Yes this would be insanley popular

I think it's a good idea - especially because it would give CH a wider repore with the internet community (well, the internet community that matters) ;)

However, do you think that people would pay $10 to WORK on an article that is unlikely to be posted (unless only one other person enters the competition, but even then the odds are 1:1)? The incentive doesn't seem to be there... It's like gambling !

The problem with this is that you're taking the money from the very people who want to get paid with said money. You'd need to find a way to get revenue from an OUTSIDE source.

SuperDas: This model has been successful for years in contests where you pay $50 to write an article about "why you deserve the house" and then the winner is judged and receives an entire house for free.

Lotteries are the same (you pay first) but it's just luck at that point, not a contest of skill.

My point is that people are clearly willing to spend a little money for the chance to receive a lot of it.

While I think the SuperDas criticism is valid (people hoping to get paid are those paying in), its hard to envision exactly how and in what ways people will respond.

One tangent might be paying in for articles you WANT? There would have to be some sort of quality control, but I'd be willing to pay $5 into a pool (for the right to vote), to REQUEST an article. But if the resulting article is crap, no one will vote for it, someone else will get the money. But at least an article of some caliber was created.

Anyway there's many unanswered questions with the basic concept (never mind my tangent), demands more thought.

Interesting, but don't you need to get wikipedia to vote on it and approve it, which could be impossible?

Love the idea Cybercerberus.
SuperDas has a very valid point, the money should better come from an outside source / sponsorship.

I don't see immediatelly how it could make much money ..
Some suggestions on the money making part:

1. Articles on demand :
= People pay to get specific article in wikipedia
2. Link my company inside Wikipedia
= Companies pay to get visibility inside a relevant article in wikipedia. If it doesn't exist, it can be written.
3. Contests through big sponsors

Imhotep, Gordon, et al: Great points, and I love the idea of people being able to pay to request specific articles in Wikipedia, company/product links included! Great stuff, and lots of potential there.

To me, the bottom line is: CH + crowd + Wikipedia == WIN for everybody involved.

It's an excellent idea.

Not only would it give CH positive public relations, It will attract more people to the community.

Nice

Perhaps instead of the author being the one coming up with the money themselves, they could be sponsored by a foundation (ahem. wikipedia foundation for example.) or corporate entity.

do you see this as working with Wiki or being a clone of wiki?