10 Unbelievable Billion Dollar Inventions

“Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous.” Leonardo Da Vinci.

Here are 10 inventions that will make nature turn tail and run!

#10 Billy Bob Teeth:

Put these on and walk into a party one day and it is a guarantee that you will be an instant hit for all the wrong reasons and probably be scarred for life. At $9.99 who cares if you are missing a few teeth or your gums are showing a little or the fact that you make Halloween arrive early? The hilly “Billy Bob Teeth” born out of a partnership between a dental student and an ex college football player sold over 15 million units since 1994, and as of 1998 had grossed $1.8 million. How is that for a toothy grin?

#9 HeadOn

Ever heard of the “placebo effect”? Headon! This placebo made of wax was a large scale psychological experiment that was largely successful in proving that people will do anything that is said on the television and in making money. This $8 tube filled with wax was sold more than six million times in 2006 alone mostly due to the commercial which evidently hypnotized its viewers by stating “HeadOn. Apply directly to the forehead” and people did it more than six million times in one year!

#8 Doggles

Are you worried about your doggie’s eyes? Here’s Douggles to the rescue. This commercial brand of sunglasses for dogs in the form of tinted googles, which are both fashionable and functional, protect your dog’s eyes from dust, sand, wind, water, and bullets (the last one only holds true when thrown by hand.) Doggles, LLC has sold millions of pairs to pooches at $19.90. That is a good fetch.

#7 Tamagotchi

1996, the year when kids started having virtual pets rather than imaginary ones and what’s more, they were cleaning its e-poop! Tamagotchi is a handheld digital pet created by Akihiro Yokoi of WiZ and Aki Maita of Japan. As of 2010, 74 million Tamagotchis had been sold, grossing about $900 million. Moreover, the toy has led to two films, three animated series and several Nintendo games. 

#6 The Plastic Wishbone

You have to love this invention if you are a vegetarian, if not, well, then it still beats breaking an actual bone. The fact that only two people can make a wish at a thanksgiving table seemed outrageous to Ken Ahroni and he started Lucky Break Wishbone Corp. in Seattle. Now, everybody can break a bone wherever and whenever they want to, all thanks to plastic wishbones and according to the reports, people have been at it right from the very start, the business now makes 30,000 plastic bones a day and reports sales of over $2.5 million each year. Break a leg?

#5 Big Mouth Billy Bass

This is a gag that will delight any morose teenager with a frown. The Big Mouth Billy Bass is an animatronic fish that sings songs with its mouth and wiggles its tail. The singing fish was a huge hit in the late '90s and early 2000s. More than one million fish at about $20 a piece were sold in the year 2000 alone.

#4 Silly Bandz

This one is for all the tweeny girls who love cute rubber objects on their wrists and hair. Many celebrities are also spotted wearing these squishy things, most recently, the dashing Jake Gyllenhaal was seen donning a silly band on his wrist in an interview for the movie “Love And Other Drugs” and they spent half the interview talking about these bands. No wonder these things are famous!

With a pack of 24 that sells for about $5 and packets of 12 for about $2.50 the toy empire has made over 100 million.

#3 The Snuggie

Before you buy this you have to ask yourself ‘Am I willing to ridicule myself?’ if you are then you can probably read a book on your porch on a cold morning without freezing yourself to death, drink warm coffee in a cold room in a warm clothing, wrap yourself in a blanket and still be able to play pool (though no one would be willing to play with you when you are wearing one of these) let’s face it you have to be “a really cold place” to really embrace The Snuggie. Over 20 million Snuggies have been sold since 2008 making the world more “Snugglier.”

#2 Magic 8 Ball

Should you or Shouldn’t you? Get this magic ball and it will tell you. The Magic 8 Ball is a hollow plastic sphere resembling an oversized, black and white 8-ball. This mystical device has the answers to all your questions. The correct way to do it is you ask the ball and shake it and look into the window for your answer. If it doesn’t dazzle you then shake it again and this time you will get bubbles for your troubles.

This magic ball has been rolling ever since the 1940’s, Three Stooges and it hasn’t stopped rolling ever since. Many variants have surfaced like the fortune cookie and fortune teller machine but none of them are as mystic as the Magic 8 Ball.

#1 Pet Rock

And the mother of crazy (crazy because its genius) inventions is “The Pet Rock.” Get a glimpse of “Wilson” Tom Hanks’ only friend in the island where he is stranded all alone now look at this rock. Yup, it can be a very good pet and do nothing mischievous or irritating by doing nothing at all. This mind trick sold for $3.95 per piece and people went ahead and bought them. They bought lots of them and then they went ahead and bought lots more! The company has made $56 million profit. That ought to set your rocks rolling!