared:

"Sydnee, Corey, all them, they could have that. I just wanted to mentally hone in on people."

Cara played with a keen sense of strategy and self-preservation, particularly in regards to energy management. She was aware right away that the cerebral aspect of the game would be much more difficult than the physical. She therefore chose to preserve her energy by concentrating on remaining alert, in the moment, and socially conscious.

It wasn’t easy. She constantly had to walk a fine line; being too quiet could make her suspicious, but saying the wrong thing could blow her cover. The pressure to always be "on" was exhausting. By the time she got home from Million Dollar Secret, the emotional toll hit her hard, so much so that she slept for three days straight just to recover.

What really set Cara apart, though, was how much she trusted her gut. That instinct kicked in hardest during the showdown. With everything on the line, she chose to swap boxes with Corey, a bold move that turned out to be the right one. She sensed that he knew she had the money and was trying to steer her the wrong way. Her close alliance with Corey and Sam had given her insight into their tells and tactics, and in the end, her intuition helped her pull off the win.

This gut feeling guided her throughout the competition, from strategic alliances to critical decisions about what personal information to reveal.

"I've always had that intuition since I was a little girl," Cara stated.

Explaining:

"I think God blessed me with incredible discernment, and I've always used it to the best of my ability."

Maintaining balance and victory

Life inside the luxury mansion of Million Dollar Secret looked like a dream from the outside, but for the contestants of Million Dollar Secret, it was anything but a vacation. Every smile, every joke, every offhand comment could be loaded with meaning. In a place where even small talk could cost you the game, no interaction was ever truly casual.

To stay grounded, Cara built a morning routine that became her anchor. She was often the first one awake, taking time to soak in the stunning views and center herself with prayer. She was able to mentally reboot and get ready for any surprises the game might present during these peaceful moments before the day's turmoil started.

Not just for the sake of solitude, but also because she was nervous and found it difficult to eat once the day officially started, she made it a point to eat breakfast before anybody else woke up. The moment the doors to their rooms opened, it was full-on game mode, and she knew it.

Opening up about her personal life was tricky on Million Dollar Secret. Cara constantly had to weigh whether mentioning something, like her husband, might unintentionally give away a clue or make her a target. It was a strange new reality where vulnerability could be a liability.

For Cara, winning Million Dollar Secret wasn’t just about the million-dollar prize. It was about proving to herself that she had the resilience, focus, and strategy to go the distance. From the moment she stepped into that house, she was locked in. She pushed herself with continuous self-talk, determined not to depart empty-handed. She saw this as a test of her resolve, not merely a game, and she was determined to do well on it.

When she eventually told her husband the news, it was the most emotional moment:

"We just started crying, hearing each other's voices, and that was so emotional. Then it was a dream come true to be able to inform him [I won]."

Cara, the first winner of Million Dollar Secret, has raised the standard for upcoming competitors. Her triumph proves that sometimes having faith in oneself is the most effective weapon in a game that involves psychological warfare and deceit.

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You can stream all eight episodes of Million Dollar Secret now on Netflix.