Comments for the Week of November 4-8

Biggest winner this week: Shannon Miller ($60,293) (Nov. 7) "Minus" has been the right choice in all five Do the Math playings that have aired this season. On Monday, Side by Side was played first for the first since November 28, 2011 and for only the fourth time in its history. On Tuesday, Stanley won 3 Strikes by only drawing one strike. That was the first time since we reverted back to the five chips/three strikes in the bag rule where the game was won with less than two strikes drawn. Stanley failed to win his Showcase even though his bid was a mere $657 away from its actual retail price. That's the closest bid for a non-Showcase winner since the February 22, 2012 episode ($542). Also on Tuesday, Race Game was won in a mere 9 seconds - the fastest win since May 1, 2009 (7 seconds). Tuesday's episode was the first time this season where a car was not offered during the Showcase round. The four gifts in Wednesday's playing of Temptation totalled $2,896. That was the lowest value for the four gifts since June 17, 2008 ($2,663). Thursday's episode was the first time this season where two out of the first four contestants failed to win their way up on stage. Two contestants this season have now earned both additional picks in Pass the Buck. In contrast, the grocery product portion of this game was played perfectly only once in each of Seasons 39, 40 and 41. Despite having three picks, Sylvia wound up picking both lose everythings in Pass the Buck. Previous time both "whammys" were found: May 27, 2010. (In that playing, the contestant found both lose everythings, then picked the car with their final selection.) 82.9% of the $72,722 won on Thursday's episode was won by Shannon. That's the highest proportion of winnings for one contestant this season. It was a rough week for contestants at the red one bid podium. Antonio from Wednesday's episode was the only contestant that was positioned at that podium that managed to win a one bid. Pick-a-Number and Secret "X" have already been played three times this season, which is a big improvement over last season - they were both only played six times in all of Season 41.

Comments for the Week of November 11-15

Biggest winner this week: Lee Shulman ($50,773) (November 11) Lee won a $49,274 Showcase on Monday's episode, which is the most expensive Showcase won by a contestant since January 3 of this year ($52,557). Lee also won his Showcase despite under-bidding on it by $23,274. That is the largest miss for a Showcase winner since January 14 of this year ($26,431). So far this season, all three times Money Game was won, the other car game played on that day was also won. (There has been only one other episode this season where both car games were won.) Monday's episode was also the first time since February 27 of this year where the only Pricing Games won were the two car games. Wednesday's episode was the first time this season where a contestant bid on the first Showcase and that Showcase did not feature a car. Wednesday's episode also featured a rare appearance of the trusty Plinko stick. It had last been seen and used on air in Season 39. Thursday's Shell Game playing was the first time a contestant won all four chips since the cash bonus was increased from the standard $500 at the beginning Season 39. It was also the first time during Drew's tenure where the cash bonus was not won when the contestant had won all four chips. (The cash bonus had been won in all five previous instances.)

Comments for the Week of November 18-22

Biggest winner this week: Jason Billings ($89,812) (November 19) - Jason is the 13th biggest winner in daytime history (and is the biggest winner that didn't play Plinko and/or didn't win the Showcase). 11 out of 12 one prize "quick" games were played this week. Balance Game was the only one-prize game that got the week off. Conversely, Eazy az 1-2-3, Most Expen$ive and 1 Wrong Price all got the week off. Last time no three prize games were played in a week with five new episodes - the week of February 13-17 in Season 40. On Monday, Josephine heartbreakingly took the gifts in Temptation even though she had the car price right. Last time that's happened: May 8, 2006. Also on Monday, Check Game was won for the first time (in five tries) since returning to the Pricing Game rotation. The game was also won by $1 - obviously one of the closest wins in the game's history. Overall, $155,907 in cash and prizes was won on Tuesday's episode - the eighth highest one day winnings in daytime history. On Tuesday, $0 was won in Plinko for the sixth time in the past three seasons. Considering there were only three Plinko skunks between Seasons 29 and 39, it's evident Plinko has had some rotten luck in recent seasons. Not only was a BMW won in Tuesday's Hole in One, but Jason putted from the closest line to the hole and won a $500 bonus. Last time that's happened: February 9, 2009. Not only was a BMW won in Tuesday's Hole in One, but Drew made his inspiration putt for only the fourth time ever. The last time he made a putt was March 7, 2012. Tuesday was the first time this season where all three Pricing Games played in the first half were fully won. On Wednesday, Golden Road was lost on the three-digit prize. Last time absolutely nothing was won in Golden Road: March 9, 2009. Also on Wednesday, Spelling Bee was played sixth for the first time since March 1, 2000. On Friday, the cash was placed in Box #13 for only the second time in 1/2 Off's history (the game was lost both times). Box #13 has been by far the box least likely to contain the money, followed by Box #5 (5 times) and Box #11 (6 times). (Box #4 (20 times) has been the box most likely to contain the money.) So far this season, seven contestants have won the Showcase Showdown by default (ie: the first and second spinners both went over $1.00). At this pace, we will have 30 default winners by the end fo the season, which would be signifciantly more than the average of 11 per season between Seasons 36-41.

Comments for the Weeks of November 25-27 & December 2-4

Biggest winner during the past two weeks: Scott Brauch ($58,851) (December 4) 21 Pricing Games were fully won in the five first run episodes that aired these past two weeks, including two 5/6 days on November 25 and December 2 (the first two 5/6 days of the season). There was also a streak of 7 consecutive Pricing Game wins between the end of the November 27 episode and the start of the December 2 episode. These wins have pushed the overall Pricing Game winning percentage for the season to 41.50% - the first time this season the record has been above 40%. On November 25, Rita overbid on the grocery product by $9.01 in Rat Race. That's the largest miss for the grocery product in Rat Race history. (Previous high: $4.51 on March 20, 2013.) The grocery product in Rat Race has been missed 13/17 times since Season 41, including all four playings this season. Overall rats won: Grocery product - 20/45, two-digit prize - 21/45, three-digit prize - 32/45 Congratulations to the pink rat, who picked up its 10th career win in Rat Race history. Overall, the green, orange and pink rats all have at least 10 wins. Both additional picks have been won in all 3 Pass the Buck playings this season. That's quite the improvement over recent seasons - both picks were won only once in each of Seasons 39, 40 and 41. On November 27, Jonathan won Grocery Game by using only one grocery product. Last time that's happened: October 20, 2010. Overall, since Season 32, there have only been five one product Grocery Game wins. Also on November 27, Lucky $even was won for the fourth time this season. Considering Lucky $even was only won 6 times in all of Season 41 (6-22), Lucky $even is off to a much better start in Season 42. In Seasons 40 and 41, 30/38 contestants won all four punches in Punch a Bunch. Contestants this season have not been as lucky - all 5 contestants got at least one small prize wrong. On December 2, Kara won the first prize in Clock Game in about 3.5 seconds. That's the fastest win for one prize in Clock Game since December 19, 2011, where a prize was won in one second using 2 bids. Bonus Game has already been played four times this season, which is quite the improvement over last season. (Bonus Game was played five times in all of Season 41.) The trips won in December 4th's Showcase were the 98th, 99th and 100th trips won this season.

Comments for the Week of December 9-13

Biggest winner this week: Lois Washington ($39,368) (December 13) $23,000 was won in Plinko on Monday, which is tied for the second biggest win in daytime Plinko history. (The current record is $30,100, which was won on the December 25, 2007 playing.) Friday was the first time ever where both Spelling Bee and Pocket ¢hange were played in the same episode. The $40 and $39 misses in Friday's Spelling Bee were not the biggest misses in this game's history, or even the biggest misses in this game's recent history. On the May 14, 2013 playing, a contestant underbid on an iron by $45. The biggest miss since the start of Season 32 was $89 on January 2, 2007. 9 out of the 12 cards chosen in Spelling Bee this season have been a "C". An "R" card has yet to be chosen. Contestants have chosens cards #3 and #8 in all three Pocket ¢hange playings this season. Monday was the 50th episode of the season. After 50 episodes: Pick-a-Number (+13) and Bonus Game/Lucky $even/That's Too Much! (+10) are on pace to see a significant increase in play compared to last season. Bargain Game (-15), Pathfinder (-12) and Any Number/Freeze Frame/One Away/1 Wrong Price (-10) are on pace to see a significant decreases in play compared to last season. Bonus Game/Golden Road/Pick-a-Number (1 away) and Grocery Game/Let 'em Roll/Swap Meet/Triple Play (2 away) have nearly equaled the total number playings it received in all of last season. Plinko is on pace to be played 39 times this season, which would be the most playings for one Pricing Game since Squeeze Play was played 39 times in Season 37. View the complete comparison table Stats for this season's "Holiday Gift Items of the Day": Most expensive gift idea: Lenovo All-in-One Computer ($1,500) (December 11) Least expensive gift idea: Bluetooth Speaker, 16GB Apple iPod Nano & 2 Headphones ($899) (Dec. 13) Average gift item value: $1,201 Gift types: Electronics (3), Jewelry (1), Home Appliances (1)

Comments for the Week of December 16-20

Biggest winner this week: Bradley Randall ($52,205) (December 18) Not only was Bradley this week's biggest winner, but he was contestant this season called ninth (before the sixth and final one bid) that went on to win the Showcase. On Monday, Doraluz failed to win an additional chip in Plinko, becoming only the sixth contestant since Season 29 to get all four small prizes wrong. However, out of these six playings, Doraluz was the only contestant that landed their one chip in the center slot. Doraluz also bid $8,000 on her Showcase, which was the lowest Showcase bid since a $5,500 bid was made on the March 9, 2012 episode. (It's been nearly three years (April 15, 2011) since a contestant bid $1 in the Showcase.) On Tuesday, Swap Meet was played second for the first time since October 5, 2009. On Wednesday, Cynthia's guess for the four-digit prize in Make Your Move ($4,559) was only $104 away from the actual retail price of the prize ($4,455). That's the smallest miss for the four-digit prize in this game since April 14, 2010 (guessed $8,965 for a $8,889 prize = $76 difference). Pick-a-Number was played for the sixth time this season on Wednesday, which has matched the total number of playings it received in all of Season 41. Wednesday's episode also featured a three person spin-off in the second Showcase Showdown. Last time there was a three-way tie: October 30 of last season. For the first time in seven playings, "adding" was the correct decision in Thursday's playing of Do the Math. For the first time this season (and for the first time since February 28 of last season), all six Pricing Game players on Thursday's episode were female. Total number of playings for Plinko so far this season: 15 Total number of playings for the six small prize car games this season (Five Price Tags, Master Key, Pathfinder, Rat Race, Spelling Bee, Switcheroo): 15 Stats for this season's "Holiday Gift Items of the Day": Most expensive gift idea: Lenovo All-in-One Computer ($1,500) (December 11) Least expensive gift idea: 2 Caraci Bicycles ($650) (Dec. 17) Average gift item value: $1,043 Gift types: Electronics (4), Home Appliances (2), Jewelry (1), Outdoor Appliances (1), Sports/Fitness (1)

Comments for the Week of December 23-27

Biggest winner this week: Anthony Smith ($47,252) (December 26) In a Christmas miracle, Cover Up was won for the first time this season on Monday's episode. That snapped an eight game losing streak for this game for this season, and a 9 game losing streak dating back to April 17, 2013. 1/2 Off was also won on Monday's episode, which snapped a five game losing streak for this game. Conversely, Double Prices was lost on Tuesday's episode, which snapped a six game winning streak for this game. For only the second time this season, a television was not offered as a prize on Monday's episode. September 26 is the only other episode this season that did not offer at least one television. Grocery Game was played first on Tuesday's episode for the first time since May 12, 2009. Also on Tuesday's episode, Stephen lost Eazy az 1-2-3 by placing the prizes in order from the most expensive to the least expensive. Last time a contestant accidentally played Eazy az 1-2-3 backwards: May 12, 2010. By being played second on Thursday's episode, That's Too Much! became the second Pricing Game (after Plinko) to be played in all six slots at least once this season. On Friday, Coming or Going was lost for the 100th time in daytime history. Coming or Going's overall record since premiering in Season 32 is now 149-100. For the first time this season, all six one bid rounds on Friday's episode had at least 1 $1 ups (a contestant bidding $1 above a previous bidder). Stats for this season's 11 "Holiday Gift Items of the Day": Most expensive gift idea: Lenovo All-in-One Computer ($1,500) (December 11) Least expensive gift idea: 2 Caraci Bicycles ($650) (December 17) Average gift item value: $1,034 Gift types: Electronics (6), Home Appliances (2), Jewelry (1), Outdoor Appliances (1), Sports/Fitness (1)

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