With the launch ofStardew Valley’s1.6 update came a farmload, of new items, craftables, and other goodies to explore and stumble across. Whether you start a new save file or load into an old one, there are a lot of things to do and see, like there always is in The Valley.

But one thing players might miss out on in their first few days of playing or picking the game back up is the Prize Machine. But what is the Prize Machine? How do you find it and use it? All good questions that will be answered in this guide.

Farmer speaking with Mayor Lewis about the Prize Machine

Where Do You Find The Prize Machine?

The Prize Machine is hiding away in the corner of Mayor Lewis' housein town. And, although you may normally not want to be caught in the corner of his home on any other day,you’ll want to step inside and trigger the cutscene where he tells you about it.

After this initial cutscene,you can visit Mayor Lewis' house to use it, the same wayyou would to divorce your spouseor visit the lost and found bin in his home.

Mayor Lewis saying %22It’s a new program I’ve come up with to help promote a spirit of goodwill among the townsfolk…You included!%22

It’s the red machine next to his two open-faced books and the lost and found box,touching the leftmost wall of his home.

A sure-fire way in the early game to ensure Mayor Lewis is home so you can activate the cutscene is to visit his home bright and early on his birthday, Spring 7. You can go inside starting at 8:30 am.

Help Wanted Sign reading Help-Slime hunter to slay 8 Green Slimes in the local mines. 480g reward

What Is The Prize Machine?

The Prize Machine has been set up by the mayorto reward you for helping fulfill requests made through the Help Wanted board. It’s the billboard that is posted on the outside of Pierre’s Shop.

As you complete tasks for the residents of Stardew Valley,you will earnPrize Ticketsyou can redeem at the Machine.

Journal Page for the Bounty-Green Slime Request with option to claim 480g

You can use these tickets as soon as you gain them. Or you can hold onto them and spend them all at one time.

How Does Earning These Prize Tickets Work?

Although you gain Prize Tickets through completing Help Wanted requests,you don’t get them for every one you accept.

You’ll be able to tell when you are going to receive a Prize Ticket becausea small icon will appear in the bottom rightof the request with a picture of a ticket.

Prize Machine giving peach tree sapling, 10 mixed seeds, and 3 Mystery Boxes

You’ll still have to complete the task as you normally would, oftentimes with you needing to speak with someone after you’ve completed the action, like bringing a certain number of ores to Clint. Once you collect the ores, you still have to talk to Clint. If you can’t manage to speak to him during the final day of the request, it doesn’t count as being finished. So, you lose out on the tickets.

When you accept a Help Wanted request, it will appear in your Journal. When you look at the request, it will tell you in the upper left corner how much time you have left and will update to say “Final Day” to warn you exactly when the deadline is.

Clint opening up mystery boxes, giving farmer coffee from inside

Do You Still Get Paid For Completing The Requests?

Yes actually, you do! On top of getting Prize Tickets, you make the same amount of money you normally would.

In the early game, this can be especially helpfulto put a handful of gold coins in your pockets while you wait on your crops to grow and beforeyou have some excellent money-making processes going.

Prize Machine gifting 10 mixed seeds with mystery boxes and stardrop tea as the next items

Again,you’ll still have to finish up the request like you normally would, including talking to whoever asked you to complete the task or bring them some sort of item.

But once you have talked to them, you’ll be able to collect your money reward from your Journal like always.

Mayor Lewis saying %22It’s pretty simple…sometimes, when you help out others in town, you’ll receive a ‘Prize Ticket’. You can turn them in for rewards.%22

You can quickly and easily access your Journal by either pressing the “!” in the top right of your screen or by pressing the “F” key, if you’re using the default controls on PC or Mac.

How Do You Use The Prize Machine?

That’s simple. Just like you would collect artisan goods from your farm machines,you approach the Prize Machine with some tickets in your inventory.

Then you left-click on the Machine. It will consume your ticket, and then spit out a prize, as the name would suggest. However, keep in mind that it will only consume one ticket at a time.

Unlike when you are buying goods like seeds, bait, or hay,you can’t use any of the usual keys to spend more than one Prize Ticket at a time.

What Can You Get From The Prize Machine?

There is a large pool of items you can earn from the Prize Machine,including many of the items that are exclusive to the 1.6 Updatefor Stardew Valley.

Some of the items include:

There are a lot of different items you can claim from the Prize Machine. And some of them can save you some serious gold,be sold for high prices, or be used to make pricey artisan goods.

Is It Random?

The Prize Machinewill show you icons for the next three prizes you will get. There is a clear arrow that points to what you will currently get with your next ticket.

This doesn’t seem to be affected by your daily luck or any other factors, as once you look at your current three, they will remain the same until you spend your next ticket.

Does It Cost Anything To Use?

Aside from the Prize Ticket you are spending, no.There is no money cost associated with the Prize Machine, unlike opening geodes at Clint’s.

However, when you do earn Mystery Boxes, Treasure Troves, or anything else that Clint must break open, thenyou will have to pay himhis standard 25g fee.

So if you’re short on cash or don’t want to spend the money to open these rewards, you’re able to save them and open them at another time.