(subtitled The All-New Press Your Luck for its first season) is an American television game show that aired new episodes on Game Show Network from April 15, 2002 to December 5, 2003. The main goal of the game is to earn as much money and prizes as possible through collecting spins by answering trivia questions correctly, then using those spins on a gameboard to win various prizes. Apr 15, 2002  With Gary Kroeger, Todd Newton, Jack Benza, A.J. Remake of the classic 1983 game show, 'Press Your Luck,' where contestants gambled their winnings in. Apr 15, 2002  Episode Recap Whammy on TV.com. Watch Whammy episodes. Game Show Network Premiered Apr 15. And Sandy return for more money from the Whammy. Sandy wins the game with a Go-Ped Scooter, a hot. Sep 09, 2017  Whammy: The All New Press Your Luck: March 17, 2003 (Hour Long Season Premieres). 🤭🤭THE FUNNIEST BLONDE MOMENTS IN GAME SHOW HISTORY!🤭🤭(PART 16)🤭🤭 - Duration: 15:23.

• Press Your Luck Game Show Videos
• Whammy The All New Press Your Luck

Since then, the company has handled revivals and video game licenses, such as with Whammy! And the 2009 video game. On June 8, 2006, Press Your Luck was featured as the fourth round of Gameshow Marathon on CBS. Game Show Network (GSN) aired the show from September 2001 to March 2009, airing episodes from February 1984 to November 1985. The Whammy is a fictional character from the 1980s game show Press Your Luck and its 2002 GSN remake Whammy!: The All-New Press Your Luck that would usually steal cash and prizes from unlucky contestants after landing on a wrong square. Contestants who hit four Whammies will be eliminated for.

Whammy! (subtitled The All-New Press Your Luck for its first season) is an American televisiongame show that aired new episodes on Game Show Network from April 15, 2002 to December 5, 2003. The main goal of the game is to earn as much money and prizes as possible through collecting spins by answering trivia questions correctly, then using those spins on a gameboard to win various prizes and cash amounts while attempting to avoid the show's eponymous character, the 'Whammy.' Contestants who do land on a Whammy lose all their prizes accumulated to that point; four Whammies eliminates a contestant from the game. The program is an updated version of Press Your Luck, which originally aired on CBS in 1983–86. The series was taped at Tribune Studios and was hosted by Todd Newton, with Gary Kroeger announcing. The show aired in reruns on GSN until 2017.

• 1Gameplay
  • 1.1Other features
• 2Production
• 4References

Gameplay[edit]

Gameplay remained largely similar to Press Your Luck, with contestants accumulating cash and prizes and attempting to avoid landing on a Whammy, who took away the winnings of any contestant who landed on it. At the start of the game, each of the three contestants was spotted $1,000 and took turns taking one spin at a time on the board.^[1] After each cycle of spins, additional Whammies were added to the board replacing cash values or prizes,^[1] and contestants chose to spin again or freeze with their score at that point. Landing on a Whammy in round one resulted in bankruptcy and eliminated that contestant from further play in the round. Play continued until all three contestants froze or hit a Whammy. Cash values ranged from $100–$1,500 in round one, and prizes of similar values also appeared.^[2]

Round two consisted of five questions (four in some episodes) posed to the players. The host read a question, and one of the contestants buzzed-in and provided a response. Their response, along with two other choices, were provided to the other two contestants, who selected one of the choices. Correct answers earned three spins for a buzz-in answer and one spin for a multiple choice answer. After five questions, all three contestants advanced to the final round.^[2]

In the final round, cash values ranged from $500–$5,000, and some spaces offered additional spins in addition to cash. Other spaces offered the choice of up to four adjacent spaces, or directed the contestants directly to another space. Accumulating four Whammies eliminated a contestant from the game. Also added to the board were 'Double Whammies,' which—in addition to bankruptcy—added a physical consequence following the Whammy's appearance (e.g., spraying the contestant with water or dropping ping pong balls on them).^[1] Play began with the contestant with the lowest score at the start of the round, or, in the case of a tie for last place, the contestant with the fewest spins. If there was still a tie in terms of score and spin totals, the contestant farthest to the left went first.

Spins earned in this round could be passed to the opponent with the higher total (if they were tied, the contestant passing the spins could choose the recipient). Contestants were required to use all spins passed until they used their spins or hit a Whammy; in the latter case, any remaining passed spins were transferred to their earned spin total.^[1] If a contestant using passed spins hit a space that awarded a spin (e.g., $3,000 + One Spin), that spin was added to the earned total. The contestant in the lead at the end of the game kept any cash and/or prizes in their bank at that time. Unlike its predecessors, three new contestants appeared on each episode.

Other features[edit]

In round one, the board featured a 'Pick-a-Prize' space. Contestants who landed on it could choose any prize on the board at the time. In round two, one space labeled '$2,000 or Lose-1-Whammy' gave the contestant a choice of a cash prize of $2,000 or removing a previously-landed-upon Whammy (also seen on the classic show). '$1,000 or Spin Again' offered the choice of a $1,000 cash prize or the opportunity to spin again (without using an earned spin),^[3] in season two, it was changed to '$555 or Spin Again.'^[2]

Contestants also had an opportunity to win a Gem Car during the game. To claim the prize, the contestant needed to land on the 'GEM' space in round one, and avoid landing on a Whammy for the rest of the round. In round two, the contestant needed to land on the 'CAR' space, and again avoid the Whammy, and also win the game.^[3] In season two, the GEM car was replaced with a Suzuki Aerio SX, and the contestant needed to claim both halves of a car key in order to win the prize.^[2]

A new feature called 'Big Bank' was added for the second season. The Big Bank on each episode was a cumulative jackpot that began at $3,000, and any cash and prizes that the contestants lost after landing on a Whammy (including halves of the car key) were added into the bank. The player can also 'whammy the Whammy' by landing on the Big Bank square. If this happens, the host asked an open-ended general knowledge question to the contestant, who could claim the money and prizes in the Big Bank with a correct answer. Once the Big Bank was claimed by a contestant, it was reset to $3,000.^[2]

Technological changes[edit]

Whammy! made use of technological advances that had been developed since the original Press Your Luck ended its run in the 1980s. For example, the prizes and light patterns for each space on the Big Board were randomly generated using a personal computer, running at a speed of 200 MHz.^[4] This resulted in a very large number of patterns for gameplay, which prevented memorisation of patterns as Michael Larson did on Press Your Luck (the same holds true for all subsequent versions).^[4] Also, the Whammy animations were animated in 3D computer graphics, rather than being digitally hand-drawn as on Press Your Luck.^[5]

Production[edit]

Game Show Network (GSN) acquired the rights to air Press Your Luck in September 2001, and high viewership ratings prompted the network to order a revival of the series.^[6] Two pilots were taped on February 13, 2002: one with original Press Your Luck host Peter Tomarken^[7] and the other hosted by Todd Newton. Newton was ultimately chosen to host the show.^[7] Tomarken explained that he was asked to change his style of hosting, saying, 'It was terribly hurtful and I think I was doomed before I did [the audition]. I remember being told, 'No, no. Be nice. Be sure everybody likes you.' I took that advice with the pilot. I made the same mistake.'^[7] Tomarken also acknowledged that GSN wanted to employ a younger host in an effort to attract a younger audience.^[7]

GSN produced 65 episodes for the first season, which began airing April 15, 2002.^[8] The series was eventually renewed for a second season, which consisted of 65 additional episodes that premiered March 17, 2003. Following the conclusion of the Tournament of Champions, which completed its run on July 25,^[9] a combination of first-run new episodes and reruns continued to air until December 5.^[10] Additionally, a short-lived Filipino version of the show aired on GMA Network in 2007–08. The series, entitled Whammy! Push Your Luck, was hosted by Paolo Bediones and Rufa Mae Quinto.^[11]

Press Your Luck Game Show Videos

Special episodes[edit]

The show aired four holiday specials: a Mother's Day special (featuring an all-cash board and with Karen Grassle (Little House on the Prairie), Estelle Harris (Seinfeld) and Mimi Kennedy as contestants),^[12] a Halloween special (featuring contestants in costume),^[13] a St. Patrick's Day special (with the contestants wearing green, and all the whammy animations in green as well),^[14] and an April Fools' Day special that featured Graham Elwood (from Cram) as the episode's host, with Newton only appearing when a contestant hit a Double Whammy.^[15]

Janie Litras and Ed Long appeared on a special episode coinciding with GSN's documentary Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal. Litras and Long originally appeared on the episodes airing June 8 and 11, 1984, competing against Michael Larson, who had memorized the light pattern and went on to win $110,237. Larson's brother, James, competed in the 2003 episode against Litras and Long, as Michael had died of throat cancer in 1999. Tomarken made a special appearance hosting the question round of this episode, which would be one of his last television appearances.^[7] James would win the game with a digital grand piano worth $6,695.^[2]

The July 21, 2003 episode featured a 'Tournament of Losers' starring three past contestants who had lost their previous games.^[16] July 22–25 of that same week featured a Tournament of Champions, with nine of the biggest winners to that point competing for additional cash and prizes. The winners on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday episodes returned to compete against each other on the Friday episode in the finale of the tournament. Friday's episode featured higher-valued spaces in both rounds, and the eventual winner also received a Suzuki Aerio SX as a bonus prize in addition to their grand total winnings.^[9]

Reception[edit]

Whammy! lasted on GSN for only two seasons, leading Garin Pirnia of Mental Floss to deem the series '[not] a huge hit like its predecessor.'^[17] At the sixth World Media Economics Conference, Eileen O'Neill and Marianne Barrett listed Whammy! among several television series that used creative methods of advertising in their programs, noting GSN's ability to 'encourage viewers to watch the programs live.'^[18] The series was also mentioned in Steve Ryan and Fred Wostbrock's The Ultimate TV Game Show Book in a list of GSN original programs.^[19]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdBrooks 2009, pp. 1503
2. ^ ^abcdefWhammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 2. Episode 2. March 17, 2003. Game Show Network.
3. ^ ^abWhammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 1. Episode 1. April 15, 2002. Game Show Network.
4. ^ ^abBig Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal (television). Game Show Network. March 16, 2003.
5. ^DeMichael 2009, pp. 29
6. ^Baber 2008, pp. 257–58
7. ^ ^abcdeBaber 2008, pp. 258
8. ^'Whammy!'. TV Guide. CBS Interactive, Inc. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
9. ^ ^abWhammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 2. Episode 54–57. July 22–25, 2003. Game Show Network.
10. ^DeMichael 2009, pp. 27
11. ^Erece, Dinno (October 1, 2007). 'Rufa Mae Quinto and Paolo Bediones, to host Whammy! Push Your Luck'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
12. ^Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 1. Episode 21. May 11, 2002. Game Show Network.
13. ^Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 1. Episode 65. October 26, 2002. Game Show Network.
14. ^Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 2. Episode 1. March 17, 2003. Game Show Network.
15. ^Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 2. Episode 14. April 1, 2003. Game Show Network.
16. ^Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Season 2. Episode 53. July 21, 2003. Game Show Network.
17. ^Pirnia, Garin (September 26, 2016). '11 Whammy-Free Facts About Press Your Luck'. Mental Floss. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
18. ^O'Neill 2004, pp. 10
19. ^Ryan 2005, pp. 238

Bibliography[edit]

• Baber, David (2008). Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN978-0-7864-2926-4.
• Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. Random House. ISBN0-307-48320-7.
• DeMichael, Tom (2009). TV's Greatest Game Shows: Television's Favorite Game Shows from the 50s, 60s, & More!. Marshall Publishing & Promotions, Inc. ISBN978-0-9814909-9-1.
• O'Neill, Eileen; Barrett, Marianne (May 12–15, 2004). 'TiVO—The Next Big Thing?: DVRs and Television Advertising Models'(PDF). HEC Montréal, Montréal, Canada: Arizona State University. Retrieved March 16, 2017.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Ryan, Steve; Wostbrock, Fred (2005). The Ultimate TV Game Show Book. Santa Monica, California: Volt Press (Bonus Books). p. 238. ISBN978-1-56625-291-1.

External links[edit]

• Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck on IMDb
• Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck at TV.com

Press Your Luck is an American television game show created by Bill Carruthers and Jan McCormack.^[1] It premiered on CBS daytime on September 19, 1983,^[2] and ended on September 26, 1986;^[3] it was revived on ABC primetime on June 12, 2019^[4] as a weekly show for the summer season. In the show, contestants collected spins by answering trivia questions and then used the spins on an 18-space game board to win cash and prizes. The contestant on the CBS version who amassed the highest total in cash and prizes kept their winnings for the day and became the returning champion. The contestant on the ABC version who amassed the highest total in cash and prizes kept their winnings for the day and played a bonus round for as much as $1 million. Peter Tomarken was the show's original host, and Rod Roddy was the primary announcer. John Harlan and Charlie O'Donnell filled in as substitute announcers for Roddy on different occasions. The ABC revival of the show is hosted by Elizabeth Banks and Neil Ross is the announcer. Press Your Luck is videotaped before a live studio audience at CBS Television City, Studios 33 (Bob Barker Studio) and 43, in Hollywood, California;^[5] the ABC revival is also credited as being 'from Television City in Hollywood'.^[6] and was taped in Studio 36. The show was a retooling of the earlier Carruthers production Second Chance, which was hosted by Jim Peck and aired on ABC in 1977.^[7]

The show was known for the 'Whammy', a red cartoon creature with a high-pitched, raspy voice. Landing on any Whammy space causes the player to go bankrupt and start over from $0, accompanied by an animation that showed the Whammy taking the loot, but frequently being blown up or otherwise humiliated in the process. The Whammies were created and animated by Savage Steve Holland and Bill Kopp, and voiced by Bill Carruthers.

• 1Gameplay
  • 1.1Format
• 2Broadcast history
  • 2.1Press Your Luck (1983–86, CBS)
  • 2.4Press Your Luck (2019, ABC)
    • 2.4.1Gameplay
• 3Notable contestants

Gameplay[edit]

Format[edit]

Main game[edit]

Three contestants competed on each episode, usually a returning champion and two new challengers (if a champion retired undefeated, then three new contestants would appear on the next episode).

Each game began with a trivia round where the contestants tried to earn spins, which was then used on the show's gameboard, referred to as the Big Board. A question was posed to the contestants, who tried to be the first to buzz in with a correct answer. Once a contestant gave an answer, the remaining opponents were given a choice of that answer or two additional answers provided by Tomarken and selected one. If the contestant that buzzed in gave the correct answer, it earned three spins. A correct multiple choice answer was worth one spin. If none of the three contestants buzzed in with an answer within five seconds, three answers were given to the contestants and they earned one spin each if they chose correctly. If a contestant buzzed in but failed to give an answer, that contestant was locked out of the question and it was treated the same way as if nobody had buzzed in.

After four questions were asked, play moved over to the Big Board. The board consisted of 18 spaces arranged in a 6×5 rectangle, each of which had a screen in it that displayed one of three items which changed rather rapidly, and a randomizer light which the contestants stopped by hitting their buzzer. The most common spaces offered cash, with an extra spin attached to some of them, and prizes, with some being directional spaces that either allowed the contestant to choose between two or three squares, or moved their position to a different part of the board. Cash amounts and prize values were added to the contestant's score, while landing on any of several Whammy spaces results in bankruptcy, and must start over.

In the first Big Board round, play started with the contestant with the fewest spins unless there was a tie, in which case the contestant seated furthest left started. For each square the contestant stopped the randomizer light on, the value of that square was added to the contestant's bank and that contestant kept playing ('pressing his/her luck') until running out of spins or deciding to pass. Any passed spins went to the contestant's opponent with the higher amount of money (or, if tied, the opponent chosen by the passing contestant). A contestant receiving passed spins had to take them and could not pass until all the passed spins had been used. Spins awarded from hitting spaces offering them were placed in the earned column, and hitting a Whammy caused the contestant's remaining passed spins to move to the earned column, allowing the contestant to pass. Play continued until the contestants exhausted all of their spins, or earned a total of four Whammies, in which they were eliminated from the game and their remaining spins (if any) forfeited.

Once all spins had been played, a second round of trivia questions followed with the same rules as before. A second Big Board round followed, with much higher stakes in play. This time, contestants played in order of their scores (lowest to highest) unless there was a tie between two or more contestants, in which case the contestant with the fewest spins started the round. Any passed spins, as before, went to the opponent with the higher score.

The contestant in the lead at the end of the second Big Board round became the day's champion, kept his/her winnings, and returned on the next show as long as the show's winnings limits were not reached (see below). If two or all three contestants finished the match tied, they returned on the next show. In the rare occurrence that two contestants Whammied out of the game and the remaining contestant had spins left, the remaining contestant was given a choice to end the game or keep spinning to try to win more money. The choice was given after each spin the contestant took, and the game continued until all spins were exhausted, the contestant stopped the game, or the contestant Whammied out. If the contestant managed to Whammy out, the game ended with no winner and three new contestants played on the next show.

Board values[edit]

In the first Big Board round, cash amounts ranged from $100 to $1,500 and prizes typically were worth no more than $2,000. The second round featured cash amounts from $500 to $5,000, and prizes potentially worth $6,000 or more. Three rare but special squares also appeared throughout the course of the show. The first, Double Your $$, multiplied the contestant's dollar amount at the time by two. This square later became Double Your $$ + One Spin, awarding an extra spin in addition to the multiplied cash amount. Add-A-One added a '1' to the front of the contestant's current score (e.g., $0 became $10; $500 became $1,500; and $2,000 became $12,000). The third, $2000 or Lose-1-Whammy, offered the contestant a choice of adding $2,000 to his/her score ($2,000 was automatically added if the contestant had no Whammies), or removing a Whammy received earlier in the game. Add-A-One was only featured in the first Big Board round, with the others only appearing in the second Big Board round.

One square present in both Big Board rounds was Big Bucks. This square, appearing third from the right in the bottom row, automatically moved the selector light to the corresponding position in the top row. The top dollar values in this square in round one were $1,000, $1,250 and $1,500. For the second round, the top dollar values were $3,000, $4,000, and $5,000, all of which awarded an extra spin.

In both rounds, the value of a prize was announced only after it had been claimed, and a new prize was put on the board in its place (the aforementioned Add-A-One and Double Your $$ [+ One Spin] spaces were also treated as prizes in this respect).

Limits on winnings[edit]

Any contestant who won five games or exceeded the winnings cap (whichever occurred first) retired undefeated. From September 19, 1983 to October 31, 1984, any contestant who won over $25,000 retired undefeated, but was allowed to keep any winnings over that amount up to $50,000. The CBS game show winnings cap was doubled to $50,000 on November 1, 1984, with contestants now being allowed to keep any winnings over that up to $75,000.

Home Player Spin[edit]

'Home Player Spins' were featured at various points over the course of the series' run. Each of the three contestants was assigned a postcard with the name of a home viewer prior to the start of the episode. One spin in the final round was designated as the Home Player Spin at the start of the round, and when that spin came up, whatever the contestant landed on during that spin was added to their own total and was also awarded to the home player. If the contestant hit a Whammy, the home player received $500. If the contestant landed on a space that awarded money and an additional spin, the contestant received the money and the spin, but the home player only received the money. If the contestant landed on a prize instead of money, then the home viewer would also win that prize.

At the close of the October–November 1985 contest, that episode's in-studio winner drew a card from a bowl containing the names of each of the 75 at-home participants featured over the five-week period. After drawing the name, the contestant took one spin on a modified board that showed only cash values and directional squares (no Whammies, prizes, or cash amounts with additional spins were present). The value landed on, multiplied by the total number of spins earned by the three contestants in the second question round, was then awarded to the home player whose name was drawn.

Broadcast history[edit]

Press Your Luck (1983–86, CBS)[edit]

Original production[edit]

Peter Tomarken, who had just ended a 13-week stint as the host of Hit Man on NBC, was tapped as host for Press Your Luck. The pilot was taped on May 18, 1983,^[8] and the actual show began both tapings and airings four months later on September 10 of that year.^[5] The show premiered on September 19, 1983, on CBS at 10:30a.m. ET (9:30 CT/MT/PT), replacing Child's Play, and placing it between The New $25,000 Pyramid and The Price Is Right. Press Your Luck competed against Sale of the Century for first place in the 10:30a.m. morning time slot over the next two years.

On January 6, 1986, CBS relocated Press Your Luck in order to make room for a Bob Eubanks-hosted revival of Card Sharks. Press Your Luck replaced Body Language in the network's 4:00p.m. afternoon time slot. Tomarken stated that by the Fall of 1985, the contract for The Price Is Right was up for renewal, but CBS was unable to pay Mark Goodson Productions the kind of money they wanted to continue that show on their network. Goodson came up with the solution of taking over the 10:30a.m. timeslot.^[9] Although some CBS affiliates carrying the program in 1986 outside of the 4:00p.m. ET time slot tape-delayed it for broadcast the next morning (including the network's flagship owned-and-operated stations in New York^[10] and Los Angeles^[11]), many CBS affiliates dropped the program (with a few markets subsequently picking the show up on independent stations).

The last episode of the show aired on September 26, 1986, but it was not acknowledged as the finale. The final tapings took place in August of that same year, when its cancellation was first announced.^[12] After the show ended its run, CBS returned the 4:00p.m. timeslot to its affiliates.

Rebroadcasts, syndication and digital television networks[edit]

In early 1987, 130 episodes of the show were packaged by Republic Pictures for off-network syndication to a handful of local stations. These episodes originally aired on CBS from February 25 to August 23, 1985,^[13] and were also the first to be shown on USA Network from September 14, 1987 (the day USA Network picked up the show for its block of afternoon game show reruns) to December 30, 1988. Press Your Luck remained on its schedule until October 13, 1995, when USA dropped its game show block altogether.^[14]

The series was later purchased by Pearson Television (which later became Fremantle, which now owns the rights to the series), who also owns the Goodson–Todman and Reg Grundy libraries. Since then, the company has handled revivals and video game licenses, such as with Whammy! and the 2009 video game. On June 8, 2006, Press Your Luck was featured as the fourth round of Gameshow Marathon on CBS.

Game Show Network (GSN) aired the show from September 2001 to March 2009, airing episodes from February 1984 to November 1985. GSN resumed airing the show in 2012, airing episodes from the September 1983 premiere to February 1984. From 2014 to 2016, GSN aired episodes 561 to 696, which originally ran from November 1985 to May 1986; after this, GSN aired episodes from the summer of 1984 to February 1985 until the show was removed from GSN's schedule again in May 2017. From December 2017 to February 2018, GSN aired episodes from summer 1984 as part of a Saturday night game show block.^[15]

On July 2, 2018, reruns of Press Your Luck started airing on GameTV in Canada.^[16]

As with much of the rest of Fremantle's game show archives, Press Your Luck also airs on Buzzr.

Whammy The All New Press Your Luck

Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck (2002–03, GSN)[edit]

In 2002, a new version titled Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck (shortened to Whammy! in 2003) hosted by Todd Newton and announced by Gary Kroeger premiered on Game Show Network. New episodes initially aired through 2003, and reruns occasionally air on GSN.

Several changes to the rules and aesthetics of the game were made. Three new contestants appeared on each episode with no returning champions, much less cash was available as well as more prizes, the board was entirely computerized (as well as redesigned), and the first question round was eliminated. Additionally, 'Big Bank' spaces were added to the board in season two, which placed an accumulating jackpot to a contestant's bank when that contestant landed on the space and answered a question correctly.

Gameshow Marathon (2006, CBS)[edit]

On June 8, 2006, Press Your Luck was the fourth of seven classic game shows featured in CBS's month-long Gameshow Marathon hosted by Ricki Lake and announced by Rich Fields and it was one of the 'elimination rounds' in the tournament. The contestants were Leslie Nielsen, Kathy Najimy and Tim Meadows.

The format was exactly like the original CBS run but with much higher money values. Najimy won the game in this episode.

This episode was also dedicated in memory of Peter Tomarken who died in a plane crash along with his wife Kathleen three months before the episode aired.

Press Your Luck (2019, ABC)[edit]

On February 21, 2019, a casting announcement was released by Fremantle for a new version of Press Your Luck advertising opportunities for potential contestants to apply.^[17][18][19]

On March 13, 2019, Vulture reported that ABC is partnering with Fremantle to reboot the series, with pre-production on new hour-long episodes of Press Your Luck and Card Sharks being underway and taping slated to begin sometime in the spring. The ABC version will feature a new bonus round in which one player competes head-to-head with the Whammy 'to win a fortune'. John Quinn (a producer on Celebrity Name Game) has been named as the showrunner and executive producer.^[20]

On May 2, 2019, TheWrap reported that actress Elizabeth Banks would be the new host.^[21][22]

A special early preview of the revival was broadcast on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.^[23][24][6] The weekly series premiere was on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 with episodes being 1-hour long.^[4]

Gameplay[edit]

Each episode features three new contestants. Gameplay is identical to the 1983–86 version, with the exception of some episodes having only three questions rather than four in the first round. Maximum dollar amounts are $3,000—$4,000—$5,000 in the first Big Board round, and $6,000—$8,000—$10,000 in the second; the latter spaces each award an extra spin as well. Prizes are worth up to $50,000.

The high scorer at the end of the second Big Board round keeps his/her winnings and advances to the bonus game. If two or more contestants are tied for the lead at this point, each takes one spin at a time until there is a clear winner. This tiebreaker is also played if all three contestants have Whammied out.

Bonus game[edit]

The day's champion plays a bonus game for up to $1 million in additional cash and prizes.

This game is divided into six rounds, each of which requires the champion to take a specific number of spins: five in the first round, four in the second, three in all others. Upon finishing a round with a bank total above $0, the champion may either end the game and keep all winnings to that point or continue to the next round. Ending a round with a bank of $0 requires the champion to continue. Hitting a Whammy eliminates all cash/prizes won to that point in the bonus game and resets the bank to $0, and accumulating four Whammies ends the game. The champion may not stop in the middle of a round. If a space is hit which awards money and a spin, the extra spin must be taken in that same round.

Maximum dollar and prize values increase from one round to the next. The maximum dollar values, in order, are $10,000, $15,000, $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000. Some prizes are featured specifically based on the champion's preferences, and are returned to the board if a Whammy is hit. A '$7,000 or Lose-a-Whammy' space is added to the board in the third round, with its value increasing to $10,000 in the fourth and $15,000 in the fifth.

If the champion's bank reaches or exceeds $500,000, enough cash is added to bring the total up to $1 million and the game ends. Otherwise, the champion receives everything in the bank upon either completing all six rounds or choosing to end the game.

Notable contestants[edit]

Michael Larson[edit]

In 1984, a self-described unemployed ice cream truck driver named Michael Larson made it onto the show. After watching the show at home with the use of stop-motion on a VCR, Larson discovered that the presumed random patterns of the game board were not actually random and he was able to memorize the sequences to help him stop the board where and when he wanted. On the single game in which he appeared, an initially tentative Larson spun a Whammy on his very first turn, but then went 45 consecutive spins without hitting another one.

The game ran for so long that CBS aired the episode in two parts, on June 8 and 11, 1984. In the end, Larson earned a total of $110,237 in cash and prizes, a record for the most money in cash and prizes won by a contestant in a single appearance on a daytime network game show. In 2006, when Vickyann Chrobak-Sadowski won $147,517 in cash and prizes on the Season 35 premiere of The Price Is Right, it was not enough to surpass Larson's inflation-adjusted record ($110,237 was equal to $215,690 in 2006 dollars).^[25]

Larson, through meticulous watching of the show, memorized patterns of the board to land on a space in which all three slides contained smaller amounts of money plus a spin or the spot in the top center of the screen in which the largest amounts of money plus a spin always resided. Not only would he not hit a Whammy if he landed on those two squares, but he would also be guaranteed to continue gaining more spins as long as he desired.

Although CBS investigated Larson, they determined that memorizing the board patterns was not cheating and let him keep his winnings. The board was subsequently reprogrammed with up to 32 new patterns to help prevent against another contestant from being able to memorize patterns as Larson had; all subsequent versions since then follow this method. In 1994, TV Guide magazine interviewed Larson and revealed the background of this episode including his decision to pass his remaining spins after he lost concentration and missed his target squares.^[26]

The story was featured in a two-hour documentary on GSN titled Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal in March 2003. GSN aired a special rematch edition of Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck, featuring the two runners-up from the show, host Tomarken and Michael Larson's brother James. (Michael Larson had died of throat cancer in 1999.)^[27]In July 2010, Michael's brother James, and his former wife at the time of winning, were interviewed for PRI's This American Life for the episode 'Million Dollar Idea'.^[28]

His story was also featured on the first episode of GSN's documentary series Cover Story in 2018.^[29]

Others[edit]

Aside from Michael Larson, several contestants later found fame outside of game shows:

• Steve Bryant: A wide receiver for the NFL's Houston Oilers^[30] when he won $16,655 on July 12, 15 and 16, 1985.
• Ralph Strangis: Later became play-by-play announcer for the Dallas Stars.^[31] Also had a small stint on AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN. On the May 28 and 29, 1984 episodes of Press Your Luck, Strangis won $7,431 in cash and prizes.^{[32][better source needed]}

International versions[edit]

Australia

The series was presented by Ian Turpie with John Deeks as announcer on Seven Network from 1987 to 1988. Grundy Worldwide packaged this version, with Bill Mason as executive producer. This version used the same Whammy animations as the original, as well as a similar set (a Grundy tradition); however, the Big Board used considerably lower dollar values. Prior to this, there was an Australian version of Second Chance that aired in 1977 on Network Ten hosted by Earle Bailey and Christine Broadway and also produced by Grundy.^[33]

Germany

A German version entitled Glück am Drücker ('Good Luck on the Trigger') aired on RTLplus in 1992 with Al Munteanu as host. It had an animated vulture named 'Raffi' steal cash and prizes from contestants instead of Whammies.

Another remake, Drück Dein Glück ('Push Your Luck'), aired daily in 1999 on RTL II with Guido Kellerman as host. And just like Glück am Drücker, Instead of Whammies, a shark named Hainz der Geldhai ('Hainz the Money Shark') 'ate' the contestant's money. This version also had a unique rule where landing a car won the game automatically, regardless of the scores.

Philippines

GMA Network aired a version called Whammy! Push Your Luck based on the short-lived 2002–03 GSN remake called Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck from 2007 to 2008 hosted by Paolo Bediones and Rufa Mae Quinto. The program used the same (redubbed) Whammy animations as the 2000s updated American version.

Taiwan

A Taiwanese variety show called Slugger Attack aired a segment based on this game on Taiwan Television from 1985 to 1995. It used a naughty ghost instead of animated whammies.

Turkey

A Turkish version of PYL called Şansını Dene ('Try Your Luck') aired on Kanal D from 1994 to 1996, hosted by Oktay Kaynarca.

United Kingdom

An ITV version ran for two seasons from June 6, 1991 to September 20, 1992 on ITV in the HTV West region, with Paul Coia as host. The series was made on a small budget, using a point-based scoring system with the day's winner receiving £200. This eliminated much of the excitement present in other versions, and declining ratings led to a switch from prime time to Saturday afternoons during the first season. When the show's second season premiered in 1992, it was moved to Sunday afternoons. The show was canceled following the second season due to budget cuts that resulted from the ITV franchise auctions of 1991,^[34] as well as lower ratings figures.

Merchandise[edit]

Video games

In 1988, GameTek released a home computer game of Press Your Luck for IBM PC compatibles and the Commodore 64.^[35]Ludia Inc. (now part of RTL Group, which owns the show franchise) along with Ubisoft released an adaptation called Press Your Luck: 2010 Edition on October 27, 2009 for PC, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Nintendo DS and Wii. Prior to this, on August 24, 2010, the game was released for the PlayStation 3 (via PSN) as part of the Game Show Party bundle pack (PS3 only) that also included Family Feud: 2010 Edition and The Price is Right: 2010 Edition,^[36] and on PlayStation 3's PSN download service from August 24, 2010.^[37]

Slot machine games

Shuffle Master was the first to develop a video slot machine version based on the show in 2000. It was also featured in the PC game 'Reel Deal Casino: Shuffle Master Edition' in 2003. Currently, WMS Gaming develops video slot machines based on the show like the 'Big Event' version with Todd Newton of Whammy! fame in 2008, a 'Community Bonus' version in 2010 and a '3-reel mechanicals' in 2011. A now defunct online slot game was once developed for online UK casinos.

Online games

GSN featured a short-lived interactive version of Press Your Luck that featured a play-along element as rerun episodes of the show aired simultaneously.^{[citation needed]}

Kiosk game

A kiosk version debuted at Planet Hollywood in 2011.^{[citation needed]}

DVD game

In 2006, Imagination Entertainment released a DVD TV game hosted by Todd Newton of Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck fame, with Peter Kent as the announcer. The DVD game included three Question Rounds and three Big Board Rounds.^[38]

Handheld game

An electronic handheld game was released by Irwin Toys in 2008.^[39]

Facebook games

In January 2012, an app developed by Fremantle subsidiary Ludia and based on Press Your Luck debuted on Facebook.^[40] Ten contestants compete in a single-question round together, all answering the same multiple-choice questions. There are six questions in total, each worth between $500 and $1,000, or a Whammy. A correct answer earns the question's value multiplied by the number of contestants who answered incorrectly or ran out of time (e.g., answering the $500 question correctly with three other contestants answering incorrectly earns $1,500). Bonus cash is given to the three contestants who answer the questions correctly in the shortest amount of time. Answering the Whammy question incorrectly causes the contestant to lose any money accumulated to that point.

The top three contestants go on to the big-board round, with each getting five spins. Gameplay is similar as on the 1980s series.

In September 2012, Ludia released Press Your Luck Slots on Facebook.^[41]

iOS games

Ludia released an app version of Press Your Luck Slots for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad on April 22, 2013.

References[edit]

1. ^McNeil, Alex (1991). Total Television: A Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 672. ISBN9780140157369.
2. ^Press Your Luck. Season 1. September 19, 1983. CBS.
3. ^Press Your Luck. Season 3. September 26, 1986. CBS.
4. ^ ^abPress Your Luck. Season 1. June 12, 2019. ABC.
5. ^ ^ab'Shows–CBS Television City'. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
6. ^ ^abPress Your Luck. Season 1. June 11, 2019. ABC.
7. ^Baber, David. Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars. p. 213.
8. ^'Image of ticket from Press Your Luck taping on 18 May 1983'. Retrieved 11 June 2013.^{[permanent dead link]}
9. ^David Baber, Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2008, pp. 255
10. ^New York Times; 1986 TV listings
11. ^Los Angeles Times; 1986 TV listings
12. ^'Afternoon Delete'. Broadcasting Journal. 18 August 1986. p. 36. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
13. ^your luck personable%22^{[permanent dead link]}
14. ^David Schwartz, Steve Ryan & Fred Wostbrock, The Encyclopedia of TV Game $hows, Checkmark Books, 1999, pp. 176
15. ^[1]
16. ^'Press Your Luck Schedule on GameTV'. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
17. ^'Now Casting!'. Press Your Luck. Fremantle. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
18. ^Davis, Alex (21 February 2019). 'Press Your Luck Revival Now Casting'. BuzzerBlog.
19. ^Silver, Marc. 'ABC's 'Press Your Luck' reboot could use a fresh new spin'. The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
20. ^Adalian, Josef. 'No Whammy! ABC Is Bringing Back Press Your Luck and Card Sharks'. www.vulture.com. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
21. ^Nakamura, Reid (2 May 2019). 'Elizabeth Banks to Host ABC's 'Press Your Luck' Reboot'. TheWrap. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
22. ^Dove, Steve (2 May 2019). 'Elizabeth Banks Hosts the Return of 'Press Your Luck' Premiering Wednesday June 12 8/7c on ABC'. ABC. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
23. ^Mitovich, Matt Webb (June 11, 2019). 'ABC's Press Your Luck Revival: Grade It'. tvline.com. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
24. ^'What to watch on TV tonight: 'Press Your Luck' premieres on ABC, etc'. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
25. ^'CPI Inflation Calculator'. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
26. ^'THE DAY THE GAME SHOW GOT WHAMMIED', TV Guide, November 1994.
27. ^www.seanmunger.com. 'The guy who beat Press Your Luck: The incredible winning streak of Michael Larson'. Seanmunger.com. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
28. ^'Million Dollar Idea'. This American Life. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
29. ^Lyons, Margaret (2018-01-11). 'How Much Watching Time Do You Have This Weekend?'. The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
30. ^'Steve Bryant on ProFootball.com'. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
31. ^'Ralph Strangis Official Website'. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
32. ^'Press Your Luck | Loreen/Dan/Ralph Strangis'. YouTube. 2011-03-12. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
33. ^'Memorable Guide to Australia Television'. Archived from the original on April 9, 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
34. ^Kaye, Jeff (December 3, 1991). 'Britain's Thames Television Faces an Uncertain Future'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
35. ^'Press Your Luck for DOS'. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
36. ^'Ludia to Put Its Spin on 'Press Your Luck'; Signs Exclusive, Multi-Year Deal with Fremantle'. Reuters. October 29, 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
37. ^Jando, Eva. 'Coming Tuesday to PSN: Press Your Luck for PS3'. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
38. ^'Press Your Luck DVD Game on Amazon.com'. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
39. ^'Press Your Luck Handheld Game on Amazon.com'. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
40. ^Mack, Christopher (January 9, 2012). 'Press Your Luck on Facebook Review'. Gamezebo. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
41. ^'Ludia and FremantleMedia Enterprises Announce 'Press Your Luck® Slots' Game Now Available on Facebook®'. Financial Post. Financial Post. Retrieved 5 October 2012.

External links[edit]

• Press Your Luck on IMDb (1983–86) (US)
• Press Your Luck on IMDb (1987–88) (Australia)
• Press Your Luck on IMDb (2019) (US)