Branded slots are incredibly popular and arguably some of the most entertaining games available online. One popular tie-in is that of TV gameshows, and transforming the dramatic (and quite often, fluky) nature of the programme to the online gaming world. Some of these you may be able to find on Paddy Power Games. However, sometimes it goes in reverse and TV gameshows are based on popular casino games. Let’s take a look back as some of most popular gameshows to grace our screens.
Celebrity Blackjack
Celebrity Blackjack only ran for two seasons, but saw a group of celebrities battle it out in tournament-style blackjack to win money for their chosen charity. Season one saw five celebrities participate, while there were only four players in season two. The original season saw the celebrities each start with $100,000 and they played 21 hands of blackjack. For the first 10 rounds, betting was restricted to between $1,000 and $25,000; while the stakes were raised to $5,000 minimum bet, with no upper limit for the next 10 rounds. There were plenty of other rules in place, but the programme ran for 19 episodes. Actress Caroline Rhea won season one, while Jason Alexander was season two’s champion.
Hollywood Squares
Okay, so maybe not a casino game as such, but Hollywood Squares was based on that classic, tic tac toe and was so popular that it ran from 1966 to 2004. The set for the game was a grid of 3×3 squares, with each square occupied by a celebrity. Two contestants would then battle it out, one playing as the O and the other, the X; taking it in turns to choose a square and answer a question. The objective of course, was to complete a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line, or score as many squares as possible, with five squares seeing a player victorious. Over the years, some of the rules changed, but the cast of stars involved often saw some ‘regulars’ including Joan Rivers.
Lucky Numbers
One for our UK readers now and Lucky Numbers was based on bingo. The gameshow ran for three seasons and each contestant had a bingo card with 15 numbers on it. The aim of the game was to light up all 15 numbers on the card, and players did this by answering questions correctly. Different rounds saw different patterns needing to be solved, and by the third round, the first player to gain a ‘full house’ went on to the final round, as well as the bonus round, the ‘cash dash’. The final saw the winning contestant gamble as much or as little of their winnings to face a final game board, of 25 squares – here they needed to answer questions to light up five consecutive squares (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) within a time limit.
Red or Black?
A final UK gameshow now and Red or Black? was a game based on luck, much like the much-loved casino game, roulette. The premise was equally as simple – contestants needed to choose red or black, with those that chose the incorrect colour eliminated from the game. The gameshow also included special guest appearances from celebrities and performances by bands and solo artists. The highlight of the show was always the final round, which saw a giant modified roulette wheel split into 36 segments (18 red and 18 black), with a £1 million cash prize if the player chose the correct colour: red or black?
