Deal or No Deal
Over Christmas I watched a few editions of Deal or No Deal, an early evening quiz show that snuggles up nicely against Countdown. It only started recently and is actually just a UK version of a worldwide phenomenon. It sees the return of Noel Edmonds who gets extremely excited about everything!
The idea, like all the great ones, is simple. There are 22 contestants and each one holds a randomly chosen box containing an unknown amount between 1p and £250,000. At the start of each show, 1 of the 22 contestants is randomly chosen to play that day’s game. The contestant clearly wants to win as much money as possible. However, they are up against The Banker, a mysterious character, who wants the exact opposite. In fact, as the ever clever Mish suggested, a much snappier title would be “Beat the Banker”. 
The contestant starts choosing the order in which the other contestants reveal how much their boxes contain. The banker is never seen or heard but at regular intervals he rings Noel Edmonds and offers the contestant a sum of money for their box, based on which amounts are still concealed in the remaining boxes.
Depending on Lady Luck and, to a slight extent, strategy, the contestant can leave with 5 or 6 figure sums or perhaps just a fiver. It is all so random, yet it is amazing how hyped up the show atmosphere gets and how superstitious some people are. The end result is a show that is surprisingly watchable, not that I’m usually home to watch it!
Talking of work, today was the first day back for a lot of office workers and the consensus was that it felt like the longest day *ever*. Happy New Year!
Update March 2006: There is now an official Deal or No Deal UK message board on channel4.com and an unofficial online version for addicts too!
January 4th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
The maths involved in that show are quite interesting. Do you decide to deal or not based on your chances of getting a higher amount, or based on your expected payout. Imagine you have £50 000, £5, £1 and 50p remaining and you’re being offered something like £5000. Your chance of getting a higher amount by statying in is only 1/4, which isn’t encouraging. Your expected payout (the average of the remaining amounts) is about £12 500, much more than the offer.
Sometimes you look at what’s being offered and have no gut reaction either way (our guts are quite bad at maths though, so this is to be expected). There are a certain number of prizes still available and you’ve got an offer, but it’s not obvious whether or not to take the offer. If you reverse this and pretend that you already have the money being offered but that you’re then offered the chance to “buy” into the game for that price it often looks far more obvious that you should accept the money being offered. of course “looking obvious” doesn’t always make it the righ choice.
It’s an interesting study into risk-aversion psychology. Very good for economists I imagine. No doubt there are some research papers about it already.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
was never a big fan of economics myself rory
feck the maths (and economists generally do ;p)! i think the only attitude that works on the show (unless you’re really hard up) is to realise that you’re only there once and you have to take a chance and pretty much go all out…
if something like £1 and £100K were left, i would not have the balls to refuse an offer of £40K though! but i figure you have to be prepared to go to the penultimate offer if there are big amounts left in play. you may end up looking a bit silly, but i think it’s the only way to go…
January 5th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Hey Janine! I found myself watching a few episodes of that show over christmas too! I couldn’t believe I was watching it at first cos there just didn’t seem anything to it other than people picking numbers randomly, but then I realised that that’s the beauty of it all, and that’s what makes it so addictive!
Anyway, I hope you had a good christmas and that you made it down to lovely ol’ Galway for the New Year?!
January 7th, 2006 at 10:42 am
aw thanks for popping by aidan
i forgot you were in galway - d’oh! yep we made it down to the lovely, albeit rather cold and wet, galway to see the new year in. hope you are enjoying it down there and i’ll e-mail you soon(ish) i promise! 
January 16th, 2006 at 7:44 am
Hi, i’m addictedto Deal or No Deal(uk version). Currently i’m in New Zealand and they also have the programme here on Primetime tv, the format is very different to the uk version. In NZ version there’s 26 boxes to open( brief cases). Firstly the 26 contestants have to answer quickest answer first, then the contestant fastest takes place and chooses his/her brief case.
On the first round they have to open 6 boxes before the banker, unfortunately the banker is computerised(boring). Next round they open 5 boxes before the banker then 4 3 2 then 1.after even the 1 box theres an offer and its a NO DEAL then the contestant then goes on to open another box until they reach a DEAL.Top money to be won is$200,000 (82644 pounds). Oh i forgot to add the other contestants have to guess what they have in their boxes and if they were correct they win 1000 pounds.
Can’t wait to get back to the UK version as NZ version is nt for me.
January 22nd, 2006 at 5:41 pm
thanks for the info kevin. maybe noel will be moving to primetime given the success of the uk show in its afternoon slot?
February 1st, 2006 at 5:05 pm
i love deal or no deal uk version does any one no where i can play the uk version on the internet
February 1st, 2006 at 9:47 pm
glad to know there are others out there that are into deal or no deal like me ive told all my friends to watch it and when was galway wet or winday galway based resident tanz
February 7th, 2006 at 10:52 am
Hey there guys! We are ADDICTED to Deal or no Deal! We just love a bit of Noel every night! Can’t wait to see him tonight!
Laters guys!
xxx
February 7th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Hi - I just HATE Deal or no deal. It is the worst programme in TV history - and what is with that Noel Edmonds? God he is soo annoying! And the banker! What happened to Countdown? Why can’t that be on for like 3 hours instead of DOND? Anyway - got to go watch Countdown!
February 7th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
oh my god cant believe anyone does not like deal or no deal must be to complicated for them to understand you should have watched it tonight it was great but i agree with one thing noel edmonds can be a bit annoying sometimes but he is just doing his job and if i got his money to do it i would and so would you
February 27th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
i Love Deal Or No Deal sooo much. I’m totaly addicted and hope it contiunes on C4 for a long time to come. Can’t wait for the next show!!!!!!
Noel Edmonds is a legend!!! Love his beard
March 2nd, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Hi! I also am a huge fan of Deak or no Deal. Does anyone know a website where you could play the UK version of it. I have played the US version but I would rater prefer the UK one as I am more familiar to it.
Thank you.
P.S If anyone knows a website,
Contact me at mcstra@hotmail.co.uk
March 3rd, 2006 at 8:01 pm
This is a pointless comment but just thought i’d say that i love Deal Or No Deal again!!!!! Its so simple and yet so good and totaly addictive. Noel is great and his beard is awsome.
March 4th, 2006 at 8:28 pm
been trying to find the u.k.version to download since xmas but no joy dont think there is one sorry if you find one post the name on here so i can get it as well coz i’ve played the u.s.a. version but prefer the u.k version too
March 10th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Hey, I love Deal Or No Deal. I am a fan, I watch it everyday, so many times I say no deal and the person ses deal, when the £250.000 is in their box and I know it but they cant say No Deal, I always say no deal, apart from sometimes.
Amylee Parker
Contact me on kittylee94@hotmail.co.uk
March 11th, 2006 at 8:05 pm
I love Deal! I well pleased for Marcus (£31,000) but he won’t be there anymore (I’m sad now)! Can’t wait for the next show!!!!!
March 11th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
deal or no deal uk version rules does any one no where i can play the uk version on the internet. AS I HAVE PLAYED THE US ONE AND I LIKE THE UK BETTER
PLZ EMAIL ME AT GAZZA306_RFC@HOTMAIL.COM
March 13th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
i reall t have a clue i have onl plaed the uk version
March 15th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Hi
I bought an Excel version of DOND on eBay. If you promise not to sell it, I’ll forwatd a copy for free.
A
March 16th, 2006 at 3:35 am
i have been watching the australian version of deal or no deal and am compelled by the game. i have decided to create a game of “deal or no deal” for my major project of yr 12 and will post the link to it on this webpage wen finished to get everyones feedback! wat r ur thoughts ?
March 16th, 2006 at 6:30 pm
great cant wait for you to get the game up and going cant wait for the link
March 16th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
Heylo everybody! I Love Deal Or No Deal! I want Lucy to stay a while longer coz i think she’s great, and does antbody no where she got that brown jumper with the hearts and stripes on coz i want one! [I lOvE dEaL oR No dEaL]
March 18th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
20. Andrew Says:
March 15th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Hi
I bought an Excel version of DOND on eBay. If you promise not to sell it, I’ll forwatd a copy for free.
A
————————–
Can you send it to me at rlm@wpet.freeserve.co.uk
March 20th, 2006 at 9:58 am
An unofficial web based UK version of “Deal Or No Deal” can be found at http://www.qatopia.com
March 20th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
thanks dalsy but its not up and running yet its coming soon let us know when it gets up and running and i will definately go and visit the site
keep us posted if you hear anything
March 21st, 2006 at 3:44 am
this show is the worst attempt at a game show and the best representation of the ridiculousness of a capitalist/materialistic society.
March 21st, 2006 at 10:39 am
larne if you don’t like it don’t watch it.it’s that simple
March 21st, 2006 at 10:55 am
qatopia is up and running even though it says coming soon you need to click on the deal or no deal logo.just been and played and won250000 it was in my box first try have a go guys
March 21st, 2006 at 5:45 pm
I just tried the weblink to qatopia and it wouldn’t work
March 21st, 2006 at 9:53 pm
I played the game on qatopia and regretably joined the 1p club. Still love the show though! does anyone know where Lucy got that brown top with stripes and hearts on it? If you dont no which one i mean look out for it its well nice!!!
March 21st, 2006 at 9:57 pm
I played the game on qatopia and regretably joined the 1p club. Still love the show though! i already asked this but does anyone know where Lucy got the brown jumper with stripes and hearts on it coz its ace? If you dont know the one i mean look out for it, its well nice!!!
March 21st, 2006 at 10:37 pm
My friends hav just beeen livin out in australia for the past three months and they came back ranting abt this show called Deal or no deal.
I couldnt believe that they liked the game show tooo! But then i find out that the banker is a computer and its all not the same.
They hate the Uk version and i hate the Aussie version!
I guess its what were all used to!!
But hey we hav Noel Edmonds, u cant beat that! I just miss Mr Blobby!!
March 21st, 2006 at 10:57 pm
Hi, I helped write the QAtopia website, I noticed this site on our webstats, sorry if it wasn’t working correctly, we were just messing around to get the website up and running. I will get the front page sorted out as I can see it is bit confusing. If you want a direct link to the game it is
http://www.qatopia.co.uk/dealornodeal.aspx
It may be changing, as it is only a test site at the moment (should support high scores now, but they are still a not working quite right) but we will leave it up if people want to play.
March 22nd, 2006 at 2:16 am
I am another fan of the programme, but is there anyone out there who knows the name of THE BANKER. Who is he???
March 25th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
hey guys if the link won’t work try writing http://www.qatopia .com and you should get it from there good luck
March 31st, 2006 at 3:44 pm
Deal or no Deal is a good idea and its executed in a clever way. However, Noel Edmonds it one of the most annoying people I have ever seen on TV. When I see him in his tight jeans pulled up too high and his puppet style head (with comedy beard) and stupid shirts, I cannot help but want to beat his head with an anvil until he is no longer breathing.
March 31st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Harsh ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
March 31st, 2006 at 5:49 pm
…but true, unfortunately for him…
April 1st, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Its only a TV show, adictive, compulsive and just plain fun, I think.
Well done Noel and all at channel 4. Bye JT
April 1st, 2006 at 9:09 pm
I’m addicted to it!! It’s good viewing and I love seeing people going away with a low sum money, lol. I think Noel suits the job too, wouldn’t be the same without him!!
April 3rd, 2006 at 9:19 am
I think deal or no deal is amazing! my friend fancies noel edmonds! i used to hate deal or no deal when i first strated watching it but now im addicted!!!! if i miss an episode i get really upset. by the way, does anyone know why noel edmonds has got little symbols on the sides of his hands? he has had them all this week. please reply!! xxx
April 3rd, 2006 at 9:36 am
I think I know what those symbols are. They are proof that he is a heroin addict. That’s the word on the street anyway.
April 3rd, 2006 at 1:47 pm
The symbols are part of a New Scientist type religion, as mentioned on Parky on Saturday 1st April 2006.
The show shows peoples avarice, a much nicer word than greed. The time to deal is between £7500 & £15000, never go for better than a millionaire prize?
Steve in Rochdale
Yes, the show gets VCRd every nite, very addictive, verry verrryyy Good Show.
April 4th, 2006 at 2:10 am
I just love the deal or no deal show,and I just got finsh looking at one of yourshow it was very very good!
April 4th, 2006 at 9:07 am
I love Lucy and if you read this im so sorry that you only won 5 pounds you deserved to win the quarter of a million. Love ya Lucy. I dont really watch it any more for the simple reason Lucy’s not on it.
April 4th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
i think deal or no deal is fantastic. what was in marcus’s box ?
April 4th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
poor lucy i really feel sorry for her
April 6th, 2006 at 12:26 am
Does anybody know what the last three winning case numbers have been?? THANK YOU!!!
April 6th, 2006 at 11:24 am
22 is always a big number
April 7th, 2006 at 12:47 am
Check out this spreadsheet I made to play “Deal or No Deal”. I put it on my blog and I get lots of hits from Google searches, so I thought I’d share it with you as well. You can download it here…
http://uh2l.blogs.com/things_ive_noticed/2006/03/deal_or_no_deal_1.html
It’s somewhat crude, and the banker’s rules are just a percentage of expected value, but if you unhide rows and columns, you can play along with the TV show by deleting suitcase values and seeing what the expected value is.
Atul
April 10th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
What are the symbols on Noel Edmonds hands, they change every show?
April 15th, 2006 at 10:00 am
I think its a mega brillent game, its sad he had 1p yesterday(Fadil.)
Cant wait for Gary hes bloody hot, hope he wins lods.
I felt soz for Lucy cause she was there for ages and had a crap amount!!!!!
April 15th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
I WANT GARY AS A BOYFRIEND NOW SO HES MINE NOT ANYONE ELSES.
IF HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND (WHICH HE PROBALY HAS CAUSE HES SEXY.)
CAN U PLEASE SHARE HIM. IS HE A MODEL ANY PITCHURES OF HIM ON INTERNET.
April 17th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Today I didn’t see da show who as in the seat did they deal and what did they have in their box plz tell ASAP
April 20th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
I actually found this website in a search for pictures of Gary believe it or not… how sad is that? He’s absolutely beautiful. Glad he won so much…
April 20th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
omg its amzazing i absolutely love it!!!!
garry well dun m8 i felt sorry 4 lucy ages ago she dun rubbish a fiver lol!!!
I love it wen da banker gets hammered funny as!!!
i fnk they shud do a celebrity 1 lol dat wud be funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
from jordan carter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in west row yay!!!!!!!
April 25th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
I just can’t get my head around it. Do the people know each other? What the hell is going on with the people being so open and articulate and filling in to make what is essentially a five minute show into an hour?
April 28th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
I love Deal or No Deal it is amazing but i am getting to the point now in the game that some people who sit in the chair i do not recognise. well nm that i am just leavin a link the the unoffical online Deal or No Deal that is better that Qatopia. http://www.dilan4.freeserve.co.uk/maths/dond.swf
If anyone finds a site where u can download an offline version of Deal or No Deal can you please send it to me at rachelmcconnell@hotmail.com thanks!
April 30th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Hi my name is kacey am from, AFRICA 27yr of age i lookin 4 deal or no deal website
May 3rd, 2006 at 10:44 am
has anyone in the last 3 weeks won the top prize i have been out of the country. please let me know.
May 6th, 2006 at 9:12 pm
whats the name of the man who was on the saturday 6th may deal or no deal show called …was it either morris or horris if anyone knows please can u replie back to me has soon as possible please because my mates are doing a bet if hes called horris or morris and we need to know!!!
May 8th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
his name was definitely morris. i luved that guy nd was waitin so long 2 c him play. then i missed saturdays show! i was gutted!
May 8th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
definately morris he had twenty thousand or two hundred thousand and banker offered him 101 and he opened his box got 20′000 shame though still noone won the big one yet as you can see i’m answering two people at once
May 30th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Go to your Pc’s, PC and log on to http://www.99express.com/flash/deal-no-deal.htm
June 2nd, 2006 at 11:43 am
i have read a lot about deal or no deal on the internet, can the game be played over the internet and real money will be won?must the presenter really be witty?anyway i love d show. keep it up and i will like to participate.
July 13th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
GIMME DEAL OR NO DEAL!! NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
July 13th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
hi i am doing a project for schooliopopsicles. its almost as fun as coco pops. deal or no deal is my life, i run home from the bus stop so i can see who has been selected. does someone know the address for the uk online game so i can play it all the time, because yesterday as i ran home from school i grazed my knee and felll over a pig right in front of me thatw as on the road, later i found out that was the pig belonging to my dear friend zoe, she hit me. so now i can not run very fast and tend to miss deal or no deal. luvyabbz xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
July 23rd, 2006 at 2:33 pm
“im boiling an egg 4 the very 1st time, aaahhhh hhhummmmmm aahhh hummmmmm.”
July 24th, 2006 at 11:36 am
the gme don’t work u dumb asses
July 25th, 2006 at 6:00 pm
anybody got a download available for dond uk???????
July 26th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Join the only known Deal or No Deal Fan Club for free at http://www.dond-fc.piczo.com
August 5th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Excuse me, the Unofficial Deal Or No Deal Fanclub that is very popular indeed is at http://www.dond.uk.tt
August 6th, 2006 at 10:34 am
I like deal or no deal
doggyrose94@hotmail.com
September 9th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
http://www.channel4.com/money/ontv/deal_or_no_deal/games.html
thats the closet ive found
October 10th, 2006 at 7:33 am
There is another Deal or no Deal website with pictures of the contestants, in-depth game detail and videos of the last 10mins of each show.
Highly Recommended: http://www.ilovedealornodeal.co.uk/
October 14th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
play here
http://games.ladbrokes.com/deal-or-no-deal/game/en
You can play for pretend money
October 26th, 2006 at 11:52 am
hello just wanted to say how much i love the show and noal!! he is the best! me my sister and her husband went to watch it last week and it was even better live! so hopin to go back again soon, so if anyone gets the chance to go do it!!! we got to sit right behind the wife of the guy who was playin it was wicked!!so look out for us on a sunday in december
xxxx
November 18th, 2006 at 7:57 am
The two sisters from 11/17/06, (the one in pink) also goes by a name “Christy - on ftvgirls.com” I didn’t know NBC hired porn stars as contestants, what a joke.
December 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
OK, I did a radio interview with Brooks Leach and Ronnie Fewell, two Arkansas guys who were on the show. It is a million laughs. These guys are FUNNY. Go to http://lyncho.com/ and scroll down. I also posted some pics. Watch out for these guys!
Pat Lynch
January 4th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
PaddyPower also have a game of deal or no deal on thier site at the moment.
January 5th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
im a wesel features
January 6th, 2007 at 2:59 am
I think the game is fantastic and Noel is a credit to british television.
I hope that the format of the (UK) gameshow wil last for a long time to come!
Three cheers. hip hip, hurray! hip hip, hurray, hip hip, hurray!
January 9th, 2007 at 3:50 am
a deal or no deal flash game : http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/deal-or-no-deal.html
It’s based on the US version, as most online game versions seem to be. I’ll keep an eye out of UK ones that aren’t on gambling sites!
February 11th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Here is a UK version of the game, can be played for fun or for real money. It requires a quick registration that is totally free
http://moonpans.co.uk/Deal_Or_No_Deal/deal_or_no_deal.htm
May 16th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Hi there Im wondering if deal or no deal is in New Zealand as im really keen on finding out how i can be on the show
thanks and if you can reply to gemmarore@hotmail.com
June 1st, 2007 at 7:39 am
yes we have just got the game I am a big fan too but we only get the Australian version on prime at 5 pm not to sure if they are gonna do another season but we got thru and the experience was alot different to just watching it what a blast our series starts on the ^th june 2007 and dont know if we are getting aired yet but when they had auditions it is advertised on http://www.tv3.co.nz
June 1st, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Please, when will the Nigeria version of the deal-or-no-deal TV game show come up because I suppose you are in Africa. Please, I need an urgent reply.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:15 am
love dono . just got audition invitation for the nz one . cant wait !!!
August 20th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Please could you send me the deal or no deal game from ebay on daniel_lemer@hotmail.com. Thanks it would be very appreciated.
August 30th, 2007 at 9:38 am
I am interested in this game. I have been watching the game for quiet sometime now and i feel i should participate. Please i will appreciate beeibg part of this game.
Well done and more power to your elbow.
Best Regards
Akan David Chucks
September 5th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
hi… I always watching deal or no deal. anyone know where to get a deal or no deal offline version?
November 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Can anyone tell me where I can play Deal or No deal British version, I used to have a really good site but it no longer works!!
January 19th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Hi all. A while back I wrote an Excel spreadsheet version of the game for my own curiosity. You can play 1 to 6 people against each other…check it out here - it’s free to download. Enjoy:
http://www.nordberg.co.uk/ExcitingExcel/dond.htm