Comments for the Week of September 24-28

Biggest winner this week: Olivia Johnson ($47,135) (September 24) Streaks snapped: Freeze Frame - a 5 game winning streak was snapped - the game had not been lost since April 16, 2012. Patricia's guess in Freeze Frame was $5,244 below the actual retail price of the prize. That's the largest miss in this game since at least Season 33. (Previous worst: $5,174 on October 3, 2005.) In Monday's Lucky $even, Puett missed the last number by 8 (He guessed 0; the actual number was 8). That's the largest miss for one number in this game since at least Season 36. Monday's second Showcase was worth $62,485 - the most expensive Showcase offered since November 14, 2011 ($69,485). Since returning to the rotation, contestants playing Bargain Game have picked the prize with the lower priced bargain in every single playing (7 times). Unfortunately, the higher priced bargain has been right in 4 of those playing. Friday's Pay the Rent was the first time in the game's history where there were was more than one combination that would win the contestant the $100,000 top prize. It was not a good week for games played in the second half of the show: There was a second half skunking (the games played fourth, fifth and sixth were all lost) on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Overall, second half games went 2-13 this week. Five cash games were played this week: Plinko, It's in the Bag, Punch a Bunch, 1/2 Off and Pay the Rent. (Only Grand Game got the week off). That's a pretty good start to the season for the cash games - they were played five times in one week only twice all of last season (the celebrity week and the Plinko week). The following Pricing Games have been played the most often on season premieres (past 25 seasons only): Game Freq Plinko 18 Double Prices 14 Lucky $even 10 Most Expen$ive 9 3 Strikes 7 Pick-a-Pair 7 Golden Road 6 Push Over 6 Money Game 5 Squeeze Play 5 Freeze Frame was played on a season premiere for the first time ever this year. Safe Crackers was played on a season premiere for the first time since Season 15. Pathfinder is the oldest Pricing Game in the current rotation that has never been played on a season premiere.

Comments for the Week of October 1-5

Biggest winner this week: Sherie Roberts ($43,221) (October 1) Streaks snapped: Plinko - at least $10,000 had been won in the past 6 playings - the previous sub-$10,000 win was May 9, 2012 Grand Game - less than $10,000 had been won in the past 6 playings - the previous $10,000 win was March 19, 2012 It was a good week for the one prize non-car games - they went a perfect 6-0! (Coming or Going, Push Over, Range Game, Balance Game, Flip Flop, Freeze Frame) It was not a good week for the car games - they went 1-9, with Money Game being the lone win. That has brought the overall record for car games to a lowly 2-18. It's been a terrible start to the season for the car games. By comparison, last season, the car games went 7-14 in the first two weeks. In fact, more cars were won on the season premiere (4, thanks to Race Game) than have been won in all car games so far this season! On Monday, 2 for the Price of 1 was played for a $12,757 trip to Tuscany. That's the most expensive prize ever offered in this game (excluding cars). Previous high: 2 Vespas ($10,578) offered on March 21 of last season. Also on Monday, Plinko continued its recent streak of bad luck. For the fifth time in the past 3 seasons, the contestant failed to win any money. By comparison, there was only two $0 skunkings between Seasons 29 and 38. On Tuesday, the correct price in Five Price Tags was not the most expensive or the cheapest choice out of the five price tags. Last time that's happened: January 26, 2011 (15 playings ago). The $9 difference between both bidders in Tuesday's Showcase is the second closest result since Season 29 (There was also a $9 difference on February 22, 2001 and January 13, 2003). The closest difference in recent history was $5 on May 4, 2009. Since the start of Season 39, Push Over is 9-3 when contestants have to send exactly two blocks into the box to China. All other scenarios have fared much worse - combined they have an overall record of 12-32 (4-digit playings only). On Wednesday, Balance Game was won under the conditions that the highest possible price was correct (the contestant had to choose the two most expensive bags in order to win). Last time that's happened: May 29, 2007. Prior to Wednesday's playing, Balance Game had been lost 20 straight times when the most expensive price was correct. Overall, Balance Game has a record of 3-30 under these conditions. Contestants obviously don't want to risk overloading the scale! On Thursday, Temptation was played fourth. Last time that's happened: May 4, 2007. $3,838 was also the highest cash gift offered in Temptation since November 24, 2008 ($5,000). (However, $3,838 was also offered on January 18, 2010). A grocery product game was not played in four out of the ten episodes that have aired this season. Hopefully this is a trend that will quickly reverse. Kenneth must be disappointed - only two out of the eight Pricing Games listed on the shirt he wore on Friday's episode was played this week. (Bonkers, Plinko, Eazy az 1 2 3, Line em Up, Let 'em Roll, Bullseye, 1 Right Price, It's in the Bag)

Comments for the Week of October 8-12

Biggest winner this week: Scott Toso ($61,375) (October 10) Streaks snapped: Squeeze Play - the game had been lost five straight times - the game was won for the first time since May 1, 2012 Dice Game - the game had been lost eight straight times - the game was won for the first time since October 26, 2011 Last week, the one prize non-car games went 6-0. This week, they managed to top that performance by going an impressive 8-0 (Pick-a-Number, Side by Side, Flip Flop, Squeeze Play, Range Game, Double Prices, Coming or Going and Push Over were all won). Based on actual airdates, a one prize game was last lost on September 28 (Squeeze Play). Overall, the Pricing Games have a current winning percentage of 42.2%. Can the Pricing Games keep up this pace and finish above 40% for the first time since Season 37? On Monday, the orange rat won the first Rat Race of the season (too bad the race was inconsequential). The last time the orange rat was victorious: April 6, 2010 (16 races ago). After just one race, the orange rat has already performed better this season than in all of Season 40 (0 wins). On Tuesday, there was a $2,895 spread between both prizes in Magic # ($1,400-$4,295). Surprisngly, that was not the easiest set up in the game's history - there was a $3,171 spread ($1,000-$4,171) on the March 20, 2012 playing. Based on the available information, Grand Game was played for the 700th time in daytime history on Friday's episode. Friday's second Showcase was worth $19,290 - the cheapest Showcase offered since January 20, 2012 ($18,349). Since the start of Season 40, only nine Showcases have been under $20,000 (and the $18,349 Showcase was the only Showcase under $19,000). Friday's total winnings ($29,039) is the lowest since June 1 of last season. Overall, it's the third time since the start of Season 40 where less than $30,000 in cash and prizes was won. So far this season, a television has been offered in all three playings of 1 Right Price, while a trip has been offered in all three playings of Coming or Going. At least they are being consistent? Speaking of consistency, so far this season all six cash winners in the Showcase Showdowns spun $1.00 on their first spin. Switch?, the Pricing Game that had the most wins in Seasons 37, 39 and 40, currently has the worst record this season (0-3 - it's the only game that has been lost three times). It's very early in the season, but it's still weird seeing Switch? at the bottom of the winning percentage leaderboard.

Comments for the Week of October 15-19

Biggest winner this week: Curtis Steinhoff ($56,731) (October 17) It was another tough week for the car games: Money Game was the only car game won this week. Overall, this is the third week this season where only one car game was won. (It's also the second time Money Game saved us from a complete skunking.) On Monday, Any Number was lost after Thomas picked three numbers. Last time the game ended so quickly: September 30, 2009. At 4-0, Coming or Going is off to a great start this season. Overall, the best start ever for this game is Season 35, when it was won six straight times before being lost for the first time. Can Coming or Going keep the wins coming and surpass this mark? In addition, "going" was right in all four playings of Coming or Going this season. Monday's total winnings ($15,877) is the lowest since June 1 of last season ($13,474). Overall, it's the second lowest daily total since the start of Season 40. On Tuesday, Side by Side was won despite being played for a snowmobile. It looks like we won't have a repeat of last season, where Side by Side was lost all three times it was played for a snowmobile. On Wednesday, Rat Race was played fourth for the first time in its history. Rat Race has now been played in every slot except first or second. Will the rodents ever get to lead off an episode? Also on Wednesday, It's in the Bag was played sixth for only the second time in its history. (It was also played last on April 21, 2010.) Going back to last season, contestants have guessed "false" for all four small prizes in the past 4 playings of Five Price Tags. Unfortunately, during this span, "true" was right 11 times. One Wrong Price was played for the 200th time in daytime history on Wednesday's episode. On Friday, Angela punched out hole #11 (row 2, column 1) in Punch a Bunch and won $10,000. Last time $10,000 was won in Punch a Bunch: March 21, 2010. Last time hole #11 was selected: February 18, 2003. Hole #40 (row 4, column 10) is now the hole that has gone the longest without being selected. It was last punched on March 24, 2004 (and it contained the $10,000 top prize). (In fact, since Season 30, hole #40 was selected 3 times and in all 3 instances it contained the top prize.)

Comments for the Week of October 22-26

Biggest winner this week: Abby Berg ($46,278) (October 25) One prize quick games lost this week: 5 (Freeze Frame, Side by Side, Coming or Going, Squeeze Play and Flip Flop were all lost). One prize quick games lost in the previous four weeks of the season: 6. Conclusion: It was a difficult week for these games. On Monday, Five Price Tags was played sixth. Last time that's happened: December 10, 2007. (The only other time it's happened in the past ten years.) Five Price Tags was also lost even though Dominique had won three choices of the five price tags. Unfortunately, that is not an unusual occurence. Since 33, Five Price Tags has a record of 10-8 when exactly three choices were won. One of the prizes offered in Most Expen$ive on Monday was a $699 shuffleboard table. That's the second cheapest prize offered in this game in the past twelve years. (Current low: A $650 bicycle offered on October 31, 2011.) On Wednesday, Daniel won One Away on the first try. Last time that's happened: October 13, 2011. In fact, two out of past three One Away wins were won on the first try. On Thursday, Ashley won a $32,972 Toyota Prius in Lucky $even. That's the biggest Pricing Game win since Sharon won four cars in Race Game on the Season 40 premiere. It's also the biggest single prize won in a Pricing Game since Jessica won a $53,627 Audi A5 in 3 Strikes on June 3, 2011. On Friday, Christopher got all four numbers wrong in Temptation. Last time that's happened: February 3, 2010 (the only other time it's happened since Season 29.) (Luckily, the contestants took the gifts in both instances.) Contestants have wound up winning absolutely nothing (besides the small prizes) in 6 out of the past 7 Master Key playings. (The contestant won all three prizes in the other playing.) It looks like the staff managed to save some money on props this week. On Monday, Side by Side was played for a trip to Seattle and the choices were $4,358 or $5,843. The exact same setup was used on September 27, when Side by Side was played for a $5,843 Living Room. Then, on Friday, the wrong choice in Double Prices (played for a Sea-Doo jet ski) was $12,628. $12,628 was also used as the fake price on the October 10 playing (when Double Prices was played for a Kawasaki jet ski). Cars were offered in 7/10 Showcases this week. Much like Coming or Going, Cliff Hangers and Push Over have been won four straight times to start the season. Here's hoping that, unlike Coming or Going, these two games can keep the winning streak going. Pricing Game played most often last season that has yet to be played this season: Pick-a-Pair (15 playing). (Overall, 10 Pricing Games have not been played yet this season.)

November-December Comments

January-February Comments

March-April Comments

May-June Comments