THE Chase fans were left raging 'Sponger!' as a 'free-loading' contestant wiped out the jackpot with a 'selfish' move.
Bradley Walsh welcomed, Martin from Leeds, Dylan from Aberdare, Sonia from Merseyside and Karen from Exmouth to the stage.
Sonia from Liverpool had a substantial £61,000 in the prize pool.
But after answering only three questions correctly, Sonia was faced with a decision: play for her £3,000, go for the impressive £70,000, or consider the low offer of minus £5,000.
She consoled with the rest of the team for advice before making her choice.
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"It’s up to you. Really up to you. Minus five might be good tactics as well," Dylan said.
Martin who also agreed said: "It’s about bodies back [for the team] so three or the minus five yeah."
Sonia hesitated when presented with the offer, confessing to Bradley: "I always said I’d never take a minus offer you know." "But there was never £61,000 in the prize fund at that point was there."
She then decided to take the minus offer of £5,000.
Despite going for the easy option, Sonia failed and got caught, leading to her elimination.
Viewers turned to X/Twitter, to harshly criticize her decision.
One raged: "The lower "minus offer" takers are spongers. #thechase".
Another wrote: "Anyone who takes the minus offer is a free-loader #TheChase."
A third added: "Once again a low scoring player takes from the high scorer's pot and doesn’t even get through. Selfish #TheChase."
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A fourth fumed: "The Chase. Glad she went out, got no time for low offer players who steal off their team, more money now for the 3 left."
A fifth complained: "It's just like thieving....#thechase."
The Chase is on ITV and ITVX weekdays at 5pm
