Survivor Auction

The Survivor Auction is a traditional event that occasionally appears in Survivor.

About
A special Reward Challenge where the players are temporarily relieved from competing in strenous challenges. Instead, they will be given a specific sum of money and must outbid each other contestants for certain items, mostly food, but there are instances where temporary use of amenities and visit from loved ones are offered. There are also, albeit rarely, instances where there are game-changing powers they can outbid on, such as power to send another player to Exile Island, or an advantage at the next Immunity Challenge. The host would pound a gavel on the auction table, signifying that the item is already sold.

Sometimes, there are covered items where the host will reveal a covered item which will remain covered until someone outbids everybody. In connection to covered items—there are also "trap items," with its contents only to be shown until there is a winning bidder, only to reveal an undesirable prize, such as exotic food items and boiled water from their camp. Also, the host will sometimes tempt the contestant to trade his chosen item for another sealed item, which sometimes reveal a "better" item, or a more undesirable one.

Rules
Prior to the auction starting, the host announces the guidelines of the auction. In order for a Survivor to bid they must adhere to the rules.
 * Survivors are given a small amount of money (this may vary from local currency to USD$) and can choose to bid as many times as they wish using however much money they have.
 * The host would open the bidding with a flat rate that follows the prescribed increment (if bidding is at $20 increments, the host may open the bidding at $40). This has been abandoned in recent seasons.
 * Bids will be in increments at the host's discretion. Survivors can, however, immediately bid a large amount, or all of the money in their possession, in an attempt to instantly win a desired item.
 * "Pooling" (sharing money along with the item up for auction with other players) is permitted, as long as they share the item and/or vice versa. This option has been voided in recent seasons.
 * Food that is bought must be eaten before leaving the auction area.
 * The auction will end without notice.
 * Sealed/covered items will remain such until there is a winning bidder.

Impact
The auction is well received by fans, primarily with seeing the contestants enjoying food and sharing it with their tribemates or keeping it for themselves. It also provides an insight as to whether or not a survivor will risk what they have bought in order for a concealed item which is typically low-standard local cuisine or an improvement on what has been won. Also, hogging too much items from the auction may cost a player dearly, being a potential factor to the hoarder's elimination.

Trivia

 * Jeff Probst has stated that when the survivors finish the auction, they may keep their unspent money as a reminder of home. Jeff even claimed that some contestants do not bid at all so they can keep the money.
 * Survivor: Thailand is the only season to feature an auction during the pre-merge stage of the game, where the tribes outbid each other for items.
 * Amber Brkich is the first contestant to buy a "mystery item" at the Survivor Auction that revealed to be a "trap item," which was a pitcher of river water back in.
 * Danni Boatwright is the first contestant to ever buy an advantage at the next Immunity Challenge.
 * Stephenie LaGrossa is the first returning contestant to participate in more than one auction, the first was in Palau and the other in Guatemala.
 * Most Survivor Auctions have been on day 28 but the Auctions in Tocantins and Guatemala were on day 31, in One world on day 25 and in Thailand on day 15.