Survivor Auction

The Survivor Auction is an event that occasionally appears in Survivor.

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

At random points, the host will offer covered items which will remain covered until there is a winning bidder. In connection to covered items, there are also "trap items," 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/her chosen item for another sealed item, which sometimes reveal a "better" item(s), or a more undesirable one(s).

In recent seasons, players are to outbid on items that would benefit the entire tribe, such as all-tribe food item to be eaten in a certain amount of time, and an extra food supply. This could serve as doing a favor for the tribe, in order to establish a better position in the game, perhaps expecting their tribe to return the favor.

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 following rules:
 * Survivors are given a predetermined amount of money (which 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 rule 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 since.
 * Food which is bought must be eaten before leaving the auction area.
 * The auction will end without notice.
 * Sealed/covered items will remain covered until the item is sold.
 * Jeff Probst reveals that after the auction, the survivors may keep their unspent money. Jeff even claimed that some contestants do not bid at all so they can keep the money.

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 castaway will risk what they have bought in order for a concealed item, which is typically exotic local cuisine or an improvement on what has been won. Also, hogging too many items from the auction may cost a player dearly, possibly ruining his or her social game.

Trivia

 * 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 would revealed as a "trap item." The mystery item was a pitcher of river water back in Survivor: The Australian Outback.
 * Danni Boatwright is the first contestant to ever buy an advantage at the next Immunity Challenge.
 * Corinne Kaplan is the only contestant to buy an advantage to an Immunity Challenge, yet not win the challenge.
 * Stephenie LaGrossa is the first returning contestant to participate in more than one auction, in , then in.
 * She was followed by Parvati Shallow ( and ), Jonathan Penner ( and ), Erik Reichenbach ( and ), and Malcolm Freberg ( and ).
 * Also, none of these people have ever participated in exactly the same two auctions as each other even though Jonathan Penner has competed alongside Parvati, Erik, and Malcolm.
 * Most Survivor Auctions have been on Day 28, with the exceptions of, Guatemala (both on Day 31), (Day 25), and in  (Day 15).
 * Natalie Bolton from  spent the most money in the auction (excluding Africa's auction), spending a total of $860. She spent $240 on fruit bat soup, $240 to send Jason Siska to Exile Island, and $380 for a giant chocolate cake she shared with Parvati, Alexis Jones, and Cirie Fields.
 * Ken Hoang earned the most money (technically) in the auction, however. Natalie Bolton had $20 when she earned Jason's money, while Ken had $300 left when he took Bob Crowley's money, giving him a total of $700 at the auction.
 * Nobody who has bought the clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol has found said Hidden Immunity Idol.
 * Jerri Manthey, Rob Mariano,  and Rupert Boneham are the only players to have played three or more times and never have participated in an auction.
 * Rob Mariano and Rupert Boneham are the only four-time players.
 * Jerri is the only one of those three to actually compete in a season that had an auction.
 * Coincidentally, all three of them competed together on both Survivor: All-Stars and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.