The Arnold Sports Festival's $1 million prize money came up in a conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with Jay Cutler.

In a conversation at Cutlercast, Jay Cutler revealed the numbers behind the upcoming event, shedding light on the reality behind the massive prize money.

Cutler explained that the huge purse completely benefits the top of the chain. “There is some revenue there for the elite, because only one guy wins that, unfortunately, and it gets cut in half from there,” he said, pointing out how prize money drops rapidly after first place.

 However, with the Arnold Classic in Ohio followed closely by the Arnold Classic UK, a rare opportunity emerges for the same athlete to retain the prize money on both events.

“And that's going to be a record. I mean, the guy wins a million dollars off of two contests,” Cutler said while discussing the combined prize pools.

Looking back to his days of competing, the former champion reflected on how things have changed drastically: “You're talking to somebody who never made that much money in their whole career.”

Growing prize pools and the surge of Arnold events giving out hefty payouts clearly indicate how bodybuilding is reaching great financial heights.

As Cutler’s remarks suggest, what once seemed impossible, earning close to $1 million from a couple of contests, is now a reality for the sport’s elite.

Arnold Classic Prize Hike Sparks Debate Over Division Pay Gap.

The Arnold Classic's groundbreaking prize money was celebrated by several athletes, but it sparked debates among some as well.

As explained by Jay Cutler, only the cream of the food chain is benefiting from the massive jump in the financial landscape of bodybuilding. Other divisions did not seem to take it very well.

In May 2025, some negative reactions were taken into account across other divisions such as Wellness, Men’s Physique, and Women’s Physique. 

“We’re thrilled to see bodybuilding’s biggest stage rewarding the elite competitors like never before,” one top-level athlete said anonymously during that time. “But to truly honor all athletes who train year-round for this, there needs to be more balance.”

Few analysts argued that although the Men’s Open division is the sport’s main attraction, the Arnold Sports Festival’s global reach is built on the diversity of its competitors.

Several athletes and coaches stated that increasing prize purses across all divisions, not just the main attraction category, would better mirror the ever-growing scenario of modern bodybuilding.

What is your take on the whole?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Joyita Das