"We went all the way and had close to a million dollars left," Okoye said.
The couple had $880,000 dollars when they were asked the fifth question in the seven-question game.
Host Kevin Pollak asked the young couple from Los Angeles: "Which of these was sold in stores first?"
The choices: the Macintosh Computer,Sony Walkman or the Post-it note.
Each team on the Fox show is given a million dollars at the start of the high-stakes game. They answer seven questions, each time deciding how much they want to wager on three possible answers. Whatever they wager on the right answer is what they get to keep. Wager nothing on the right answer and they're out of the game.
The couple agonized over how to gamble the $880,000 they'd earned to that point.
"When you get that much [money], even if it's just for a little bit, you make plans and dreams," Mayti said.
The couple planned to use the money for their wedding.
Mayti thought the Walkman was the correct answer. Okoye was convinced that the Post-it note was the correct answer. The two argued for their choices, all while piling heaps of cash on the blocks representing the answers.
Mayti caved and decided to go with her boyfriend and wager more on the Post-it.
"I really went with Gabe's instinct because he's so passionate," she said.
As the clock wound down, the couple bet $80,000 on the Walkman and $800,000 on the Post-it.
They fell to their knees when they heard the answer: the Walkman.
After missing the question and losing nearly a million dollars in a matter of seconds, they blew the rest of the game.
"We walked away with nothing," Mayti said.
"We were running on all cylinders," Okoye said. "After question five, we weren't really focused."
The blogging world is abuzz that Fox stiffed the couple, arguing that the Post-it is the correct answer.
What Came First -- The Post-it or The Walkman?
The Walkman hit stores in 1979. The date that the Post-it hit stores has been debated.
Some claim that it made its debut in 1980. Others argue that the little sticky note made its debut in the late 1970s when corporations first started using it, but before it hit stores nationwide.
According to 3M, the company that created the Post-it, the product was created in 1968, but didn't hit stores until 1980.
Still, the company did say that the product was used by people starting in the late 1970s. In 1977, the company tested the Post-it in four markets, but it didn't catch on. In 1978, the company launched the "Boise Blitz" in Idaho, giving samples of the little sticky paper squares to corporations and people there.
So who's right?
Okoye and Mayti left the game show not thinking twice that their answer might not really be wrong; but after their episode aired Monday, the couple started to wonder. Hundreds of people friended them on Facebook and sent them research that challenged the game show's answer.
"It would be nice to know exactly what the truth is just for the sake of knowing it. It's not really about the show. It's really, what's the real information," Okoye said.
Today they finally got their answer. Fox admitted that they goofed.
After sticking by their answer all week, the show's executive producer, Jeff Apploff, issued a statement late Thursday saying that, "unfortunately, the information our research department originally obtained from 3M regarding when Post-it notes were first sold was incomplete."
The producer promised to give the couple another shot on the show, saying, "we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the viewers who brought this to our attention, and we're thrilled to give Gabe and Brittany the opportunity to return to play the game."
The couple are still processing Fox's latest offer and don't want to comment just yet.
Still, they said that they are not angry at Fox, and though it took some time to get over losing $800,000, they're not upset.
"I was angry at first, but seeing him [Okoye] so hurt and remorseful about it, I was like, I love him more than his money," Mayti said.
The couple has used the experience to strengthen their relationship.
"It really wasn't about the money. I should have listened to Brittany at the time because she was so passionate about the answer and she went with me and my answer and really supported me," Okoye said.
Still, Okoye cringes every time he sees a Post-it.
"Every time I see Post-its, I'm like, 'Oh my God,'" Okoye said. "There's a 3M right down the street. Every time I drive by, I kind of laugh about it."
