Shell Game

Shell Game is based on the carnival game of the same name.

Gameplay[]

The game begins with four shells on a table, one of which conceals a ball. Played like the carnival game of the same name, the host mixes up the shells so that no one knows where the ball is. The contestant is then shown four small prizes, one at a time, each with an incorrect price. The contestant guesses whether the actual price is higher or lower than the displayed price. A correct answer wins the prize and a chip, which the contestant uses to mark a shell which they think conceals the ball. Once all four prizes are played, the shells are removed one-by-one to reveal the ball. If the shell concealing the ball is marked with a chip, the contestant wins a large prize.
If the contestant guesses the wrong price for all of the small prizes, the game automatically ends in a loss. Conversely, should the player win all four chips, they automatically win the large prize and can earn a cash bonus equivalent to the prize value by guessing which shell conceals the ball (a 0.01563 = 1 in 64 chance from game start if guessing the small prizes randomly).

History[]

Shell Game was designed to replace Bonus Game, which was not played on the daytime show for over a year following Shell Game's debut. Bonus Game was later brought back into rotation. These two games still have the same rules, except for Bonus Game having each spot tied to a small prize and Shell Game's potential cash payout if the contestant wins all four small prizes.
On October 21, 1996 (#0101K), a contestant named Amiel earned a comeback win. He guessed the first three items wrong, but got the last one right and won a trip to Sweden by correctly placing the chip by the third shell.
Shell Game's second set debuted on March 6, 2001 (#1732K).
From the game's debut until the end of Season 38 (August 23, 2010, #5221K, aired out of order on August 27), the cash bonus for finding the shell concealing the ball during a perfect game was $500. On October 26, 2010 (#5282K), the bonus was permanently changed to the cash equivalent of the prize, which was first won on January 10, 2014 (#6565K).
The first ball used resembled a regular tennis ball before it was switched to a yellow rubber ball sometime in the 1980s. On February 24, 2014 (#6631K), the yellow rubber ball was replaced with a new white rubber ball with The Price is Right logo on it.
Only twice has the game been played on primetime TV. The first playing was lost, the second playing was won.
On August 11, 2015 (#7202K, aired out of order on August 10), a Summer Beach Party special, Shell Game was renamed Sea Shell Game, using seashells, one of which hid a "pearl."
On October 14, 2015 (#7243K, aired out of order on October 12), during the show's "Big Money Week", Shell Game was played for $100,000. The main prize was $50,000 and the cash bonus for finding the shell concealing the ball during a perfect game was an additional $50,000 for the $100,000 total.
On February 18, 2021 (#9314K), during Big Money Week, Shell Game was again played for $100,000 using the same rules as above. On that day's playing, the game's new set debuted, with the game played to the left of the turntable (the first game to be set up that way since Give or Keep was retired thirty years prior), the Shell Game logo appearing on the screens behind the table, and the small prizes appearing in two rows of two on the turntable, with touch screens being used for the wrong price and the real price.
Since March 8, 2021 (#9341K), Shell Game has never been the first pricing game to start any show because it needs time to start up and the game can be played no earlier than second on the show.

Nighttime Appearances[]

Shell Game was one of two pricing games added during the third nighttime season hosted by Dennis James-- the other being Money Game-- on episodes #079N and #082N, respectively. Additionally, this version offered a $1,000 bonus if a contestant who played the game perfectly could pick the shell with the ball.
On the Tom Kennedy-hosted syndicated version, the bonus amount was originally $500, then increased to $1,000. On at least one playing in the second half of the run, the contestant received the bonus automatically without having to find the ball.
On the Doug Davidson version, Shell Game (like most of the other games traditionally played on the Turntable) was played onstage while the prize remained visible behind the table. The production of this version used a jib camera which took overhead shots of the game's prop as Davidson mixed the shells. This camera angle had the unfortunate effect of making the black countertop blend into the black floor.
Additionally, the small prize platform was placed to the left of the game board. It is unknown if the bonus was in effect on this version.

Bloopers[]

On February 23, 1983 (#4813D), the winning bells sounded when the shell chosen for the bonus cash revealed that the ball wasn't there.
On October 6, 1986 (#6211D), contestant Deborah did not understand how to play, looking under the first shell to find out whether or not there was a ball there. To this, Bob said, "That's the dirtiest trick anyone ever pulled on me!" as everyone saw it was empty. As a gesture of honesty, she decided to place her chip by the shell, but Bob then pointed out to Deborah that "she cheated and got away with it" - nudging her not to put the chip by the first shell and to not look under another one, so she placed the chip by the third shell. She won two more chips and placed them by the second and fourth shells. Bob stated obvious fact "I'm pretty sure she's won this!" After revealing that the fourth and third shells did not contain the ball (with neither reveal being buzzed, although the bell rang when the second empty shell was removed), he said "You've ruined my show! You've ruined my game!" and "This would be exciting, but everybody knows the damn thing's not there! It’s here, you win!" as he unveiled the first shell. A video link is below.
On April 5, 1991 (#7985D), Grocery Game mistakenly used the Shell Game sign.

International versions[]

On the Mexican version, called "¿Dónde Está la Bolita?" ("Where's the Ball?"), the rules were the same as the American version, using shells and one hiding a ball, and a cash bonus of MX $5,000 existed for perfect playing. Also, the contestant got to keep the ball win or lose.
On the short-lived French-Canadian version, the game was called "La Perle Rare" ("The Rare Pearl"), and clamshells were used, one of which hid a "pearl".
On the Vietnamese version, called "Sò biển" ("Sea Shell"), oyster shells were used, and the ball was shaped more like an egg. The cash bonus was VND 1,000,000 for perfect playing. On the first-ever episode of Tuấn Tú - Hoàng Linh's era, the egg was adhesive in the shell.
In the German version, the game is called "Muschelspiel" ("Shell Game/Shellfish Game") and played with the same rules, minus the bonus. While host Harry Wijnvoord shuffled the shells, announcer Walter Freiwald would start singing a random song to entertain the audience and contestants.

Trivia[]

The most number of times this game was played in any season was 69 (season 3), while the least number of time this game was played in any season was 1 (season 28).
This was also the name of a short-lived, comedy-drama tv series that also aired on the same network as this show where on the run after a failed con, Dinah (Margot Kidder) finds her ex-husband John Reid {or Riley} (James Read) going straight with a new identity, producing a consumer affairs show. Against his will, Riley is drawn into conning the bad guys for the good of society, something Dinah hopes will reunite them. Additionally, this features the appearance of future CSI star Marg Helgenberger as Natalie Thayer. The series itself ran for two months from January 8 until February 12, 1987.

Gallery[]

To view the gallery, click here.

YouTube Videos[]

Getting cute with the reveal (January 6, 1984, #5145D)
Deborah, the Shell Game Cheater (October 6, 1986, #6211D) {alternate copy}
Playing for a BMW motorcycle (October 5, 2012, #6041K)
Shell Game for $100,000 (October 14, 2015, #7243K, aired out of order on October 12) (Start video at 3:40)
Second playing with the new set (March 8, 2021, #9341K)

1970s Pricing Games

Active Pricing Games

Shell Game

Contents

Gameplay[]

History[]

Nighttime Appearances[]

Bloopers[]

International versions[]

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

YouTube Videos[]

Fan Feed