Lucky $even is a pricing game played for a car. Its name comes from the fact that the contestant is given seven one dollar bills to start, but only needs one to buy the car.
Gameplay
- The contestant is given seven $1 bills to start the game, and is shown the first digit in the car's price. They must then guess the remaining digits one at a time. After each digit is guessed, the actual digit is revealed. The contestant must pay the difference between their guess and the actual digit in dollars. (e.g.: a guess of 5 when the digit is 7 would cost $2). Contestants do not lose any money if they get a digit exactly right.
- If the contestant loses all of their money at any point, the game ends. If the contestant has at least $1 remaining after the last digit is revealed at the end of the game, they may buy the car for $1 and receive any leftover money.
History
- When the game first started, Bob gave the contestant the seven one dollar bills before the car was introduced and on the first playing, Lucky Seven was won right away.
- Originally, car prices in this game had just four digits, and no free digits were given. During the 1986 prime time specials, the contestant was given the last digit and then had to guess the first four. When the five-digit format was introduced to the daytime show shortly thereafter, the rule was changed to give the first digit.
- A double border of chase lights was added around the original logo late in 1973 or early in 1974, which would activate as the game was revealed and when it was won.
- The original Lucky Seven board was blue with black numbers and originally had light blue stripes behind the numbers which were removed on April 29, 1980 (#3662D). Its current board, which first appeared on May 30, 1986 (#6145D), is purple with gold numbers. As of April 23, 1993 (#8795D), the game is now offering cars that are at least $10,000. On October 10, 2001 (#1893K), the number font changed to Times New Roman. On May 27, 2011 (#5585K), the number font changed to Calisto MT Bold.
- On May 26, 1983 (#4944D), a player playing Lucky Seven managed to get the first three digits correct, but lost the game on the final digit.
- On January 11, 1999 (#0971K), the contestant was mistakenly given $500 instead of seven $1 bills; after losing four $100 bills, she realizes she only has one $100 bill left and that it was mistakenly $500 instead of $1 bills.
- In the 7000th episode (November 5, 2009, #4894K), the contestant is given seven stacks of $1,000 instead of the usual seven $1 bills; the contestant needed at least $1,000 to buy the car.
- On Halloween 2013 (#6474K), Lucky Seven was renamed Yucky Seven. During that playing, the car was won.
- On November 21, 2013 (#6504K) during Dream Car Week, Lucky $even offered a 2014 Jaguar XK Touring convertible. It was worth $86,453 but was not won.
- On October 14, 2014 (#6842K, aired out of order on October 13) during Dream Car Week, Lucky $even offered a 2014 Porsche Cayenne. It was worth $57,465 and it was won. The contestant Jacob Caughey who played for the car got all but one number exactly right.
- On April 1, 2015 (#7073K), Bob Barker, making a surprise appearance for April Fool's Day, hosted the game and gave away an SUV worth $19,856.
- On February 18, 2016 (#7414K), during Dream Car Week, Lucky $even was played for an $82,295 Tesla Model S 70. On that playing, the contestant Donald Fipps lost on the third number.
- On April 19, 2016 (#7502K), contestant Melvin had an amazing win. Playing for a sedan, he was off by just 1 in the first 2 numbers. With $6 left, he lost $5 in the fourth number. To win himself the car, he needed to guess this next number spot-on. He guessed a 2, and won the car. The correct price was $18,692.
Trivia
- The most number of times this game was played in any season was 46.
Notes
- When the game is played, prior to the reveal of the car, the turntable is pushed downstage to allow the car to be concealed by it. The car is then pushed, not driven, onto the stage by stagehands. There have been rare occasions through the years when a model (notably Janice Pennington and Rachel Reynolds) steered poorly or did not brake in time and crashed the car into the set.
- Since the early '80s, zeroes have not appeared in the car's price for this game.
- Lucky $even was the first pricing game played on Drew Carey's first taped episode, taped August 15, 2007, and aired on November 27 (originally scheduled to air on November 14, designated as #4083K).
- The rules of Lucky $even were modified and used on the NBC game show Time Machine as "Sweet Sixteen", in which a contestant was given sixteen $100 bills and had to guess the year a product was introduced.
- A common strategy players take to this game is guessing 5 for every number, on the theory that since it's "right down the middle", you're unlikely to lose more than a dollar or two. This is a poor strategy, however, because there's usually at least one very high or very low number in the price of the car, and guessing 5 on that will cause you to lose 4 or 5 dollars on one guess.
- This game has the distinction of being easily controlled by the producers to make it easy to win or easy to lose. Car prices like $43,645 show that the game was set up for a win, while prices like $52,918 show that the game was set up for a loss.
- There were hardly any cars that had a "0" in the price. The numbers in the price of cars played for this game range 1-9.
Nighttime Appearances
- Lucky Seven was the only game introduced in the second nighttime season hosted by Dennis James, which first appeared in episode #053N.
- On a Million Dollar Spectacular that aired on April 16, 2005 (originally scheduled to air on April 9, designated as #019SP), a contestant played for a $76,665 Cadillac XLR and won.
- On the May 7, 2008 (#031SP, aired out of order on May 14) Million Dollar Spectacular, Lucky $even offered a Porsche Cayman Coupe. This was the first Porsche featured on the show in over 16 years. It was worth $52,849 but was not won.
- On that aforementioned Million Dollar Spectacular, Lucky $even is a million dollar game. To win the bonus, the contestant needs to get at least $4 at the end of the game.
Pictures
This is the tacky first look of Lucky Seven.
This is the tacky first look of Lucky Seven but with the lines behind the numbers removed.
Here's the better looking one from the 25th Anniversary Special on August 23, 1996 (#0001S).
This is what Lucky Seven looks like these days.
A playing from Halloween 2013 (#6474K) under Yucky Seven
Foreign versions of Lucky $even
- Lucky $even is played on numerous versions of The Price Is Right around the world, sometimes with minor differences (such as not giving the first digit of the price of the car for free regardless of digits in certain versions or allowing a zero in the price of the car), sometimes not even having a car as the prize.
UK
- During the Bruce Forsyth and Joe Pasquale eras, instead of having the game board behind one of the doors, the car's windshield displays four numbers that are attached to Clingfilm stickers. Zeros may be used in the game, and unlike most other versions there is a rule stating that no digits in the price repeat. This version of the game is played with £1 coins, which replaced £1 notes in 1983.
- During the Leslie Crowther and Bob Warman runs, the game had only three digits in the price (hence no car), with panels covering the numbers on a table, and instead of seven £1 coins, they played with seven cards worth £1. It has the same title as the U.S. version.
Australia
- During Larry Emdur's reign as host, the game was called One Dollar Deal. The rules were similar to the U.S. version, although zeros occasionally appear in the price and the first digit was never given for free, regardless of how many digits there were in the price of the car. The game was even played with seven $1 notes, even though Australian $1 notes have not been in circulation since 1984 when they were replaced by $1 coins. Instead of having doors covering the numbers and sliding to reveal them, the doors flipped over to reveal the numbers. As in the US, the car came in from stage right, but the game was revealed behind a large clam shell, since the Australian version's set only had two doors.
- On Ian Turpie's versions during the 1980s, the game had the same title and setup as the U.S. version. It was also played with seven $1 notes.
Germany
- Der Preis ist heiß followed the same rules as the American version, including giving the first digit for free in the price of the car (always five digits). The only notable difference was that the game was played with seven DM10 notes, as DM1 notes never existed, along with having a zero in the price of the car much like with the UK and Australian versions. While the game prop was played behind the third door, the car came out from the second door, facing the audience, instead of coming from the left like the US show. There, the game was known as Die Verfliexte Sieben (The Darned Seven).
Canada
- The French-language Misez Juste had the same rules for Lucky $even as the American version, but it was usually played for trips rather than cars. This incarnation of the game is somewhat notable for using a light-up board to display the price, something that is not normally done for Lucky $even. A sign displaying the price on it was flipped to ensure the operators of the light-up board weren't cheating. The game was played with seven "loonies" (Canada's term for their $1 coin, which replaced their $1 note in 1987). The game there was called Pour Un Dollar (For One Dollar).
Vietnam
- On Hãy Chọn Giá Đúng, the game (which is known as Số 7 May Mắn or Lucky Seven) follows the same rules as the US, but instead of 7₫ the game is played with seven discs and only four digits are used. Guessing the number exactly you'll get 3 more discs.
Italy
- Perhaps the most significant difference was found in Gioco Dell'8 (Game of 8) on OK, il Prezzo è Giusto!, which contained an actual rule change: The contestant was given eight discs (not ₤7), meaning that he could miss the numbers in the price by a total of seven instead of six without losing.
France
- The game format changes made in Italy were applied to Les 10 Billets (The Ten Tickets) on Le Juste Prix. Contestants were given ten tickets (not 7₣) and could thus miss the digits by a total of nine.
Mexico
- The changes in Italy were also used in Trece de la Suerte (Lucky Thirteen) on Atínale al Precio. The contestant was given MX$13 and, as such, could miss by 12.
- Of the above three versions, Italy's and Mexico's were always played for cars, while France's rarely was.
Russia
- Russian version of Lucky Seven is called "За копейку" (For a penny). Instead of bills, contestant has 7 coins.
Spain
- The game is referred to as "Siete de la Suerte", and the player is given seven 1,000 ESP notes. The setup is identical to the version used on Bruce's Price is Right, except with seven digits on the windshield of the car instead of four. Otherwise, game play is the same, but with the first, middle, and last digits given for free.
YouTube Videos
Wrong Number Revealed In Lucky Seven
An Amazing comeback from 2002
Lucky Seven playing From Dream Car Week (November 21, 2013, #6504K)
Near-Perfect Lucky Seven playing From Dream Car Week #2 (October 14, 2014, #6842K, aired out of order on October 13)
The First Winner of 2015 (January 2, 2015, #6945K)
Bob Barker Gave Away an SUV in Lucky Seven (April 1, 2015, #7073K)