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‘Gold Rush’ Preview: Todd Hoffman And Parker Schnabel Make High Stakes Wager! When Does Season 8 Start?

By Georgia Makitalo
Published on: 00:23 PST, Aug 31, 2017

Gold Rush is back! Our favorite band of gold miners have returned with the promise of high-stakes drama and unforeseen obstacles, in their quest for the almighty gold!

This year, the number one rated Discovery Channel show will premiere with a two-hour episode on lucky Friday, October 13. Season 8 of Gold Rush also includes an insane bet between Todd Hoffman and Parker Schnabel that is worth a pretty penny.

The winner of the bet wins 100 ounces of gold from the other miner. That is worth over $100,000!

Yet, before even one episode of the new season of Gold Rush has aired, Todd Hoffman and his motley band of dreamers have been in the news, and this promises a lot of television drama that Gold Rush fans love. The Inquisitr recently reported that the gold miners have been shot at, snowed out, and even shut down!

It doesn’t seem to matter where in the world Todd Hoffman and his crew have been mining, crazy drama has followed them. Last season, viewers were shocked to see the Hoffman crew depart from their successful Yukon mine in order to mine for gold in their home state of Oregon.

After unsuccessfully finding gold in two different mining locations in Oregon, and abandoned by all of his crew, with the exception of his father Jack, and son, Hunter, Freddie Dodge saved the day by urging Todd to head over to Fairplay, Colorado, where there was gold aplenty!

Todd managed to convince the departed miners to return, and reunited his team. Yet, there was still division. Despite finding gold, there had been a great deal of friction in the crew, and by the end of the season, Dave Turin, who many fans considered to be the leader of the Hoffman crew, wound up getting into a memorable fistfight with Trey Poulson. That became one of the most talked about episodes ever! Turin became the odd man out and he is now mining in Nevada.

Although Todd Hoffman found gold in Fairplay towards the end of the mining season, he is still taking a great risk with this bet. There are no guarantees that Fairplay Colorado has gold. Yet, this is a team that relies on prayer and luck and they really believe and have the will to succeed.

To add to the drama, this year, the Hoffman crew will run an unprecedented three gold sluicing plants. Run simultaneously, this could be the secret sauce to the Hoffman crew finally beating Parker.

As for Parker Schnabel, he is also venturing into new territory. Although still mining in the Yukon, he has leased a new plot of land near the location where he successfully mined for gold last season.

Last year, Parker was clearly unhappy with paying landlord Tony Beets a steep royalty for his hard work. According to Broadway World, Parker paid “the Viking” an astounding $2.3 million dollars over four years for mining on Beets’ land. Parker is ready to head out on his own in a nearby stake. Will Parker’s stellar work ethic and gamble pay off? And will Parker’s Aussie girlfriend Ashley Yule return and run the gold room again?

As for Tony Beets, he was unsuccessful in moving the 75-year-old dredge last season, but he has enlisted Sheamus Christie to move a second drudge. Despite his skill as a mining boss, Christie may find moving a 500-ton dredge more challenging than anything he has ever done before.

Beets will be joined by his family and perhaps there will be some family wagering or competitions between his son Kevin, and daughter, Monica. Minnie is sure to be there to make sure that Tony focuses on the big picture, and keeps the business from going into the red.

https://www.facebook.com/GoldRush/photos/a.249203608463272.82371.151608581556109/1582236638493289/?type=3&theater

Before the first episode of Gold Rush is aired on October 13, is an hour-long live event including Todd, Parker and Tony. Fans are invited to ask questions on the Gold Rush Facebook page. The three miners promise to share thei

Are you looking forward to the new season of Gold Rush? Who do you think will win the bet, Parker or Todd? Share your guess below and we will see who’s right!

[Featured Image by Discovery Channel]

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