Remember the good ole days when you used to stay home from school and watch episode after episode of guilty pleasure daytime television shows? From Family Feud, Dr. Phil, and Wheel of Fortune to The Young and the Restless, The Ellen Degeneres Show, and The Price is Right, there were so many options to click through while you lounged on the couch. Have you ever wondered which of these shows was the most popular in your state? Because there's an answer to that question.
The team at USDirect got to thinking: what are the most-popular daytime TV shows in each state? To find out, they started with a list of all currently airing daytime TV shows (excluding Sunday morning programs), then looked at Google search volume of each show from the past year by state and compiled a list of the most-watched daytime TV shows in America.
Some of USDirect's favorite findings:
- Indiana has an affinity for game shows where contestants can win money—Let’s Make a Deal was their favorite—and they’re also the state with the most lottery winners since 1992.
- Nevada is obsessed with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and unsurprisingly so—Gardnerville Ranchos and Elko are among the top 20 small towns with the highest concentration of millionaires in the U.S.
- Judge Judy was the top-paid TV host in 2018 ($147 MILLION!!!), beating out Ellen AND Dr. Phil. Although she wasn’t a state’s favorite, she does produce Hot Bench, which is top in Delaware and Missouri.
- Jerry Springer was another big name that didn’t make our map. He apparently is trying to make that “Judge Judy money” and starting his own judge show fall 2019, Judge Jerry. Maybe he’ll preside over our list next year.
Your State's Favorite Daytime TV Show Guilty Pleasure:
Alabama: Paternity Court
Alaska: The Dr. Oz Show
Arizona: The Price is Right
Arkansas: Dr. Phil
California: The Ellen Degeneres Show
Colorado: Daily Blast
Connecticut: The People's Court
Delaware: Hot Bench
Florida: Supreme Justice with Judge Karen
Georgia: Sister Circle
Hawaii: The Dr. Oz Show
Idaho: Dr. Phil
Illinois: Judge Mathis
Indiana: Let's Make a Deal
Iowa: The Dr. Oz Show
Kansas: Dr. Phil
Kentucky: Dr. Phil
Louisiana: The Young and the Restless
Maine: Jeopardy!
Maryland: The Real
Massachusetts: Funny You Should Ask
Michigan: The Doctors
Minnesota: The Prince is Right
Mississippi: Wheel of Fortune
Missouri: Hot Bench
Montana: Dr. Phil
Nebraska: The Price is Right
Nevada: Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
New Hampshire: Good Morning America
New Jersey: General Hospital
New Mexico: The Doctors
New York: The View
North Carolina: Family Feud
North Dakota: Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Ohio: The Price is Right
Oregon: TMZ Live
Pennsylvania: The View
Rhode Island: The Today Show
South Carolina: Jeopardy!
South Dakota: The Prince is Right
Tennessee: Maury
Texas: Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez
Utah: The Ellen Degeneres Show
Vermont: Jeopardy!
Virginia: Jeopardy!
Washington: Jeopardy!
West Virginia: Days of our Lives
Wisconsin: The Price is Right
Wyoming: Wheel of Fortune
For more information, visit USDirect here.