A different version of Balance Game into which the contestant has to balance a large scale using bags filled with silver dollars bearing the show's host to win a big prize.
Gameplay[]
- The contestant is shown a prize and a large balance scale. The contestant is then shown four bags, each representing a different money amount. One bag has the last two or three digits of the prize's price on it, which is immediately placed on the left side of the scale. The other three bags have different multiples of $1,000 on them. The contestant must select two of the three thousand-dollar bags to place alongside the three-digit bag, forming their bid on the prize (for example, placing the $1,000 and $6,000 bags with a $188 bag would make the contestant's bid $7,188).
- A bag representing the amount of the prize's price, marked only with the name of the prize, is then placed on the right side of the scale by the model; if the scale balances, the contestant wins the prize. If the scale doesn't balance, he/she loses the game.
History[]
- The game received its first win on the second playing on February 15, 2006 (#3533K).
- The vane readout originally had four digits. A fifth was added on May 18, 2006 (#3624K).
- When the game was introduced on February 6, 2006 (#3521K), the bags were purportedly filled with "Barker Silver Dollars," bearing the face of former Price Is Right host Bob Barker. Since his retirement, the coins have been replaced with "Lucky Drew Dollars," which are pieces of wood covered with paper to make them look like coins. While the staff has confirmed that the bags actually contain no coins, both Bob and Drew show one real coin to the contestant at the beginning of the game. The Barker Silver Dollars were the same ones used in the original Balance Game and the first contestant who won the new Balance Game was given one of the coins as a souvenir; subsequent contestants were not offered a dollar. Drew has revived the custom of giving away a Drew Dollar as a souvenir. However, he has confirmed there is a real silver Drew Dollar coin to insert into the Vend-O-Price machine to reveal its contents.
- On August 11, 2015 (#7202K, aired out of order on August 10), the Summer Beach Party special, the game was decorated with Yodely Guy wearing surfing gear and riding on a surfboard.
- On May 18, 2017 (7944K, aired out of order on May 16), during Dream Car Week, Balance Game was played for a Chevrolet Malibu 1LT worth $26,735, but was lost.
- On October 17, 2017 (#8045K), during Dream Car Week, Balance Game was played for a Kia Forte LX worth $19,718, but was lost.
- The game has received 130 wins (excluding 3 primetime wins), most recently on November 27, 2024 (#0793L).
- Balance Game has been played for a car 35 times, most recently on November 11, 2024 (#0771L).
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, the contestant is instructed to place the smallest bag on the left side of the scale to put it out of balance.
Trivia[]
- The most number of times this game was played in any season was 20 (seasons 46 and 47), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 7 (season 41).
- There are 3 possibilities for what the price can be, so a randomly guessing contestant will win 1/3 of the time.
- Unless the options include an option more than $10,000 and one less than $10,000 (or one more than $20,000 and one less than $20,000, and so on), the game is functionally identical to Pick-A-Number.
- This is one of the last premiered pricing games to use a traditional display as part of the prop. A vane display shows the amount on the scale as well as the actual price.
- This game, along with Bullseye (2), are the only "new" pricing games to be named after older, retired pricing games.
- Since Season 44, Balance Game has never been the first or second pricing game to be played on the show because it needs time to start up and the game can be played no earlier than third on the show.
- One of the games' frequent recurring gags, particularly in the Carey era, is that the model who handles the prizes' bag will often exaggerate its weight and pretend to have a difficult time putting it on their side of the scale.
Gallery[]
To view the gallery, click here.
YouTube Videos[]
Debut of Balance Game '06 (February 6, 2006, #3521K)
Winning a Trip to Walt Disney World (April 18, 2013, #6314K, aired out of order on May 3, 2013)
| 2000s Pricing Games |
|---|
| Flip Flop | Triple Play | That's Too Much! | Bonkers | Pass the Buck | Step Up | On the Spot | Time is Money (1) | Coming or Going | ½ Off | Pocket ¢hange | Balance Game (2) | Stack the Deck | More or Less | Gas Money |