Illinois Instant Riches
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| Illinois Instant Riches | |
| Format | Game/Lottery Show |
|---|---|
| Presented by | Mark Goodman with Linda Kollmeyer |
| Narrated by | Bill Barber |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syndicated (Illinois only) WGN (nationally) |
| Original run | July 9, 1994 – August 15, 1998 |
Illinois Instant Riches (later known as Illinois Luckiest) was a lottery game show airing in the state of Illinois, as well as nationally on Chicago-based Superstation WGN-TV. The show was hosted by Mark Goodman, with Linda Kollmeyer (who still remains with the station doing lottery drawings) as his co-host with Bill Barber as the announcer.
The show was produced by Mark Goodson Productions (later Jonathan Goodson Productions), and premiered on July 9, 1994. The show was renamed Illinois' Luckiest in 1998 and aired until 2000.
For contestants to appear on the show, they must have bought an Illinois Instant Riches/Illinois' Luckiest scratch-off ticket from an Illinois Lottery retailer. If they uncover three TVs, then the ticket is sent in to the given address.
Players were randomly chosen from those tickets to be in the show's contestant pool, but only a certain number of them would be selected to play an on-stage game - similar to Contestants' Row on The Price is Right.
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[edit] Rules (Illinois Instant Riches)
Fifteen contestants were in the contestant pool. Kollmeyer would spin a wheel that was hooked to lights above each contestant's seat. When the wheel stopped, the player whose seat was lit would play a game, in addition to winning a set of lottery tickets.
The show had several mini-games throughout the run, some of which were designed by Steve Ryan. Ryan has worked for several Goodson-Todman game shows including "Classic Concentration", where he designed the rebus puzzles. He also co-authored the "Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows".
[edit] Force Field
A magnet was suspended from the ceiling above a table of 10 magnets arranged in a circle. The magnets had corresponding money amounts: $1,000-$5,000, $8,000, $10K, $12K, $15K, and $20K. The pendulum was placed on a launcher locked on the outer ring of the table, and could be moved to any position along the ring.
Contestants released the pendulum, it would swing, then become attracted to one of the magnets -- the player won the amount of money associated with the magnet. That space was replaced with a "Wipeout".
The contestant then re-launched the pendulum -- ideally, winning more money in the process. If the pendulum landed on "Wipeout", the contestant lost all of the money accumulated in the first swing.
At this point, another "Wipeout" was placed over the amount from swing #2 (or, if the contestant did "Wipeout", it was simply left alone) and another was placed on the lowest dollar amount still left on the table - bringing the maximum total number of "Wipeout" spaces to three. The largest dollar amount on the table was multiplied by 5.
The contestant could either choose to risk their money on one final swing or stop with what they had; hitting a "Wipe Out" would cause them to go bankrupt. Maximum payoff is $127,000.
[edit] Home Run (Touchdown, Fast Break, and Home Stretch)
Contestants were shown a board with 3 "players" - an orange player, a blue player, and a yellow player. They were then shown a board of 12 numbered boxes, and asked to call out numbers, one at a time. Finding three of a color ended up the game and awarded the contestant a cash prize -- $1,000 (for the orange player), $10,000 (for the blue player), or a cash prize of up to $100,000 (for the yellow player). If the yellow player reached the goal first, the contestant would choose from one of four cards, each of which hid a different cash amount (one each of $25,000, $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000).
The game motif had a baseball theme, which was changed to a football theme for football season, basketball for basketball season, and a horse race theme for a special at a local race track.
[edit] Mismatch
This game had the contestant stand behind a pair of containers that he/she couldn't see the contents of. Each container had three colored balls: red, yellow, and green. The contestant would draw one ball from the container on their right to establish a "base" color. The player was then spotted $5,000 and asked to draw a ball from the other container. Pulling out a different color (a "mismatch") would earn the contestant another $5,000, while failing added nothing. After three pulls, the contestant was offered the choice to stop or try for one last pull. A second ball of the base color would then be added to the mix. A mismatch would triple the money, while a match cost the contestant half of their earnings. Maximum payoff is $60,000.
[edit] Vortex
Contestants were shown 7 balls, arranged in a line -- five yellow and two red. They were positioned at the top of a funnel-like table, designed so that when the balls reached the bottom, they would form a daisy-like pattern with one ball surrounded by the other six. The object was to have a yellow ball in the middle.
The contestant was given a cash prize (originally $3,000, later $4,000) and asked to release the balls by pulling a lever that sent the balls down the funnel and into the center circle at the bottom. If a yellow ball was in the middle, their cash prize doubled. For the second pull, a yellow ball was swapped for a red one, but the contestant's cash total tripled if the center ball came up yellow. For each of these first two pulls, contestants did not lose any money if the center ball came up red.
A contestant could stop after two pulls, or opt for a third pull, where there were 4 red balls and 3 yellow ones. If the contestant chose to continue, their cash total quadrupled if a yellow ball was in the middle, but lost half of their winnings if a red ball was in the middle. Maximum payoff is $96,000.
Steve Ryan has often called Vortex his personal favorite.
[edit] Knockout
This game utilized a round table, divided into 12 sections. Four cylinders were placed on the table, and a cube was placed in the middle. When turned on, the cube would vibrate and move around the table in a random manner -- potentially knocking down the cylinders.
The contestant was spotted $3,000 and in the first round, the cube was activated for 10 seconds. Any cylinder still standing after that time earned the contestant an additional $1,500/cylinder. The cube was then activated for another 15 seconds, and any cylinders still remaining after this time were worth an addition $2,500.
After two rounds, any remaining cylinders were removed and one cylinder was placed on the table. The contestant could opt to take their winnings or have the cube activated for another 20 seconds. If the final cylinder was still standing after that time, their winnings quadrupled. If it was knocked over, the contestant lost half of their winnings. Maximum payoff is $72,000.
[edit] Wrecking Ball
12 buildings were placed on a rotating platform. A "crane" with the wrecking ball was nearby.
The contestant would turn his/her back to the platform and pull a lever to release the wrecking ball. The ball would swing through the platform 6 times, knocking over the buildings. Each building remaining after one round was worth $1,500 - each building remaining after round two was worth an additional $3,000.
The contestant could stop at this point or opt for one more round of six swings. Three buildings were placed on the platform, or if there were more than 3 still standing after round two, they were simply left alone. If at least three buildings were left standing after this round, the contestant's winnings would be doubled. Otherwise, the contestant would lose half of his/her winnings. Maximum payoff is $108,000.
[edit] Double Dollars
This was the show's signature game, and featured a board that resembled the game "Plinko" from "The Price Is Right."
The contestant pulls a lever that will launch a ping pong ball to the top of the board, through swinging paddles, through a series of pegs, and into one of eight slots at the bottom of the board. Landing in an empty slot was worth $5,000. Each empty slot accumulated an additional $5,000. If a ping pong ball landed in a slot that was already occupied, he/she would be issued a strike.
After two strikes, the contestant could stop and take their winnings, or opt for another pull. If a ping pong ball landed in an empty slot, the contestant would have his/her money doubled, and would be offered another pull. If the contestant earned their third strike, they would lose half of their winnings. Play would continue until all eight slots are filled, a third strike is issued, or the contestant chose to stop. Maximum payoff is $640,000.
[edit] Bonus Games
The show had three bonus games throughout the run, which involved the three contestants chosen to play the mini-games during the show.
[edit] Knockout
The contestants were positioned around a table divided into 12 wedges. The three contestants would draw numbers from 1 to 12, and have a cylinder placed on that numbered wedge. A toy cube was placed in the center of the table, and turned on for 30 seconds. When it was activated, the cube would shake and bounce around the table in a random manner, knocking over cylinders in the process. If a cylinder was still standing after 30 seconds, the contestant won anywhere from $7,500 to $100,000.
[edit] Thunderball
Similar to the children's game KerPlunk, a large container was placed center stage containing 15 balls (roughly the size of basketballs). They were suspended in the top of the chamber by 10 numbered rods. One at a time, each player drew a number from a board, and the corresponding rod was removed from the container. Depending on their position inside the container, some of the balls could fall to the bottom -- contestants were eliminated if they "lost" five balls or dropped the last ball out of the top of the container. The remaining contestant would select one of the numbers he/she had, which contained amounts ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
[edit] Pot O' Gold
Starting in 1995, the "Pot O' Gold" game debuted, utilizing returning champions from previous weeks. The "trapper" (returning champion) would stand at the end of a path (the "rainbow") behind a keypad with three buttons and a red button. The "trappee" (opponent) stood at the front of the path, with 8 spaces between the two. The first 5 steps were numbered 1-5, the last three had cash prizes.
The opponent could take up to three steps at a time, but the champion was charged with predicting which step the opponent would pick (referred to by host Goodman as "locking in a booby-trap," at which three yellows lights would flash and a "typewriter" sound effect occurred). After the opponent took his/her position (at which the lights would turn off except the step chosen, accompanied by a G-note bell), Goodman would ask the champion to "spring the trap" (press the red button). If the opponent dodged the "trap", the game would continue. If not, the opponent had to return to their original position. Each step had a yellow light that would turn to a flashing orange (accompanied by an "explosion" sound effect) whenever the booby-trap was sprung. If the player avoided the trap, the yellow light flashed (accompanied by a "harp" sound effect), and the orange light would light up where the booby-trap was placed.
Opponents won and took over the championship if they landed on one of the last three spaces on the path -- the first was worth $10,000, the second worth $25,000, and the last marked "Big Money". If the opponent ended on this space, he/she could pick from a tray of coins worth anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000.
If the champion successfully "trapped" the newcomer twice, the game ended with the champion winning an additional $20,000. There was a six-show limit, only achieved once. For the following telecast the next week (in addition to the first time "Pot O' Gold" was ever played), the top two money winners competed. The top winner took on the role of the "trapper" while the runner-up took on the role of the "trappee."
During a special remote broadcast from Arlington Race Course, the selection and bonus rounds were modified. Random numbers were drawn to choose contestants, and the original bonus game, "Knockout," was played in place of "Pot O' Gold".
[edit] Rules (Illinois' Luckiest)
| Illinois' Luckiest | |
| Format | Game/Lottery Show |
|---|---|
| Presented by | Mark Goodman with Linda Kollmeyer |
| Narrated by | Bill Barber |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syndicated (Illinois only) WGN (nationally) |
| Original run | August 22, 1998 – 2000 |
On August 22, 1998 the show underwent a revamp in terms of set, name, and gameplay. Eighteen contestants were selected to play three games. Before each round, six contestants chooses an envelope with an answer to a polling question (Ex.: What is the best food invented in the past 1,000 years?). The 3 people holding any of the top 3 answers continue to play the game.
On January 29, 2000 the show had yet another rule change. This time, we have 25 people now instead of 18, and they divide amongst themselves into 5 teams of 5 each. Each team stands in one of the pinball slots 1-5, and whoever's slot gets picked gets to play the next game. Lots are drawn before each game to determine the captain for each game, and it is possible for the same team to play all three mini-games.
[edit] Knockout
The game underwent a rule change to accommodate the new format. Contestants bid on how long the bouncing cube can bounce around a circular table without knocking down one of 2 cylinders on the table. If the cube doesn't knock a cylinder down, the high bidder(s) win money - $2,000 in Round 1, $3,000 in Round 2, and $5,000 in Round 3.
If a cylinder is knocked down, everyone but the bidder wins the money. A $10,000 bonus is awarded to the player with the most money after Round 3, and is split for a tie.
[edit] Freefall
A revamped version of "Double Dollars". To start, Goodman launches a ball up a machine similar to the Doubling Dollars game board from IIR and each of the names of the 3 contestants is in a bag (or the numbers 1, 2, and 3 are printed on balls and placed into a fish tank with water). One player is chosen by hostess Linda Kollmeyer at random. That person launches a ball up the contraption. If the ball lands in one of the 7 unoccupied slots, that person wins $2,000. Kollmeyer goes back in the bag and pulls out one of the 3 names. This time, if the ball lands in one of the 6 unoccupied slots, the player wins $4,000. Every successive time after a ball has been placed in an open slot is worth an additional $2,000. If a ball lands in an occupied slot, that person's turn is over and all money accumulated is cut in half (or if the player earned nothing, they won $500). Also, one can freeze at any time. The player with the most money after everyone is knocked out or has frozen wins a $10,000 bonus, again, this bonus is split for a tie.
The strike sound effect and graphic from "Double Dollars" carried over to "Freefall."
[edit] Force Field
Everyone starts with $3,000 and wagers their money hoping a pendulum will land on a WIN space. The game is played on a round board with a pendulum in the middle and 10 magnets arranged in a circle on the table. For round 1, 6 areas are marked with WIN and 4 are marked LOSE and contestants can wager up to half their money. If a WIN space is hit, the contestants win the amount of money wagered (and lose the amount if the LOSE space is hit).
For round 2, 4 areas are marked WIN [one is regular, one is WIN x 2 (double the wager), one WIN x 3, one WIN x 4] and there are 6 LOSE spaces. The contestants can wager as much as they would like in the 2nd and final round. Again, $10,000 is awarded to the player with the most money or the money is split in case of a tie.
[edit] Splashdown
Introduced on 1/29/00. The players face a board of 18 numbered rods, split into three rows (1-4 on top, 5-10 in the middle, and 11-18 on the bottom), each holding up a colored ball. Rods 1-4 held up two red's and a green, the rest held yellow balls. The captain of the team draws a number, and that number's rod gets removed from the playfield.
If a yellow ball splashes down into the water, the team wins $5,000. If no balls splash down, the team wins $500.
The only way the game ends (besides the captain saying "I'll stop") is if a red ball or a green ball splashes down. If the red ball splashes down, either by itself or with other colored balls - even the green one - the team loses half their winnings. If the green ball splashes down with no red ball, the team's total is bumped to $75,000.
[edit] Vortex
Introduced on 1/29/00. Same rules as IIR, except the money's split by the team. The team captain is assigned to pull the lever that releases the balls.
[edit] Double Dollars
Introduced on 1/29/00. Same rules as IIR, except the money's split by the team. The team captain, instead of pulling a lever, presses a button on a buzzer that looks like the buzz-in buttons on Jeopardy!
The button carried over to the "Double Dollars" spin-off game, "Freefall," described above.
[edit] Bonus Games
[edit] $100,000 Pinball
All 18 players compete in this game. Each contestant steps behind a slot that corresponds with a hole that a computerized pinball can land in. In round 1, there are 3 slots. The contestants who choose the correct slot win $1,000 and advance to next round. The rest are out of the game. Round 2 has 4 slots; surviving this round wins $2,000 and a chance at the $100,000 in Round 3. Round 3 has 5 slots. Everyone who survives all 3 rounds splits $100,000. The pinball machine moved to the start of the game midway through the run.
[edit] Pot O' Gold
In the "Luckiest" run, Pot o' Gold was slightly reformatted. The top winner of the show was the defender, and the other players all moved up the road as a team sharing the cash prizes ($10K, $25K, or "Big Money"). Also, there were only four steps before the $10,000 prize, and the lowest "Big Money" coin was lowered to $30,000. The defender would "booby trap" two spaces before the other players moved a maximum of three spaces. Each space had a "railroad gate." If the gate went down, players who took the space were eliminated.
If the defender won, he/she picked from envelopes labeled A, B, or C, winning one of the cash prizes. If the envelope read "BIG MONEY" he/she got to pick from the gold coins.
