Based off of the Australian version of the Millionaire Hot Seat, the game is design to be a faster-paced game than the classic format of Millionaire. Otaku Millionaire Hot Seat involves six contestants playing each episode, with each player take turns. All questions will have a time limit to answer them. In this version, the seventh question milestone is removed from play.
Question time limits.
| Questions | Time limit | Type |
| 1, 2 | 15 Seconds | Easy Otaku |
| 3-7 | 30 Seconds | Medium Otaku |
| 8-11 | 45 Seconds | Hard Otaku |
| 12 | 45 Seconds | Non-Otaku |
If a player runs out of time and cannot pass, or the player gives an incorrect answer, that player is eliminated and leaves with nothing, and the highest value remaining on the money tree is removed.
Lifelines:
Players are given a total of six lifelines to help them up to the ¥1,000,000 prize but only the player in the Hot Seat can only hold up to four lifelines at a time.
Pass (Questions 1-7): Each player receives a lifeline called “Pass” which moves the question down to the next person in line, but the next person must answer the question. This is the original lifeline since Episode 1.
Ask the Expert (Questions 3-12) (Episode 10 Only): An expert can help you on the question, but the answer will be hidden from the host meaning everyone will know at the same time. This lifeline started on Episode 7 and was retired at the end of Episode 10 due to most of the Experts comes from the Question Writer.
Trust the Computer (Questions 3 – 11) (Episode 11 Onwards): When the player uses this lifeline, that player is putting their faith on the computer for an answer that is selected in random. If the answer is correct, the player is in. If the answer is incorrect, the player is out. Trust the Computer is not offered when either Ask the Audience is used or on Question 12, meaning that the player is on their own.
Double Dip (Questions 3 -11): When the player chooses to use Double Dip, the clock is reset to the next highest 15 second marker, the player must decide on their first final answer. If the answer is correct, the lifeline is wasted but the player stays in the game. If the first answer is incorrect, the clock resumes, and the player must give their second final answer. If that answer is correct, the player stays in the game. This lifeline debut on Episode 3 with the team getting to ¥1,000. In Episode 7, the rules change to get the lifeline with getting to ¥1,000 with no errors. In Episode 11 due to the removal of the Ask the Expert, the lifeline is given at the start of Level 2.
Ask a Friend (Questions 3 – 12): Similar to the traditional Phone a Friend lifeline. The player is able to converse with their in-audience companion (if one is present) and work together to answer the question as the clock ticks down. When used, the question and the four possible answers are read out by the host. Like on the TV version, the player is not allowed to look at their companion.
Ask the Audience (Questions 7-12): Allows the audience to vote to see which answer is the correct answer by a poll. Using this lifeline will mean that the
player must answer the question; however, on the final question, they can still use 50:50. This lifeline debuts on Episode 2.
50:50 (Question 12): Allows the computer to randomly take away two incorrect
answers allowing the player in the hot seat between the correct answer and
the remaining incorrect answer. Using this lifeline means that the player must answer the question; however, they can still use Ask the Audience and Ask a Friend. This lifeline debuts on Episode 2.
Contestants on this show are playing for prizes repenting the value of the yen value (i.e. ¥250,000 prize being higher than ¥1,000 prize.)
Here is the Money tree with the represented prizes (Note: Prizes are these except when noted.).
| Question | Value | Prize | |
| First attempt | Can be answer | ||
| 1 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | ¥500 | Can’t win. |
| 2 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | ¥1,000 | Season 3: $5 Season 4: $10 Right Stuf Gift Certificate |
| 3 | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 | ¥1,500 | Can’t win. |
| 4 | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | ¥2,500 | Can’t win. |
| 5 | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | ¥4,000 | Can’t win. |
| 6 | 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | ¥6,000 | Can’t win. |
| 7 | 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥10,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥1,010,000 | Season 3 and First Episode of Season 4: $10 Right Stuf Gift Certificate Rest of Season 4: $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate |
| 8 | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥20,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥1,020,000 | Season 3 and First Episode of Season 4: $10 Right Stuf Gift Certificate Rest of Season 4: $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate |
| 9 | 9, 10, 11, 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥50,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥1,050,000 | Season 3 and First Episode of Season 4: $25 Right Stuf Gift Certificate Rest of Season 4: $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate (Note: On the InuYasha Special, it was $125 Right Stuf Gift Certificate.) |
| 10 | 10, 11, 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥100,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥1,100,000 | Season 3 and First Episode of Season 4: $25 Right Stuf Gift Certificate Rest of Season 4: $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate |
| 11 | 11, 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥250,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥1,250,000 | Season 3 and First Episode of Season 4: $50 Right Stuf Gift Certificate Rest of Season 4: $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate |
| 12 | Season 3 and 1st Episode of Season 4: ¥1,000,000 Rest of Season 4: ¥2,000,000 | $100 Right Stuf Gift Certificate | |
Battle Royale:
Battle Royale takes place in Level 3 in the game. At this point, up to five players are still in the running to win a price. The pass lifeline is removed from play at this point meaning in Battle Royale, every question is an elimination question that will decide who will play for their prize.
Question 12:
Question 12 is called the money question because whoever answers the question gets the prize represented to that value; however, the question is usually non-otaku based. The player that survives Battle Royale gets the right to answer this question.
End of Game:
The game is over when the top amount that can be won is achieved, the player gets knock out on the final question getting ¥1,000, or the last player gets knock out winning either ¥1,000 (if the second question is answer correctly) or
nothing.
