A Winner’s Advice: How to Get on “The Price is Right”
This post diverts a bit from my regular travel advice, but I thought I’d provide some insight as to how to get on “The Price is Right.” It’s key advice from contestants, producers, and my friend who won big in 2023!
His nearly $60,000 prize package included a car, a motorcycle, a trip to Mexico and more!
A lot of us have fond memories of watching “The Price is Right” when we were home from school. I especially loved watching the show with my grandfather during our visits, and I think a lot of us have those same sentimental thoughts.
Now… How to Get on “The Price is Right”
How to Get Tickets to “The Price is Right”
Anyone 18 and older can register for free tickets to “The Price is Right” on this website:
They handle tickets to literally dozens of shows, from “Dancing with the Stars” to “Jeopardy!” to “American Idol.”
You’ll see on their schedule page: “The Price is Right” typically tapes three shows a day. They’re usually scheduled at:
- 8:00am
- 12:00pm
- 3:00pm
Certain months of the year, shoot days are often Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. They create a stockpile to air in the coming months.
Plus, be on the lookout for “special episode” tapings they might have coming up, like military appreciation or college episodes.
How to Get Called to “Come on Down”
There’s never a “sure bet” way to get called to “COME ON DOWN” to “Contestants’ Row,” but you can do a few things to increase your chances.
Have Patience in Line
First, you have to get into the audience!
A ticket (unless you score a ‘guaranteed ticket’ for a taping) does not guarantee you a spot in the audience. Try to show up as early as possible, several hours before your taping.
Sometimes, depending on the crowd, you could sneak in to the prior show’s taping, but chances are: you’ll be standing in line three hours or so for your show’s audience to be let into the studio.
Remain upbeat and friendly, because you never know who’s watching!
The Pre-Show Interview
Most people who get tickets to “The Price is Right” actually want to be called to the stage.
Producers will weed out the people who are just there to watch, and those who’ve recently won prizes on another game show within the past several years.
You’re likely to meet with a couple of show producers in a small group of 8 to 10 other audience members. They’ll ask a few questions about where you’re from and what you do. This is your chance to be friendly, talkative, and to act jazzed-up about being there!
The producers are looking for contestants who will “make good TV.” They don’t want shy or nervous people on stage. They want contestants who are outgoing and smiling, and seemingly unbothered by the studio atmosphere which is alien to most people.
Consider a Punny Shirt?
A lot of people make their own shirts these days, but that only plays a small role (if any) in getting called to Contestants’ Row. It may, however, score you points as a symbol that you’ve been planning this trip and are really excited to be there.
Another tip: Don’t wear shirts with big logos on them.
Again, they’ll ask if anyone in your group does *not want to be called up on stage.
Advice on Winning “The Price is Right”
The biggest tip to win big on “The Price is Right” is to watch the show.
Understanding the pricing games beforehand will allow your brain to focus on the prices of the prizes themselves.
Make sure you have a good idea of the pricing structure of everything you might bid on. It’ll include grocery items, furniture, vacation packages, vehicles, and much more.
Guessing Right On “Contestants’ Row”
It definitely helps to have a friend (or many friends) in the audience who watches the show and is an avid consumer.
It’s very difficult to hear the other contestants’ guesses, so you’ll have to do your best!
In fact, you can’t even hear your name when you’re called to “Come on down!” The music and audience are so loud, they have a producer stand off to the side with a posterboard with the contestants’ names written on it, to let them know they’ve been called.
Spinning the Big Wheel
Yes, as everyone says, the wheel is much heavier than expected!
You really only get one shot at spinning it: you don’t get to practice before the cameras roll.
Winning The Showcase Showdown
Aside from watching the show to get a sense of how much things cost, the best piece of advice winners have on the Showcase Showdown is: add as you go.
Keep a mental tally of the math. as the announcer describes each prize, and add it up at the end.
Remember: if you guess within $500 of the true value, you’ll win both showcases!
Surprises & Secrets from “The Price is Right”
As I mentioned, they’re likely shooting several episodes of the show in the same day. Your episode will probably air around two months after the record date, and you’ll have to promise not to talk about your winnings until the show airs!
You definitely won’t get the prizes until the air date.
They record the show out-of-order.
The big wheel is only brought out onto the stage once, after all of the pricing games are complete. They record the first three contestants spinning the wheel, and then the second group right afterwards.
What’s Drew Carey like during the tapings?
By all accounts, Drew is the perfect host: friendly and engaging. The show doesn’t record “as live,” so there are breaks between segments to allow the next game and prizes to be setup on the stage.
During this time, it’s not uncommon for Drew to do some standup, or even walk through the crowd offering cash to people in simple Q&A games.
The Real Deal on Your Prizes
As you might guess, the prize situation is complicated. Again, if you win big on “The Price is Right,” you’re forbidden from telling anyone about it until your show airs on TV!
Plus, if you win, you won’t take anything home that day from the studio.
After the taping, prize coordinators go through each prize the contestants win. They’ll spend up to an hour explaining the process.
While there’s no cash substitute up front, if they end up not being able to fulfill a prize you’ve won, you’ll end up getting the cash value.
“A New Car!”
New cars (or maybe Plinko?) draw the biggest roars from the audience. Winning a car on “the Price is Right” or any game show comes with some surprises.
The car you win on stage won’t be the car you take home. The show has deals in place with local dealerships, who try to match the car on stage to one they have on the lot.
Plus, they’ll work with dealerships near your home, so if you live in Pittsburgh you won’t have to take a road trip from California with your new car.
The same is true if you win a motorcycle, jet skis, or a boat.
You won’t get your car until after the show airs. The prize coordinator will promise: You’ll have it within 90 days of the show’s air date.
When you pick the car up, it’s your responsibility to pay the taxes that day, which can mean writing a check for a few thousand dollars.
Chances are, you may be able to “sell it back” to the dealership if it’s not something you like.
Vacation Packages
Winning a vacation package will come with some options.
The prize coordinator will ask you for three timeframes for your trip, which work for you and your schedule. They’ll choose the final dates and details.
There will likely be blackout dates around the holidays.
Prizes Won on “Contestants’ Row”
You won’t take anything home front he studio, even if it’s a small prize won on “Contestants’ Row.”
Contestants not appearing on stage to play a game get a consolation prize package, which they *will get to take home from the studio.
Taxes on the Prizes
The staff at ‘The Price is Right’ won’t give you tax advice, but they will let you know to expect a 1099 tax form in the mail.
The $60,000 in prizes are considered by the IRS to be an extra $60,000 in income!
If you win the “Showcase Showdown,” be prepared for a hefty tax bill in the spring!
If you win a trip, which you take the following year, you’ll get a 1099 from your original show year, and then a 1099 from taking the trip the following year.
Wrap: How to Get on “The Price is Right”
If you win big on “The Price is Right,” you’ll be tracked in an audience system!
It’ll prevent you from appearing on another gameshow for the next decade or so.
You’ll still be able to show up in an audience and attend a taping with friends, but your time on Contestants’ Row has come to an end … for now!
