Let's Make a Deal

Let's Make a Deal
Also known as	The All New Let's Make a Deal (1984–1986)
Format	Game show
Created by	Stefan Hatos Monty Hall
Directed by	Joe Behar (1963–1977, 1984–1985) Geoff Theobald (1980–1981) Hank Behar (1985–1986) Barry Glazer (1990–1991) James Marcione (1990–1991) Morris Abraham (2003) Lenn Goodside (2009–present)
Presented by	Monty Hall (1963–1977, 1980–1981, 1984–1986, 1990–1991, 2003, 2010, 2013 guest appearance) Geoff Edwards (1984 substitute host) Bob Hilton (1990) Billy Bush (2003) Wayne Brady (2009–present)
Starring	Assistant: Carol Merrill (1963–1977 2013 guest appearance) Maggie Brown (1980–1981) Julie Hall (1980–1981) Karen LaPierre (1984–1986) Melanie Vincz (1984–1986) Diane Klimaszewski (1990–1991) Elaine Klimaszewski (1990–1991) Georgia Satelle (1990–1991) Alison Fiori (2009) Tiffany Coyne (late 2009–present) Substitute Assistant: Claudia Brock (1963–1977) Barbara Lyon (1963–1977) Rachel Reynolds (2011) Musician: Ivan Ditmars and his band (1963–1976) Cat Gray (2011–present)
Narrated by	Wendell Niles (1963–1964) Jay Stewart (1964–1977) Chuck Chandler (1980–1981) Brian Cummings (1984–1985) Dean Goss (1985–1986) Dean Miuccio (1990–1991) Vance DeGeneres (2003) Jonathan Mangum (2009–present)
Theme music composer	Sheldon Allman (1963–1977, 1984–1986) Marilyn Hall (1963–1977, 1984–1986) Michel Camilo for Score Productions, Inc. (1984–1986)
Composer(s)	Ivan Ditmars and his band (1963–1976) Stan Worth (1976–1977, 1980–1981) Sheldon Allman (1976–1977, 1984–1985) Todd Thicke (1985–1986) Jerry Ray (1990–1991) Alan Ett (2003) Scott Liggett (2003)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	NBC/ABC (1963–1976): ≈3,200 Syndicated (1971–1977): 234 Syndicated (1981): 195 Syndicated (1984–1986): 390 NBC (1990–1991): 128 NBC (2003): 3 CBS (2009–present): 700 (as of February 28, 2013)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Stefan Hatos (1980–1981, 1984–1986) Dick Clark (1990–1991) Ron Greenberg (1990–1991) Monty Hall (2003) Sharon Hall (2003) David Garfinkle (2003) Jay Renfroe (2003) Jeff Mirkin (2003) Mike Richards (2009–present) Dan Funk (2011–present)
Producer(s)	Stefan Hatos (1963–1977) Monty Hall (1980–1981) Ian MacClennan (1980–1981) Bob Synes (1984–1986) Alan Gilbert (1984–1986) Bruce Starin (1990–1991) Paul Pieratt (1990–1991) Ross Kaiman (2003) Gloria Fujita-O'Brien (2003)
Location(s)	NBC Studios Burbank, California (1963–1968, 1984–1985, 2003) The Prospect Studios Hollywood, California (1968–1976) Las Vegas Hilton Las Vegas, Nevada (1976–1977) Panorama Studios Vancouver, British Columbia (1980–1981) Hollywood Center Studios Hollywood, California (1985–1986) Disney's Hollywood Studios Orlando, Florida (1990–1991) Tropicana Resort & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada (2009–2010) Sunset Bronson Studios Hollywood, California (2010–present)
Running time	approx. 22–26 minutes (1963–1977, 1980–1981, 1984–1986, 1990–1991) approx 44–52 minutes (2003, 2009–present)
Production company(s)	Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions (1963–1977, 1980–1981, 1984–1986, 2009–present) Catalena Productions (1980–1981) Dick Clark Productions (1990–1991) Ron Greenberg Productions (1990–1991) Monty Hall Enterprises, Inc. (2003) Renegade 83 (2003) FremantleMedia (2009–present)
Distributor	ABC Films/Worldvision Enterprises (1971–1977) Rhodes Productions (1980–1981) Telepictures Corporation (1984–1986)
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC (1963–1968, 1990–1991, 2003) ABC (1968–1976) Syndicated (1971–1977, 1980–1981, 1984–1986) CBS (2006 Gameshow Marathon special; 2009–present)
Picture format	SDTV (480i)
Original run	December 30, 1963 (1963-12-30) – present
External links
Website

Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being for a valuable prize, or an undesirable item, referred to as a "Zonk". Let's Make a Deal is also known for the various unusual and crazy costumes worn by audience members, who dressed up that way in order to increase their chances of being selected as a trader. The show was hosted for many years by Monty Hall, who co-created and co-produced the show with Stefan Hatos.

Broadcast history

The original and most widely-known version of the show aired from 1963 to 1968 on NBC, then moved to ABC where it ran until 1976. A weekly nighttime syndicated version of the show aired from 1971 to 1977. Two daily syndicated versions aired in the 1980s, one a Canadian-based revival that aired from 1980 to 1981, and The All New Let's Make a Deal, which aired from 1984 to 1986. NBC aired a daytime series in 1990–1991 and three episodes of a weekly prime time version in 2003.

The weekly nighttime syndicated series, seen from 1971–1977, was distributed by ABC Films and its successor, Worldvision Enterprises. The 1980 daily syndicated series was co-produced and distributed by Canadian production company Catalena Productions, with its American partner Rhodes Productions distributing the series in the United States (as they would later do with another Catalena production, Pitfall). The 1984 daily syndicated series was distributed by Telepictures. A partial remake called Big Deal, hosted by Mark deCarlo, aired in the fall of 1996 on Fox. One episode of the show was part of the summer replacement series Gameshow Marathon on CBS in 2006, hosted by Ricki Lake.

Alison Fiori models one of the CBS version's Zonk prizes, a live llama.

On July 8, 2009 a pilot was taped at CBS Television City, with Wayne Brady as host and Jonathan Mangum as announcer. The program premiered on CBS on October 5, 2009, and affiliates may carry the show at different times depending on their commitments to syndicated programming. CBS briefly screened two new episodes daily between the cancellation of As the World Turns and the debut of The Talk. It is the only current CBS program besides Big Brother not yet broadcast in HDTV, instead broadcasting solely in standard-definition 480i.

Format

Gameplay

Jay Stewart and Monty Hall on the original version of the show.

Each episode of Let's Make a Deal consists of several "deals" between the host and a member or members of the audience as traders. Audience members are picked at the host's whim as the show moves along, and couples are often selected to play together as traders. The deals are mini-games within the show that take several formats.

In the simplest format, a trader is given a prize of medium value (such as a television set), and the host offers them the opportunity to trade for another prize. However, the offered prize is unknown. It might be concealed on the stage behind one of three curtains, or behind "boxes" onstage (large panels painted to look like boxes), within smaller boxes brought out to the audience, or occasionally in other formats. The initial prize given to the trader may also be concealed, such as in a box, wallet or purse, or the trader might be initially given a box or curtain. The format varies widely.

Technically, traders are supposed to bring something to trade in, but this rule has seldom been enforced. On several occasions, a trader is actually asked to trade in an item such as their shoes or purse, only to receive the item back at the end of the deal as a "prize". On at least one occasion, the purse was taken backstage and a high-valued prize was placed inside of it.

Prizes generally were either a legitimate prize, cash, or a "Zonk". Legitimate prizes run the gamut of what is typically given away on game shows including trips, electronics, furniture, appliances, and cars. Zonks are unwanted booby prizes, which could be anything, including live animals, large amounts of food, fake money, fake trips or something outlandish like a giant article of clothing, a room full of junked furniture, or a junked car. Sometimes Zonks are legitimate prizes but of a low value (e.g., Matchbox cars, wheelbarrows, T-shirts, small food or non-food grocery prizes, etc.) On rare occasions, a trader appears to get Zonked, but the Zonk is a cover-up for a legitimate prize.

Though usually considered joke prizes, traders legally win the Zonks. However, after the taping of the show, any trader who had been Zonked is offered a consolation prize (currently $100) instead of having to take home the actual Zonk. This is partly because some of the Zonks are intrinsically impossible to receive or deliver to the traders (such as live animals), or the props are owned by the studio. A disclaimer at the end of the credits of later 1970s episodes read "Some traders accept reasonable duplicates of Zonk prizes." During the 2012-13 season, CBS invited viewers to provide Zonk ideas to producers. The Zonk declared the most creative was worth $2,500 to the winner, and other viewers' Zonk ideas were also used. For every viewer-developed Zonk, the host announced the viewer who provided the Zonk.

Quickie Deals

As the end credits of the show roll, it is typical for the host to ask random members of the studio audience to participate in fast deals (often referred on the CBS version as "quickie deals". On the current version, CBS will post information on the show's Twitter address ([@LetsMakeDealCBS]) days before taping to encourage audience members to carry and win additional cash for carrying such items). The deals are usually in the form of the following:

• Offering cash to one person in the audience who had a certain item on them.
• Offering a small cash amount for each item of a certain quantity.
• Offering cash for each instance of a particular digit as it occurred in the serial number on a dollar bill, driver's license, etc.
• Offering to pay the last check in the person's checkbook, if they had one, up to a certain limit (usually $500 or $1,000).

Other deal formats

Deals were often more complicated than the basic format described above. Additionally, some deals took the form of games of chance, and others in the form of pricing games.

Trading deals

• Choosing an envelope, purse, wallet, etc., which conceal dollar bills. One of them conceals a pre-announced value (usually $1 or $5), which awards a car or trip. The other envelopes contain a larger amount of money as a consolation prize. The trader must decide whether to keep their choice or trade. In some playings it is possible for more than one trader to win the grand prize.
• Making decisions for another person, such as a spouse or a series of unrelated traders. Sometimes after several offers, the teams are broken up to make an individual decision.
• Being presented with a large grocery item (e.g., a box of candy bars)—almost always containing a hidden cash amount—or a "claim check" at the start of the show. Throughout the show, the trader is given several chances to trade the item and/or give it to another trader in exchange for a different box or curtain. The final trader in possession of the item prior to the Big Deal is usually offered first choice of the three doors in exchange for giving up the item. The contents of the item are only revealed after the Big Deal is awarded (or prior to the Big Deal if the last trader with the item elected to choose one of the three doors).
  • A variation of the above: A "cash box," with at various points the host inserting packets of money inside, with the contestant allowed to give it to another trader in exchange for a curtain or box. As with the above deal, the host only revealed the contents only after the last trader with the box goes for the Big Deal (again, he/she is given first choice of the doors) or after the Big Deal segment and before the closing credits.

Games of chance

Games of chance range wide in variety and format:

• Collecting a certain amount of money hidden inside wallets, envelopes, etc., or by pressing unlabeled buttons on a cash register, in order to reach a pre-stated "selling price" for a larger prize, such as a car, trip or larger amount of cash. Typically, there may also be one or more Zonk items hidden which end the game immediately if found. (In the cash register game, if the Zonk button – the one that rings up "No Sale" – is found, the contestant was offered a chance to find the second "No Sale" sign to win the grand prize, otherwise the contestant won whatever amount was rang up.)
• Choosing one from among several items (e.g., one of three keys that unlocks a safe, one of three diamond rings that is genuine, one of three eggs that is raw, etc.) in order to win money or a prize. Sometimes, two or perhaps all three of the items would pay off with the state prize, especially if multiple contestants played.
• Games involving a deck of cards in which a trader must find matching cards, draw cards that reach a cumulative total within a certain number of draws, etc. to win a prize or additional money.
• Receiving clues about an unknown prize (such as a partial spelling of the prize or clues in the form or rap, rhyme, etc.) and deciding whether to take the unknown prize or a cash prize.
• Rolling dice to receive cash based upon the roll or achieving a cumulative score within a certain number of rolls to win a larger prize.

Depending on the game, the contestant is given the opportunity to stop the game at various points and take a "sure thing" deal or cash/prizes already accumulated or continue on and risk possibly losing.

Beat the Dealer

"Beat the Dealer" is a game played with three players. At the outset, the three contestants choose envelopes, each which contain cash (two $500 or $1,000, depending on the version; the other $50 or $100); the one finding the smaller amount is eliminated, while the other two advance to the second round. (Starting in Season 3 of the Brady version, the first round was changed to have the contestants select a playing card from a nine-space board, with the two finding the highest-ranked cards winning $500 and the third-place contestant receiving $100 as a consolation gift.)

The remainder of the game was the same for all versions:

• A prize is announced and the two remaining contestants select a card (or one of the remaining cards in Season 3-onward of the Brady version). The contestant with the higher-ranked card advances to the final round, with the loser eliminated but keeping his previous winnings.
• After a grand prize is announced, the winning trader offered a chance to risk all accumulated winnings by picking two more cards, one for themselves and the other for the host.
• If the trader selects the higher card for themselves, they win everything. If the host has the higher card, the contestant loses. Regardless of the contestant's decision to proceed or quit, the game is typically played out to see what would have happened, with the outcome not affecting previous winnings.

Pricing games

Other deals related to pricing merchandise are featured in order to win a larger prize or cash amounts. Sometimes traders are required to price individual items (either grocery products or smaller prizes generally valued less than $100) within a certain range to win successively larger prizes or a car. Other times traders must choose an item that a pre-announced price or two items with prices that total a certain amount to win a larger prize. Other deals are related to products in the form of when they were introduced to the market, general knowledge quizzes, or knowledge of geography of trips to certain locales used as prizes.

Door #4/Go for a Spin

Played every few days on the 1984–1986 version, a trader was chosen at random by a computer based on a number (from 1–36) which appeared on the trader's name tag. The rules were revised several times in early playings, with the rules most associated with the game going into effect by later in the fall of 1984.

Those most common rules saw Hall give the contestant a check for $1,000 and then offered an opportunity to spin a carnival wheel, containing amounts ranging from $100 to $4,000, plus several spaces marked "Zonk." Two other spaces were marked with the word "car," which won a new car if landed on. The contestant could either keep the $1,000 or exchange it for spinning the wheel. Wherever the wheel landed on, that's what the contestant won; if the wheel stopped on a "Zonk" space, he/she received a T-shirt saying "I was ZONKED by Monty Hall." Even if the contestant decided to keep the initial $1,000, he she was asked to spin the wheel to see how the game would have ended.

In the first playings, the trader was offered a sure-thing prize package or going for Door #4, which hid a cash amount of anywhere from $1–$5,000. When the carnival wheel was initially introduced, the wheel contained cash amounts from $100–$5,000. The trader spun the wheel and could keep the cash amount on which the wheel stopped, or risk their winnings for another spin. However, if the amount of the second spin was less than the first amount spun, the trader won nothing. Also on the wheel was a space marked "Double Deal", which doubled the trader's spin, for a possible total of $10,000. If the trader spun Double Deal with both spins, they also won $10,000. When the permanent rules were first introduced, the initial cash prize was $750, with the wheel's top cash prize at $3,000.

A revamped version, titled "Go for a Spin", was first played on the December 20, 2011 episode. A contestant is selected and shown a sixteen-space wheel, with various cash amounts, five Zonk spaces and one car space. The trader is then asked three questions with two choices each, and attempts to choose the option preferred by the audience in an earlier poll. For each correct choice selected, the trader wins $500 and one Zonk space of the trader's choice is converted to a car space. The trader can keep the money earned or trade it in for one spin of the wheel. If the trader chooses to spin, the trader wins whatever is indicated in the space on which the wheel stops.

Big Deal

Each show ends with the Big Deal. Beginning with the day's biggest winner, and moving in order to the winner of the lowest prize value, the host asks each trader if they want to trade their winnings for a spot in the Big Deal (whose value was usually revealed at that point). He continues asking until two traders agreed to participate. However, in the CBS version, only one trader is asked to participate in the Big Deal.

The Big Deal involves three doors, famously known as "Door #1", "Door #2", and "Door #3", each of which contains a prize or prize package. In the two-trader format used until 2003, the top winner of the two was offered the first choice of a door, and the second trader was then offered a choice of the two remaining doors. In the one-trader format used since 2009, the trader simply selects a door.

One door hides the day's Big Deal, which is usually valued higher than the top prize offered on that specific episode to that point. It often includes the day's most expensive prize (a luxury or sports car, a trip, furniture/appliances, a fur, cash, or a combination of items). The other two doors conceal prizes or prize packages of lesser value. The Big Deal does not offer Zonks, although there is always the possibility that a trader could wind up with less than their original winnings. All three doors are opened, in order of increasing value; however, the order of reveal often changes on the CBS version based upon the trader's selection.

Sometimes one of the doors contains a cash prize, contained within a container such as "Monty's Cookie Jar", "Monty's Piggy Bank", a "LMaD Claim Check", or in the CBS version, the "Let's Make a Deal Vault". In some cases these cash prizes have been the Big Deal, but often they are not.

Super Deal

During the 1975–1976 syndicated season, a new "Super Deal" was offered for Big Deal winners. At this point, Big Deals were limited to a range of $8,000 to $10,000. The trader could risk their Big Deal winnings on a 1-in-3 shot at adding a $20,000 cash prize. A trader who chose one of the other doors forfeited the "Big Deal", but received a $1,000 or $2,000 consolation cash prize. Given this scenario, a Super Deal winner could win as much as $30,000 in cash and prizes. Later, the consolation cash prize was changed to $2,000 and a "mystery amount" between $1,000 and $9,000.

The Super Deal was discontinued when the show permanently moved to Las Vegas for the final season (1976–1977), and Big Deal values returned to their previous range of $10,000 to $15,000.

The Super Deal returned on March 26, 2012 on the CBS version in celebration of its 500th episode that day and again on February 18, 2013 to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary and each Super Deal lasted for two weeks and again on the week of April 22nd during super deal week. Three envelopes, ruby, emerald, and sapphire, hid cash prizes of $1,000, $2,000, and $50,000. As before, if the $50,000 envelope was chosen, the contestant won the cash and kept their Big Deal.

Value

Big Deals on the 1963–1976 version varied in value, but generally ranged from $1,500–$5,000. The weekly syndicated version featured Big Deals worth $7,000–$15,000, with the runner-up deal frequently featuring prizes such as cars, furs, or trips, that would normally be part of a Big Deal on the daytime version. During the 1975–1976 syndicated season, Big Deals were worth between $8,000–$10,000, meaning a trader could leave with almost $30,000 if they also won the Super Deal.

The 1980–1981 syndicated version featured Big Deals worth $4,000–$6,000. Also, as the show was seen in both Canada and the United States, cash prizes were offered in the form of "Monty Dollars" or "Let's Make a Deal Money", and traders could accept the amount in either U.S. or Canadian currency.

The 1984–1986 syndicated version offered Big Deals worth $6,000–$10,000 in the first season and $8,000–$12,000 in the second season. The 1990–1991 version that aired on NBC Daytime featured Big Deals worth $12,000–$20,000.

In 2003, NBC aired three episodes of a weekly version hosted by Billy Bush that featured Big Deals worth over $50,000. The current CBS version, airing since 2009, features Big Deals worth $18,000–$50,000.

Audience attire

When the series began, studio audience members wore suits and ties or dresses. Over time, contestants gradually moved to wearing costumes. In 2003, GSN presented the May 25, 1963 pilot with commentary from host Hall. In the special, Hall mentioned that two weeks into the series (January 1964), an audience member had brought in a small placard that read "Roses are red, violets are blue, I came here to deal with you!" The placard caught Hall's attention, and he chose the trader to make a deal. On later tapings, more people began bringing signs. Again to get Hall's attention, another audience member showed up at a taping wearing a crazy hat, which also eventually caught on with others. The costumes and signs became a part of the show itself and got crazier and crazier as the show went on.

The most frequently-asked question was if the show provided the zany costumes for the studio audience. The standard but ambiguous response was that all traders came to the studio "dressed as they are", in the words of Jay Stewart.

At various times in the show's history—most notably, early in the syndicated version's 1975—1976 season—a guest celebrity played the game alongside the studio contestants for a home viewer. The same rules applied to the celebrity trader, however, the celebrity was always dressed in business attire. Any prizes won were awarded to the home viewer. The celebrity was also given the option of participating in the Big Deal.

Celebrities who played include Milton Berle, Red Buttons, Nanette Fabray and Bill Macy.

Reception

Upon the original Let's Make a Deal's debut, journalist Charles Witbeck was skeptical of the show's chances of success, noting that the previous four NBC programs to compete with CBS' Password had failed. Some critics described the show as "mindless" and "demeaning to contestants and audiences alike."

By 1974, however, the show had spent more than a decade at or near the top of daytime ratings, and became the highest-rated syndicated primetime program. At the time, the show held the world's record for the longest waiting list for tickets in show-business history – there were 350 seats available for each show, and a wait time of two-to-three years after requesting a ticket.

In 2001, Let's Make a Deal was ranked as #18 on TV Guide's list of "The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time." In 2006, GSN aired a series of specials counting down its own list of the "50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time", on which Let's Make a Deal was #7.

Episode status

Many of the show's estimated five thousand plus episodes exist:

• NBC Daytime/Nighttime: Status is unknown, though it is very likely that the original tapes were wiped as they were recorded over by NBC with new programming in an era when videotape was prohibitively expensive. The 1963 pilot exists, with Wendell Niles as announcer, traders in normal business attire (typical of its first season), and a Zonk behind one of the doors in the Big Deal (worth $2,005). Zonks have never officially been in the big deal. The 1967 nighttime finale exists in the Library of Congress, along with a few scattered daytime episodes. Three daytime episodes are at the Paley Center for Media. Clips of the pilot and others were used in 2013 for both flashback clips and also during the opening clip montage used in the show opening.
• ABC Daytime: More than 500 episodes exist. A clip from the ABC daytime premiere was used on Monty Hall's "Biography", which aired during Game Show Week on A&E. Another episode from 1969 was found, which features a gaffe that Hall himself rated as his most embarrassing moment on Let's Make a Deal – at the end of the show, he attempted to make a deal with a woman carrying a baby's bottle. Noting that it had a removable rubber nipple, he offered the woman $100 if she could show him another nipple (she didn't). This clip was restored utilizing the LiveFeed Video Imaging kinescope restoration process, and was re-aired in 2008 as part of NBC's Most Outrageous Moments series. Episodes substitute-hosted by Dennis James exist in his personal library; a clip from one of his episodes was featured in a 1972 pitch film for The New Price Is Right, whose nighttime version was hosted by James.
• ABC Nighttime/1971–1977 Syndicated: Exist almost in their entirety and have been seen on GSN in the past. The Family Channel reran the syndicated series from June 7, 1993 to March 29, 1996.

(NOTE: All episodes exist from 1980 onward. The original 1964-77 (NBC, ABC, Syndicated), 1980, and 1984 version logos were included in the show opening sequence in the 2013 50th anniversary episodes.)

• The 1980–1981 Canadian version was seen in reruns on the Global Television Network for much of the 1980s.
• The 1984–1986 syndicated version has been seen on GSN in the past. Reruns previously aired on the USA Network from December 29, 1986 to December 30, 1988 and The Family Channel from August 30, 1993 to March 29, 1996.
• The 1990s NBC version has not been seen since its cancellation. The logo of this version was not included in the 50th anniversary opening.
• The 2003 NBC prime time version only aired three of the five episodes produced, with no rebroadcasts since. The logo of this version was not included in the 50th anniversary opening.

International Versions

RTL Group holds international (and as of February 2009, American) rights to the show, and has licensed the show to 14 countries.

Region or Country	Local Name	Host	Network	Dates
Australia	Let's Make A Deal	Mike Dyer John Laws Jimmy Hannan Garry Meadows	Nine Network	1968–1969 1976–1977
		Vince Sorrenti	Network Ten	1990–1991
France	Le BigDil	Vincent Lagaf' and Bill	TF1	1998–2004
Germany	Geh aufs Ganze!	Jörg Draeger Elmar Hörig	Sat.1 (1992–1997) tm3 (1997–1998) kabel eins (1999–2003)	1992–2003
Greece	Τo Μεyάλo Παζάρi To Megalo Pazari	Andreas Mikroutsikos	Mega Channel	1992–1993
	TA ΣOΥTIΕΝ KAI O ΑΝΤPΕΑΣ To pio Megalo Pazari		Alpha TV	2006–2007
Hungary	Zsákbamacska	Rosza Gyorgy	M1	1994–1995
India	Khullja Sim Sim	Aman Verma (Season 1) Hussain Kuwajerwala (Season 2)	Star Plus	2001–2004
Indonesia	Super Deal 2 Milyar	Nico Siahaan Aditya Herpavi Rachman Indra Bekti and Indy Barends	antv	2006–2007 April 29-December 31, 2010 July 25-November 21, 2011
Israel	Asinu Esek Deal	Avri Gilad (1994–1995) Zvika Hadar (1996)	Channel 2	1994–1996
Italy	Facciamo un affare	Iva Zanicchi	Canale 5	1985–1986
Lebanon	Ossa Kbiré
Mexico	Trato Hecho
Poland	Idź na całość	Zygmunt Chajzer Krysztof Tyneic	Polsat	1997–2001
Portugal	Negócio Fechado	Henrique Mendes	SIC	1999–2000
Spain	Trato Hecho	Bertín Osborne	Antena 3	1999-2000
Turkey	Seç Bakalim	Erhan Yazicioglu	Kanal 6 ATV	1992–1995 1995–1998
United Kingdom	Trick or Treat	Mike Smith and Julian Clary	LWT	7,January-25,March 1989
United States (English)	Let's Make a Deal	Monty Hall	NBC ABC	1963–1968 1968–1976
			Syndication	1971–1977 1980–1981
	The All New Let's Make A Deal	Monty Hall Geoff Edwards (Sub-Host)	Syndication	1984–1986 1984
	Let's Make A Deal	Bob Hilton (1990) Monty Hall (1990–1991)	NBC	1990–1991
		Billy Bush Monty Hall (Guest Appearance)		2003 (Only three episodes were broadcast at the time)
		Wayne Brady Monty Hall (Guest Appearance)	CBS	2009–present 2010, 2013
	Big Deal	Mark DeCarlo	Fox	September 1-October 6, 1996 (Only six episodes were broadcast at the time)
United States (Spanish)	Trato Hecho	Guillermo Huesca	Univision	January 10-December 9, 2005
Vietnam	Ó cùa bí mảt	Tran Ngoc	VTV3	2009–2012

Home games

In 1964, Milton Bradley released a home version of Let's Make a Deal featuring gameplay somewhat different from the television show. In 1974, Ideal Toys released an updated version of the game featuring Hall on the box cover, which was also given to all traders on the syndicated version in the 1974–75 season. An electronic tabletop version by Tiger Electronics was released in 1998. In the late summer of 2006, an interactive DVD version of Let's Make a Deal was released by Imagination Games, which also features classic clips from the Monty Hall years of the show. In 2010, Pressman Toy Corporation released an updated version of the box game, with gameplay more similar to the 1974 version, featuring Brady on the box cover.

Various U.S. lotteries have included instant lottery tickets based on Let's Make a Deal.

In 1999, Shuffle Master teamed up with Bally's to do a video slot machine game based on the show with the voice and likeness of Monty Hall.

In 2004, IGT (International Gaming Technology) did a new video slot game based on the show still featuring Monty Hall.

In 2013, Aristocrat Technology did an all-new video slot machine game based on the Wayne Brady version.

The Monty Hall Problem

Main article: Monty Hall problem

The Monty Hall Problem, also called the Monty Hall paradox, is a veridical paradox because the result appears impossible but is demonstrably true. The Monty Hall problem, in its usual interpretation, is mathematically equivalent to the earlier Three Prisoners problem, and both bear some similarity to the much older Bertrand's box paradox. The problem examines the counterintuitive effect of switching one's choice of doors, one of which hides a "prize."

The problem has been analyzed many times, in books, articles and online. In an interview with The New York Times reporter John Tierney in 1991, Hall gave an explanation of the solution to that problem, stating that he played on the psychology of the contestant, and why the solution did not apply to the case of the actual show.

External links

• Official website
• CBS's website for the show
• Let's Make A Deal at TV.com
• Let's Make a Deal (1963–1977) at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Make a Deal (1980–1981) at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Make a Deal (1984–1986) at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Make a Deal (1990–1991) at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Make a Deal (2003) at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Make a Deal (2009–present) at the Internet Movie Database
• Big Deal (1996) at the Internet Movie Database
• Le Bigdil (1998-2004) at the Internet Movie Database
• Geh aufs Ganze! (1992-2003) at the Internet Movie Database
• To megalo pazari (1992-1993) at the Internet Movie Database
• Asinu Esek (1994-1996) at the Internet Movie Database
• Negócio Fechado (1999-2000) at the Internet Movie Database
• Trato Hecho (1999-2000) at the Internet Movie Database
• CBC Television Archives profile of Monty Hall with behind-the-scenes footage of Let's Make a Deal (1970)
• "Geh Aufs Ganze!" the 1992–2003 (German version) of "Let's Make A Deal" courtesy of Grundy Light Entertainment
• description of "Geh Aufs Ganze!" (Original website)
• Monty Hall interview on TVParty.com