Random UNLV Student Cashed In During the Debate!

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton helped a savvy college student rake in more than a grand on the heels of their heated final debate in Las Vegas.

Alexander Lin, a biology major at UNLV, knew having the debate on campus would mean prime time exposure -- so he whipped up a sign asking people to donate to his GoFundMe account ... and grabbed a spot behind Anderson Cooper.

Alex appeared through most of CNN's post-debate coverage, and although he's no harder up for cash than the average college student -- he was instantly flooded with donations. Check out the video to find out how much he hauled in as of Thursday afternoon.

He's got big plans for the cash -- including a charitable donation, and his personal charity.

Well played, sir. Well played.