If you win the Bryson DeChambeau Bentley giveaway, the tax bill on the prize will likely run between $80,000 and $130,000 or more before you can legally drive the car off the lot. The IRS treats the Bentley’s full fair market value as ordinary income for the year you win it, most states pile their own income tax on top, and your state DMV will assess use tax when you register the vehicle. None of this is withheld for you. It lands on your next tax return, and you need cash to pay it.
How the Federal Tax Is Calculated
Under federal law, the full fair market value of any prize you win counts as gross income.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 74 – Prizes and Awards A Bentley Continental GT gets treated the same way as a paycheck of equivalent size. It gets added to your other taxable income for the year and taxed at your marginal rate.
The 2026 federal income tax brackets top out at 37 percent for single filers earning above $640,601.2Tax Foundation. 2026 Tax Brackets and Federal Income Tax Rates A prize with a fair market value around $300,000 stacked on top of an average salary pushes most winners well into the 32 or 35 percent bracket. Winners with higher existing income can land at that 37 percent ceiling for the portion above the threshold.
Two details catch winners off guard. First, the tax is calculated on fair market value at the time you receive the car, not on whatever you might sell it for later. Second, unlike wages, noncash prizes come with no automatic withholding. The giveaway sponsor reports the prize to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC, Box 3 (Other Income), for any prize valued at $600 or more.3Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC You get a copy of that form and you owe the tax in full, either through estimated payments during the year or when you file. The IRS doesn’t accept Bentley floor mats as payment.
State Income Tax on the Prize
Most states impose their own income tax on prize winnings. Rates vary widely, but a handful of states levy top rates above 10 percent. Combined with federal tax, a winner in a high-tax state can owe close to half the vehicle’s value in income tax alone.
A few states have no income tax at all, which changes the math substantially. If you split time between states or recently moved, the state that taxes the prize is generally the one where you’re a resident when you receive it, so timing and residency matter.
Use Tax and Registration at the DMV
Sales or use tax on a prize vehicle is a separate charge from income tax, and it hits you at the DMV rather than on your tax return. When you register the car, the state typically assesses use tax based on fair market value. Rates range from zero in states without sales tax to above 9 percent in others. On a $300,000 Bentley, even a 6 percent use tax adds $18,000 to the cost of claiming the prize. Title transfer fees and registration charges vary by state and add another layer.
What the Bentley Is Actually Worth for Tax Purposes
The 2026 Bentley Continental GT starts at $288,750 and climbs past $418,000 with upper trims and options.4Car and Driver. 2026 Bentley Continental GT Review, Pricing, and Specs DeChambeau’s personal vehicle likely carries custom touches such as unique color configurations, personalized interior details, or branding elements that could push the fair market value into the mid-$300,000 range or higher depending on specification. Whatever number the sponsor uses for the 1099-MISC is the figure the IRS starts from.
Ongoing Costs After You Take the Car
The tax bill is the first shock. The running costs are the second.
Insuring a Continental GT costs substantially more than covering an ordinary car. Annual premiums average around $7,580, though the figure swings significantly with your driving record, location, and coverage limits.5CarEdge. Bentley Continental GT Insurance Cost High-value vehicles require higher liability and comprehensive limits, and insurers price accordingly.
Maintenance is what winners underestimate most. Bentley service involves specialized parts and trained technicians, and routine work costs several times what you’d pay on a mainstream vehicle. Tires, brakes, and scheduled maintenance on a Continental GT can run several thousand dollars a year even without unexpected repairs. Keeping the car is a recurring expense on top of the one-time tax hit.
What to Do If You Can’t Cover the Tax Bill
A $300,000 car sounds like pure upside until you realize you might owe $80,000 to $130,000 in combined taxes before you can legally drive it. Winners who can’t cover that bill have a few paths.
- Accept the prize, take title, and sell the Bentley. The sale proceeds cover the tax liability and you pocket the difference. You still owe income tax on the full fair market value regardless of what you sell it for, so selling below market means a smaller net gain.
- Decline the prize. If the numbers don’t work, turn it down. Contact the sponsor promptly rather than letting the response window expire, and ask whether a cash alternative is available, though most giveaways don’t offer one.
- Talk to a tax professional before you accept or decline. Estimated payments, installment agreements, or timing choices may make acceptance workable. If the response deadline allows, ask the sponsor for a few days to evaluate.
The worst outcome is accepting the prize, keeping the car, and failing to set aside money for the tax bill. The IRS charges penalties and interest on unpaid taxes, and those compound quickly on a six-figure liability.
One Warning About Fake Tax Demands
Legitimate sweepstakes never ask you to send money to claim a prize. If someone contacts you saying you’ve won the DeChambeau Bentley but need to wire a tax payment, shipping fee, or “release” fee first, it’s a scam. Real winners pay taxes to the IRS and their state through normal tax channels, not to the sponsor. Verify any winner notification against DeChambeau’s official social media accounts before responding, and never send funds to claim a prize you supposedly won for free.