The show is filmed in front of a studio audience who are arranged in circular tiers around a pit in which the action takes place. At the beginning of each show, the host introduces a group of eight contestants, giving their names and where they are from. Each contestant brings along a friend, partner or relative (not to be confused with the phone-a-friend explained later)

The contestants first have to undergo a preliminary round, called "Fastest Finger First", where they are all asked to put four items in a particular order. The contestant who does this correctly and in the fastest time goes on to the hot seat and plays for the maximum possible prize.

Once in the hot seat, the contestant is asked general knowledge questions by the host. Questions are multiple choice: four possible answers are given and the contestant must choose the correct one. On answering the first question correctly, the contestant wins GH¢50. Subsequent questions are played for increasingly large sums. The complete sequence of prizes is as follows: GH¢50, GH¢75, GH¢125, GH¢200, GH¢300, GH¢425, GH¢575, GH¢750, GH¢1,000, GH¢1,500, GH¢3,000, GH¢6,000, GH¢12,000, GH¢25,000, GH¢50,000. (These prizes are not cumulative; for example, by answering the first three questions correctly the contestant wins GH¢125, not (GH¢50+ GH¢75+ GH¢125= GH¢250.)

After viewing a question the contestant can quit and walk away with the money that they have already won, rather than attempting an answer. If the contestant answers a question incorrectly, they lose all the money they have won, falling back to the previous guaranteed sum, i.e. GH¢300 (if above level 5) and GH¢1,500 (if above level 10).

From the levels 6 to 15 the catchphrase "Is that your final answer?”, or more commonly the ultimatum "Final Answer?" would be asked by the host. This question derived from a rule requirement that the players must clearly indicate their choices before being made official (since the nature of the game allows the player to think aloud about the options before committing to an answer). As a side effect, once a final answer has been given, it cannot be changed. Many parodies of the game show capitalise on this phrase.
Players can pre-empt the host asking this question by themselves stating "final answer" or some variant, and this is common during the early questions of each round.

If at any point the contestant is unsure of the answer to a question, he or she can use one or more "lifelines". After using lifelines, contestants can either answer the question, use another lifeline, or walk away and keep the money. Each lifeline can only be used once.

Life lines

• Fifty-Fifty (50:50): The contestant asks the host to have the computer randomly eliminate two of the incorrect answer choices, leaving the contestant with a choice between the correct answer and one incorrect one.

• Ask the Audience: The contestant asks the studio audience which answer they believe is correct. Members of the studio audience indicate their choices using an audience response system (key pads).

• Phone-A-Friend: Contestants may call one of their friends. The contestant must provide the five friends' names and phone numbers in advance.