reg fee, main reason why the original site is making so much money is a) its a great original idea b) media have covered the site "student finds way to free debt" etc which has given it loads of publicity.
I think the guy who had the original idea will get his one million dollars.
All those trying to emulate his success will perhaps pick up a few scraps. And forever be branded as a wannabe.
Anyone trying to make a quick buck selling a similar domain name has probably blown their reg fee. Or they'll sell it to some fool who had neither the creativity to come up with their own idea or the intelligence to register their own name.