DISCLAIMER: After publishing the following piece, Time Out editors were notified about certain contest inconsistencies by several readers. The Blackbeard Treasure staff couldn't be reached for comment.
This is not a drill: The Blackbeard Treasure is currently setting up a massive treasure hunt all around the United States, with a total loot that exceeds $10 million in cash.
Ten chests, each one containing $1 million, will be hidden across California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Treasure hunters get to download a digital map that will also provide them with clues and riddles to be solved to reach the enormous prize. Every two weeks, participants will be given new clues until the treasures are found. According to the official rules of the "game," you will need to bring along a shovel, a flashlight and a compass on your quest.
Upon reaching the chest, the winner will have to remove the key attached to it, open it and swim in a seemingly endless amount of money. You'll be provided with a phone number to call to officially claim the cash.
To get your hands on a map of the state you're looking to hunt in, head to the company's website starting tomorrow, August 8, and download it for $49.99—a very small price to pay given the possible reward it might lead you to. Fair warning: there are only a limited number of maps available for download per state, so get your hands on one as soon as you can.
Although official launch dates haven't been announced yet, the company expects to follow and film a few treasure hunters on their journeys starting November 21, eventually featuring them on a reality show called The Hunt for Blackbeard's Treasure. So... who wants to be a millionaire?
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