How To Play
Be the one of the 3 contestants to earn the most money after 2 rounds of "spins" at the Press Your Luck game board. Spins are earned by answering questions correctly.
The first part of the game involves questions. Peter Tomarken reads a question
to all 3 players. The first person to buzz in gets a chance to answer within 5
seconds. That player's answer is then given to the other 2 players along with 2
other answers as a multiple choice question. Correct answers earn a player
"spins". The spins are earned like this:
Correct answer on a "buzz in" = 3 spins
If no one buzzes in for 5 seconds, all players are given 3 multiple choice
answers to try and earn 1 spin.
A total of 4 questions are asked in each question round (5 were asked on the
pilot episode.), and the question round took place before each money round. The
most spins that can be earned by one player was 12, and a grand total of 20 for
all 3 players. (On the pilot, the maximums were 15 for one person, 25 for all 3.)
Correct answer on a "multiple choice" = 1 spin
This is the part of the show that made Press Your Luck famous. When the question
round was completed, each "spin" earned by the players gave them one chance at
the big Press Your Luck game board.
As you can see, the board showed 18 squares. The 18 squares on the board contain
various amounts of cash, special prizes. and a creature known as a "Whammy".
There were a total of 3 possible values in each square. Values on the board
ranged from $100-$1250 (or $1500 a month after the show began) in Round 1, and
$500-$5000 in Round 2. As prize values increased during the show's run, the
maximums went up for each round.
Players have the option of "pressing their luck" (i.e. taking a spin) at the
board, or passing their spins to the opponent with the most money. On each spin
of the board, a light would bounce from box to another, and the board
continuously shuffled the values located in each square. Players stopped the
light by pressing the plunger in front of their podium. This would be
accompanied by the famous battle cry of "STOP!" Players were awarded whatever
value the light was flashing on. If a player hits a Whammy, everything won up to
that point is lost as a cartoon short of the Whammy plays, mocking the player as
he takes the money. Any player who hit 4 whammies during the course of the game
was eliminated.
When a player passes spins, he/she must pass all of them, and the person who
receives them is forced to take them. (He can't pass them himself.) However, if
a player whammies on a passed spin, all remaining passed spins are moved to the
earned column, and the player is no longer forced to take them. This prevents
the scenario of multiple whammies being forced on the player.
The order of play went as follows: In Round 1, the player with the least number
of spins goes first. (Ties always start with the player furthest left.) The
player who finishes Round 1 with the most money plays last in Round 2. This is
seen as an advantage. Round 2 begins with the player with the least money. In
the event everyone is tied to start Round 2 (presumably at $0), the Round 1
rules are used.
Some squares came with special instructions. These included the following:
$ + One Spin - Some cash squares gave players an extra spin at the board.
Move One Space - The player had to choose from one of two spaces next to the
square and receive its contents.
Advance 2 Spaces - Located in square #11, the light moves 2 spaces to the left. Player receives contents of the square #13.
Go Back 2 Spaces - Located in square #6 (top right corner), the light moves 2 spaces to the left to the big cash in square #4.
Big Bucks - Found in square #12, the light moves to the big cash in square #4.
Pick A Corner - Found in square #6, this corner square gives players the contents of one of the other 3 corners. (Round 2 only - Introduced March '84)
Double Your $$ + One Spin - This prize square doubles the player's score, and an extra spin was earned. (Note: This square originally did not offer an extra spin. Round 2 only - Introduced March '84)
$2000 or Lose 1 Whammy - This option allowed you to take $2000 or drop one whammy from your scoreboard. Crucial if a player had 3 whammies. (Round 2 only - Introduced September '84)
Add-A-One - This prize square added a 1 to the front of a player's score. Examples: $500 would become $1500, $1000 would then be $11000, but $0 would only turn into $10. (Round 1 only - Introduced September '85)
Across the Board - Located in square #17, the light is sent straight across to square #8, giving the player the money & extra spin located there. (Round 2 only - Introduced February '86)
(Note: For any square where I mention a number, count squares clockwise, starting with the top left corner as #1.)
As mentioned, the player with the most money after the 2 rounds was declared the
winner. After the game, announcer Rod Roddy described the prizes the player won.
The champion then came back on the next show to face 2 new challengers.
Champions remained on the show for a maximum of 5 days, or until they reached
the house limit of $25,000, provided that they kept winning, of course. The
limit was later raised to $50,000 on Novemeber 1, 1984. Anything over these
limits was still awarded to the champion, but an overall winnings cap of $75,000
was ultimately imposed following Michael Larson's accomplishment.
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Original artwork on this page provided by Chris Coulbourne. Screengrabs
created by Adam Marchese.