Regis Wants to Be a Billionaire

11/04/1998 at 12:00 AM EST

Regis Philbin's dance card just keeps filling up. So, apparently, does his bank account. The host of ABC's "Live With Regis & Kathie Lee" is said to be pulling down between $8 million and $12 million a year for his daytime gig. At night, on ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," Reege is reputedly earning $100,000 per episode. Now he's after more. The New York Post claims that Regis, who does not have a contract on "Millionaire," is now seeking $250,000 per episode. Variety, meanwhile, reports that "Millionaire" is increasing its weekly airtime from three episodes to four: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Furthermore, ABC has decided to air a one-time-only segment of "Millionaire" this Wednesday at 8 p.m. -- in direct competition with a highly promoted episode of NBC's fledgling "Twenty One," in which a contestant will win more than $1 million.