Play the Percentages

"Play the Percentages" was an American game show hosted by Geoff Edwards which aired in syndication from January 7 1980 to September 12 1980. Bob Hilton became the main announcer after Jay Stewart announced for the first several weeks. The game changed format several times over its short run, but all forms involved some variation on using questions with percentage answers or percentage statistics.

First front game format

Two married couples competed. One player from each couple would be asked to estimate what percentage of 300 people answered the question correctly. Whoever was closest to the actual percentage, high or low, scored the actual percentage points. If both teams said the same percentage, the guesses were erased and a re-vote was taken.

The player who scored the points could then either answer the question itself (without conferring with his/her spouse) or challenge his or her opponent to answer. A right answer or a successful challenge added the remaining percentage points to the couple's score. If the player with the initial control missed the question, the opponent could steal the points. Originally, a successful challenge also allowed the player to answer the question for the same amount of points. Play alternated until a couple reached 300 points, at which point the team doing so won the game and $300.

Originally, if a player guessed the percentage exactly right, the team won the game automatically. Later, in addition to the game, a cash jackpot that started at $10,000 was also awarded for an exact guess, and it increased by $1,000 each time it wasn't won.

End game

Version A

The couple started by giving a target percentage that was larger than zero. The host would then read a question and three possible answers. One answer (usually the correct one) was the most popular and, hence, awarded the most points; another choice was a less popular answer; the third answer received no response and that scored zero. The couple chose an answer, and scored points based on the percentage of the poll that also gave that response.

The bonus round could end in several ways under this format:
* If a couple chose the answer that was said by nobody (0%), the round ended with the couple winning no additional money.

* The team could quit and take $10 per point and end the game. (EX: 95 points X 100 = $950)

* Reaching 100 points won $2,500 in cash.

* An exact percentage match won a cash jackpot that started at $25,000. (The jackpot in the bonus round was discontinued when the large percentage logo that displayed the target percentage and the couple's score in the round malfunctioned continually.)

Version B

The second format was the same as the first format except without the jackpot. The round ended with a team reaching 100 percent for $2,500, quitting at $10 per point, or choosing an answer worth 0% & causing the winning team to lose the money.

Version C

In format 3, the question was based on a 100-person survey.

The question was read and six possible answers were listed. Choosing the five most popular answers that were said was worth $10 per percentage point (see below for disclaimer on the percentage points) if the couple decided to stop the game. If the player stopped, at times the host would ask the contestant what they would have chosen. However, if the couple can guess all five they won $1,000 cash and a prize package worth at least $2,500. If the zero answer was chosen, the game ended and nothing was won.

This format was carried over into the second format of the main game.

During the show's closing credits, the procedure for the game was mentioned because of the nature of the question. After the survey was conducted, the five most popular answers were marked. During the game itself, the points for that answer was based on the percentage of people who responded with that answer "in relation to" the five most popular answers of that survey, not the number of people who gave that answer overall.

econd front game format

Two solo players competed. Each had a category of preference, and a category that was always on the list was "Pot Luck". The values of the questions ranged from 10 to 90 points in 10-point multiples. The more people who missed the question, the higher its point value. The categories were "spun" to determine which one would be played. The challenger then chose a point value for the question, which was related to the people's knowledge of a topic in the selected category. A right answer added the points to his/her score, while a wrong answer enabled the opponent to attempt to steal. Two questions were played per round. If "Pot Luck" came up, the question was a toss-up, and the first player to buzz in could answer. During the last two weeks, all questions were toss-ups.

The first player to reach 250 points won the game, $500, and the chance at the bonus round. If there was no winner after five rounds, a final toss-up question decided the winner, who would then advance to the bonus round. As explained above, the third format of the bonus game was used. The champion of the main game could bring his/her spouse up, but only for moral support--the champion was the only person that could answer the questions.

Notes

*A couple or player who won five consecutive games won a new car, common on all Barry & Enright games at the time.
*Geoff Edwards developed a humorous rapport with the judge, whom he referred to as "Judge Von Erik". The judge frequently spoke to the host on all Barry-Enright games of the time if the host erroneously stated that an answer was right or wrong or if the host asked if an answer given by a contestant was acceptable.
*The theme was later used on another Barry & Enright show called "Nipsey Russell's Juvenile Jury".

Episode status

All episodes seem to still exist, USA Network re-ran the series from may 1987 thur March 1989 but has not been seen on GSN, except for a "Game of the Week" feature.

ee also

* "Power of 10" (its front game is similar to "Play the Percentages")

External links

* [http://www.gameshowutopia.net/geoff/percentages/playthepercentages.htm The Play the Percentages Page @ gameshowutopia.net]
* [http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/5987/ptp.html Matt Kaiser's Play the Percentages Page]
* [http://www.xanfan.com/othergrabs/playpercent.htm Screengrabs of Play the Percentages]