Pick-A-Number

Pick-A-Number
Premiere Date (Barker Era)	January 31, 1992 (#8285D)
Premiere Date (Carey Era)	February 7, 2008 (#4194K)
Pricing Game Location	Center Stage
Previous Premiered Pricing Game	Swap Meet
Next Premiered Pricing Game	Switch?
Finale Date (Barker Era)	June 5, 2007 (#4022K)

One of the lesser liked games in the show's current rotation and premiered to celebrate the show's ceremonial 4,000th episode (in reality, it's the 3,992nd).

Gameplay

• The contestant is shown the price of a prize, with one digit missing. Three possible digits are shown, and the contestant picks one. If the contestant is correct, they win the prize.

History and behind the scenes

• On its first playing, on the ceremonial 4,000th episode (in reality, 3,992nd) aired on January 31, 1992 (#8285D), the game was won.
• On October 8, 1993 (#8915D), the foghorn sounded for a loss instead of the normal buzzer.
• Pick-a-Number has been played for a four-digit car at least once in the game's history, during the time when such cars were still being offered on the show.
• In concept, this game is similar to the foreign version of Squeeze Play, where a contestant pulls a number off the price of a product. In Pick-a-Number, a contestant simply puts in the correct number from a supply of three numbers.
• Pick-a-Number serves as the all-purpose substitute pricing game, should an intended game break down, as it involves no electronics, and is easy to set up on short notice. This happened on October 9, 2002 (#2253K) when Penny Ante malfunctioned, and Pick-a-Number was set up to replace it.
• On February 20, 2009 (#4635K), it was played for a car for the first time since February 25, 1992. This time, however, it was played for a $20,974 Chevrolet HHR. The contestant lost her pricing game.
• On March 5, 2018 (#8241K, aired out of order on January 8) during Publishers Clearing House week, contestant Alexandria Moyer won a $20,000 bonus for being the first contestant to win a pricing game. It was played in the second slot.
• On February 22, 2019 (#8631K, aired out of order on May 31), during Dream Car Week, Pick-A-Number was played for a $19,428 Kia Soul, but was lost.
• During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S., Drew Carey operates the game by himself, and he took a class in doing this game over quarantine.
• The number chosen used to be lifted up to reveal the correct number. Now Drew Carey presses a little button on the back of the chosen number and a gear raises the correct number.
• Pick-a-Number can be seen as the spiritual successor to Gallery Game.

Trivia

• The most number of times this game was played in any season was 28 (season 37), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 2 (seasons 27 and 28).
• When it is played for a five-digit prize, the first digit is placed where the dollar sign normally goes. A smaller dollar sign is placed to the left of the first digit.
• Whatever number is chosen, Drew Carey usually replaces the last number in the count with that when revealing the price.

Appearances outside of The Price is Right

On a November 14, 2018 (#554) episode of the late night talk show on CBS called The Late Late Show with James Corden, Pick-A-Number appeared with comedic actress Melissa McCarthy as the contestant.

Gallery

To view the gallery, click here.