Deal or No Deal - The Latest Game Show Hit

Ever thought of walking onto a television stage set and walking away with a cool million? With this game you are only one briefcase away from doing just that. Hosted by Howie Mandel and with 26 beautiful models the show which premiered on December 19, 2005 will now begin showing on Wednesdays this season.

The harrowing ride begins for contestants when they choose a briefcase and then have to select six to be opened. Each of the 26 briefcases hold amounts from $.01 to $1,000,000. The hope of the contestant is that they have the one case that holds the million dollars. As the contestant begins to open cases, they pray that those which are opened are on the left side of the board so that when the banker comes back with a buyout bid amount it will be high. Once the larger amounts start to be removed from the board the banker plays the odds and works out the percentage chance that the contestant holds a case with a high dollar value in it.

Once the first six cases have been opened the banker plugs some numbers into his computer and decides on a buyout bid, calling Howie to inform him. While the contestant waits and wrings their hands or stomps their feet, Howie draws the moment out. Once he gives them the offer he opens a clear box on the table in front of the them where a big red button awaits their decision and asks the contestant: "Deal or No Deal?"

It would be unusual for someone to make a deal this early in the game so on to the next round. The contestant closes the box and says "No Deal" and now must open 5 more cases. This continues on until the contestant is opening one case at a time and waiting for the bankers buyout bid with every case opened. Some contestants do become very practical and figure that the offer is more than they would make in several years working so they finally hit the button and say "Deal".

In Episode 24 more than one deal was struck. Due to the contestants profession both Howie and The Banker put on clown noses. During the show and all the excitement that went with it, the contestant took a moment to ask his girlfriend to marry him. Howie then posed the question "Deal or No Deal" to her to which she replied, "Deal". At the end of the hour the contestant finally took a deal for $301,000. Good thing since his chosen case, number 11, only held $25. This is just one of the many everyday average people who have walked away from the show with a great deal.

Deal or No Deal has made an instant impact on the country and keeps us glued to the TV to see whether the right case was chosen or the contestant can make a better deal. NBC seems to have a hit with this suspenseful show, and it constantly rates in the top ten shows each week.