Deal or No Deal (U.S. Game Show) - Format

Format

Deal or No Deal is played by one contestant at a time. Prior to each game, 26 cash amounts ranging from 1 cent to 1 million dollars printed on rectangular boards (though occasionally boards with larger amounts may be used) are each randomly placed inside one of 26 briefcases. Each briefcase displays a number on the outside of the case from 1 to 26. Once the show begins, Howie Mandel announces "Ladies, please", and 26 female models, each carrying one briefcase and wearing the same dress, make their way onto the steps of the multi-tiered stage. The contestant then selects one briefcase to be placed on the contestant's podium.

Through a series of rounds, the contestant is asked to select a number of the other cases still in play; each case is opened and the cash value inside the case is revealed before it is taken out of play. A large electronic board displaying two columns of cash amounts (13 cash amounts per column) is used to track which dollar amounts still remain in play. After completing the selection of cases for that round, the Banker, a silhouette figure lit only dimly from behind in an enclosed glass booth overlooking the stage, will phone down to the host's wireless phone on the podium. The Banker and host will converse (the Banker's voice is never heard) and the host will then inform the player of the Banker's "deal": a cash offer, the amount of which depends on the values of the cases remaining in play, in exchange for leaving the game. (Although the Banker will talk to the host (and occasionally the contestant) via phone, and is said to calculate the offers, the producers actually do the calculations.)

The host opens a clear Plexiglas flip-top box on the contestant's podium exposing a large flashing-red electronic button; if the player accepts the deal, he or she presses the button to end the game and win the amount of the deal, otherwise, the player declares "No deal!" and either the player or the host closes the flip-top box, requiring the player to continue into the next round.

Each round progressively removes fewer cases from the game; the first round begins with six cases to be removed, the second round with five, diminishing subsequently until the final rounds requiring the removal of one case at a time. In early rounds, the Banker's offers typically represent a small percentage of the average value of all the remaining cases. From round to round, that percentage generally increases, sometimes exceeding 100% toward the end of the game. Should the player refuse the final Banker's offer, with the selected case and one other case left in play, the player is given the opportunity to swap cases, values unseen, and win whatever case they end up keeping at that point. This offer, and its mention when delivering the final offer, is often unaired on television; only three contestants have ever swapped cases, and none in active play. All of them would swap for one of the two highest amounts.

If the player takes one of the first eight offers, the host usually encourages the player to play through to the end to see what would have happened, unless time runs short, when the remaining cases are opened all at once. If the game is still in progress when airtime ends, the game carries over, though this was a much rarer occurrence in the second half of the show's run. During the first two seasons, there were even two instances of the revealing of a selected case carried over to the next episode.

After the second round, family and friends of the contestant are usually introduced and are allowed to contribute advice and encouragement to the contestant, including which case to pick next and whether to accept a deal or not. Often, special guest stars are present in the audience, typically related to the contestant's interests or background; for example, Celine Dion appeared and supported a player who was a big fan, while another show featured Big Bird of the children's television show Sesame Street assisting a player who had a childhood fear of the character. Perhaps the most noteworthy special guest, however, was when Bobby Generic (Mandel’s animated alter-ego) made an appearance for a contestant who requested he make an appearance.

A show typically only features the play of one contestant, but on occasion, contestants who do not finish their game continue into the next show. The rollover format, also known as "straddling" was more prominent early in the series' run. Several shows have been themed based on the contestant's background, a holiday, or other situation; for example, all the cases were replaced by trash cans when the contestant was a garbage man, and one episode was considered "Ladies' Night", as the regular models were replaced with male firefighters from the Los Angeles and San Diego Fire Departments. In some cases, the Banker will add to the offer a "special" prize, including both valuable prizes such as vehicles or "dream packages" customized for the contestant as well as gag gifts such as a supply of cotton swabs or donuts and may require an additional stipulation for the deal; in one instance, an additional cash prize was attached to the deal if the contestant would cut off his beard (which he ultimately accepted). There were some college spring break episodes that aired during the series.

Sometimes, amounts on the board may be substituted with other prizes such as a Ford F-250 truck in place of the $50,000 amount on the January 14, 2008 episode.