Money Game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Money Game is a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right. Debuting on December 25, 1972, it is played for a car and a nominal cash prize.
It is also one of only three active games (alongside of Any Number and Let 'em Roll) in which the contestant will win something regardless of the game's outcome, although the theoretical maximum amount of money that can be won is $390, and practically is usually lower depending on what numbers are used for each playing.
[edit] Gameplay
The contestant is shown a board containing nine two-digit number cards. The contestant is given the third digit in the five-digit car's price. The contestant must guess which cards represent the first two and last two digits in the price. To do this, the contestant selects one card at a time, which covers either a dollar sign or the image of half of a car. The front half of the car is hidden by the first two digits in the price and the back half of the car by the last two digits. If a dollar sign is revealed, that many dollars are won to keep and the number is placed in one of the four slots on the left.
Should the contestant find both "halves" of the car before four dollar signs, they win the car as well as any money they earned in the cash column. If they reveal all four dollar signs before finding the the correct price of the car, they win only the money in the cash column.
There are two common practices the producers often use in hiding the correct price:
- El Cheapo: The back of the car is hidden behind the smallest number on the board (usually requiring a 0 as the first digit to receive the moniker), as contestants trying to bank the most money would be less likely to select a low number.
- Front-and-Back Trick: The two halves of the car are concealed behind two of the choices that are side-by-side on the same row.
Unlike practices in some other games, these are not rules that apply to every playing of the game. Both terms were originally coined by former host Bob Barker.
[edit] History
Originally, Money Game was played with four-digit cars and no free digit was given. The current 5-digit format was first played on February 22, 1990. The current game board debuted on September 10, 1991; however, as that week was taped out of order, its first recorded appearance aired on September 17.
The car silhouette used on the current board is based on a 1991 Ford Taurus. As in Pass the Buck and Gas Money, when the game is played for a prize other than a car (such as a van, Jeep, truck, or boat) the appropriate silhouette in the shape of that prize is used.
During this game, the displays in Contestants' Row are used to keep track of the total amount of money that has been accumulated; this is generally not shown on-camera, but has been seen occasionally.[citation needed]
Money Game was originally played at center stage, concealed by the Giant Price Tag. It was moved to its current location (on the Turntable) by December 28, 1981.
From the game's first playing of Season 35 through April 29, 2009 the current season number was placed as the top-middle choice on the board, however it was rarely used to hide a portion of the car.
Money Game is commonly played as a substitute car game, should the intended car game break down. It has no electronics, so it's very easy to pull out at the last minute.
[edit] Nighttime Appearances
Money Game was one of two pricing games added during the third nighttime season hosted by Dennis James – the other being Shell Game.
On the Tom Kennedy version (as well as at least two daytime playings in October 1985), Money Game was sometimes played for cars worth at least $10,000. The game was dubbed "Big Money Game" and the last digit was revealed first. The contestant then had to find the first two digits and the third and fourth digits of the price.
On the Doug Davidson version, Money Game (like most other games normally played on the Turntable) was played on the stage.
