Pass the Buck is a game played for a car and cash in which the name comes from the fact that the contestant has to "pass the buck" to make the price of one of two products one dollar higher.
Gameplay[]
- The contestant is shown two pairs of grocery items, one pair at a time. One item in each pair displays the correct price, while the other is discounted $1. The contestant must "pass the buck" to the item which is discounted by sliding a dollar bill marker so that both items display the correct prices.
- For each correct decision, the contestant earns a choice from six numbers on a game board, which is added to one free choice they are given to start the game (so they can earn up to two more choices). Concealed behind the six numbers are a picture of a car, cash awards of $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, and two spaces marked "Lose Everything." The contestant chooses numbers one at a time and accumulates whatever prizes they reveal. If they reveal "Lose Everything," they lose their accumulated prizes but may start again if they still have choices remaining (similar to a Whammy from Press Your Luck). The contestant may also quit after each number selection instead of risking their winnings.
- If the contestant wins the car, and still has choices remaining, they do have the option to keep going to try to get more cash, but few contestants are willing to take that chance, knowing they could lose the car by choosing “Lose Everything”. On occasion, the contestant's celebration over winning a car has had to be temporarily interrupted to ask them if they want to quit. Obviously, they forget how the game goes because their focus is on trying to win the car.
- The highest cash amount a contestant can win is $9,000 (by revealing all three cash awards) or $8,000 (the two highest cash awards) and the car.
Cash distribution[]
- The distribution of prize slips has been altered at various times to adjust the top prize, including for prime time specials.
Daytime[]
From October 4, 2001 (#1884K, aired out-of-order on December 1) to December 18, 2001 (#1992K), the distribution of card slips was this:
| Value | Frequency |
|---|---|
| CAR | 1 |
| $1,000 | 1 |
| $2,000 | 1 |
| $3,000 | 1 |
| $5,000 | 1 |
| LOSE EVERYTHING | 3 |
The distribution of card slips is currently:
| Value | Frequency |
|---|---|
| CAR | 1 |
| $1,000 | 1 |
| $3,000 | 1 |
| $5,000 | 1 |
| LOSE EVERYTHING | 2 |
On May 16, 2017 (#7942K, aired out of order on May 18) during "Dream Car Week," the cash awards total was increased to $45,000, with the distribution as follows:
| Value | Frequency |
|---|---|
| CAR | 1 |
| $10,000 | 1 |
| $15,000 | 1 |
| $20,000 | 1 |
| LOSE EVERYTHING | 2 |
On October 12, 2018 (#8445K) during "Big Money Week," the cash awards total was increased to $50,000, with the distribution as follows:
| Value | Frequency |
|---|---|
| $25,000 | 1 |
| $15,000 | 1 |
| $10,000 | 1 |
| $5,000 | 1 |
| LOSE EVERYTHING | 2 |
On February 19, 2021 (#9315K) during "Big Money Week," the cash awards total was increased to $80,000, with the distribution as follows:
| Value | Frequency |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | 1 |
| $20,000 | 1 |
| $10,000 | 1 |
| $5,000 | 1 |
| LOSE EVERYTHING | 2 |
History[]
- On the first 11 playings when the game premiered, it was played with an eight-number game board. There was no free pick and all three choices needed to be earned with three pairs of grocery items. Besides the current six, the two additional spaces concealed a $2,000 cash award and a third "Lose Everything."
- The current format was first used on January 10, 2002 (#2024K), with the extra spaces replaced by dollar bill graphics, and the first pick given for free.
- Under the game's original format, the most a contestant could win without finding the car was $10,000; now it's $9,000. Three contestants did manage to win the maximum $9,000 in cash on May 3, 2002 (#2155K), January 6, 2006 (#3475K), and December 4, 2006 (#3791K). The contestants in the respective episodes are Farrah, Kara, and Keishawna.
- On November 12, 2008 (#4503K, aired out of order on November 5), card number 3 fell off when the curtain came up, revealing $3,000, and Carey decided to give contestant David Kruse the money automatically for now, but his first real pick was a “Lose Everything”, so he lost it. He went on to win $5,000 and the car. Starting with the next playing which aired on October 22, 2008 (#4473K), which was taped after the technical goof but aired before, the cards are now placed in slots.
- Beginning on March 17, 2014 (#6661K, just like Gas Money), the car is parked in the reverse direction.
- The game was officially won for the first time on November 2, 2001 (#1925K), the game's sixth playing.
- Pass the Buck has officially received 85 wins (excluding two primetime wins), the most recent happening on November 1, 2024 (#0755L).
- Pass the Buck has never been the first game to be played in the game slotting list until February 17, 2021 (#9313K).
- Pass the Buck has officially received 54 losses (contestant won nothing) (excluding 2 primetime losses), the most recent happening was on June 6, 2024 (#0654L).
- On May 16, 2017 (#7942K, aired out of order on May 18), during "Dream Car Week", Pass the Buck was played for a $72,850 Maserati Ghibli. In addition, the cash awards changed to $10,000, $15,000, and $20,000 instead of $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000; so the most that could be won was $45,000 without the car, or $35,000 with. Contestant Danielle Byers-Anderson got the maximum three choices and a "CAR" on the first choice.
- On February 17, 2021 (#9313K), Pass the Buck was played first despite needing a lot of time to start up and for $80,000, with the prizes becoming $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, and $50,000. Contestant Francis Cermark got all 3 picks, and picked $20,000 (behind #5) and $10,000 (behind #4). He elected not to take his third pick, taking the $30,000. That was the right move, as he would have picked #3, which was a "Lose Everything". #2 had $5,000 while #1 had the big $50,000.
- The losing horns were not played on March 27, 2023 (#0171L) when contestant Susan Martinez picked a "Lose Everything" on her second and final pick.
Trivia[]
- As with Money Game and Gas Money, when a vehicle other than a car is offered (such as a truck or Jeep), the image of the vehicle hidden on the board is changed appropriately.
- The contestant only needs to win the car (not necessarily any cash amount) for the game to be officially counted as won.
- The most number of times this game was played in any season was 25 (season 30), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 8 (seasons 44 and 46).
- Pass the Buck has a similarity in concept with $uper $aver.
- Since Season 50, Pass the Buck 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.
- This is the first game of the new millennium to use a display. Two three-digit eggcrate displays are used on the first half of the game.
- This game cannot use a grocery product more than $8.99, as a $9.00+ prize could require four digits to display the price with the added dollar.
- This and Gas Money have the car parked beside the main board as they are unveiled by the Big Cover.
- This also shares its name with the short-lived game show created and produced by former Price is Right creator Bob Stewart and hosted by former host of the original Price is Right Bill Cullen that also ran on the same network from April 3 until June 30, 1978.
Foreign versions[]
- On the Vietnamese version, the game is called Đồng Vàng ("Gold Coins"), with the car picture replaced with a picture of golden coins (hence the name of Đồng vàng). The Mat tat ca moi thu ("Lose Everything") spaces are reduced from 2 to 1, and this space is replaced with an empty space. If the contestant picked the golden coins, they won the prize.
- The Mexico and Colombia versions also have this game and was played for a car, while the Vietnamese version never did (the highest prize of this pricing game in Vietnam was motorbike).
Gallery[]
To view the gallery, click here.
YouTube Videos[]
Pass the Buck premiere (October 4, 2001, #1884K)
First Ever Pass the Buck Car Winner! (November 2, 2001, #1925K)
A Heartbreaking Loss on Pass The Buck (October 22, 2008, #4473K)
Pass the Mighty Buck (April 7, 2015, #7082K, aired out of order on March 3)
Dismal Playing from 2016 (February 19, 2016, #7415K, aired out of order on February 16)
Epic win from dream car week (May 18, 2017, #7942K, aired out of order on May 18)
A Disastrous Playing from 2019 (January 16, 2019, #8583K)
| 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 |