Bill Gates hilariously guesses grocery prices on Ellen DeGeneres' show

It’s not every day that billionaires like Bill Gates have to think about the cost of common household items. So when Ellen DeGeneres challenged Gates to guess grocery prices on her show, it led to some pretty entertaining moments. The game humorously highlighted the disconnect between the ultra-rich and the average person’s day-to-day expenses.

The segment kicked off with DeGeneres asking Gates, “When’s the last time that you have been at a supermarket?” Gates, standing beside her, admitted, “A long time ago.” DeGeneres explained the game: if he could guess three out of five grocery items within a dollar of their actual price, the audience would win a prize. In a playful twist, she added that if Gates managed to guess all of them correctly, she’d pay off his kids' student loans, which had everyone laughing.

The first product was Rice-A-Roni, a boxed meal popular in many households. Gates confidently guessed, "$5." The audience immediately reacted, laughing and gasping at how far off he was. DeGeneres revealed the real price—just $1—leaving Gates surprised. "The audience didn't like that," he said with a smile, adding that he’d gladly buy five at that price.

Next up were Tide Pods, a popular laundry detergent. Gates’ first instinct was to guess $4, but noticing the audience's reaction, he raised it to $10. However, he was still quite off, as DeGeneres announced the price was $19. "It's expensive to do laundry!" she quipped.

Things started looking up for Gates with the third product: dental floss. He mentioned he flosses regularly, so he thought he had a good chance. His guess of $4 was close enough, as the actual price was $3.78. Gates seemed pleased to finally get one right.

Then came Totino’s Pizza Rolls, a snack familiar to many American families. Gates first guessed $22, to the shock of the audience, who tried to steer him toward a more reasonable number. After a few attempts, Gates landed on $8, which was close enough—the product actually costs $8.98.

The last item on the list was TGI Friday’s Frozen Spinach and Artichoke Dip. With help from the audience, Gates guessed $4, nailing the price. The crowd cheered as the game wrapped up, and DeGeneres announced that the audience had won a chance to return for one of her famous "12 Days of Giveaways" shows.

This lighthearted segment not only brought laughs but also showed how the lifestyles of the ultra-rich can leave them out of touch with everyday realities. While Gates might be far from worrying about grocery bills, his good humor throughout the game proved that even a billionaire can laugh at himself.

In a world where the price of basic goods matters so much to everyday people, it’s refreshing—and a little humorous—to see billionaires like Gates struggle to guess what many of us deal with every week. Watching him navigate this grocery guessing game reminds us that, no matter how successful someone is, we all have our blind spots.