Jelly Belly Founder Wants You to Pay to Play a Contest

The founder of Jelly Belly Davis Klein has created his version of Willy Wonka and the golden ticket game. Klein announced the contest in video online, saying the big winner will walk away with the key to their very own candy factory. Thousands of dollars in prizes are also up for grabs he claims.

Only one little thing, participants must pay $49.99 to enter the treasure hunt, which takes place in every state although Klein said he's still working on planting the treasure in all 50 states. Only 1,000 tickets are sold per state, and everyone who buys a ticket is eligible to win Klein's factory. But only one player or family will find the golden ticket which is actually a gold-colored dog tag in each state, based on a riddle they receive. Whoever finds the dog tag wins $5,000. The undisclosed candy factory is the ultimate prize which will also come with full ownership of the building and a candy-making course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The Facebook group for Klein's challenge, some users accuse Klein of scamming them for money (Klein said the contest and its promises are legit). Others celebrate when they're finally able to purchase tickets. The details are still unclear on when they'll receive a riddle, wherein the state the golden ticket will be, and if the factory is even operational.  No word on Oompa Loompas.