In game show formats like 'Let's Make a Deal,' participants must make strategic decisions between visible prizes and hidden alternatives, where the perceived value of known items versus potential unknown rewards creates psychological tension and teaches decision-making under uncertainty.
Deep Dive
Prerequisite Knowledge
- No data available.
Where to go next
- No data available.
Deep Dive
Let's Make A Deal | 1985 | Monty Hall | Big Deal: $8,264Added:
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING] - It's time for the all-new "Let's Make a Deal," starring TV's big dealer, Monty Hall.
[CROWD CHEERING] - Thank you very much. Welcome.
Thank you. Thank you.
Welcome to the all-new "Let's Make a Deal."
And we're all set to make some deals with these people, 36 traders on our trading floor from all over Canada, the United States, other parts of the world.
And we have so much fun with these people.
They're really good sports.
As I was talking to the audience just before the show today, and they promised, they all promised, sincerely, that not one of them would belt me.
Because I said, it works two ways, you know?
I'm going to give you a wonderful opportunity right now, Melinda.
And I like your little sign, Monty for president.
Sure, where were you when I needed you?
- Montana.
- Oh, that Montana for president.
Melinda Martin, I have a deal for you.
It's a very interesting one because I'm going to offer you your choice of a deal.
You can either have a caviar and champagne deal or a meat and potatoes deal.
- Meat and potatoes.
- You're a meat and potatoes girl.
And I'll give the champagne and caviar to Chris Pinkham, OK?
All right.
OK, now come over here, Chris Pinkham.
You may be seated for just a moment.
Because she gave you the-- are you doing all right in there?
- Yeah.
- Don't you throw your old Christmas trees away?
- No. - You just wear them, right?
OK.
Now Chris Pinkham, you're back there.
- Yeah. - OK.
Now let me explain the-- the caviar and champagne.
We have over here one pound, as you can see, one pound of beluga caviar and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne, vintage 1976.
Now I can't give you the champagne on the program.
We're not allowed to give away the champagne.
I just want you to see it. - [INAUDIBLE] - So what I will do-- no, afterwards.
So I'll pay you in cash double the price of the caviar and the champagne.
So you've got to think about what that Dom Perignon and the caviar would be worth.
And I'll give you double the amount in money.
Or you could have curtain number 1.
And what's back there, my dear, is a Rolls.
- No, I'm going to stick with-- I'm going to stick with the champagne and caviar.
- You're going to stick with the champagne.
She sticks with the champagne and caviar, and I take a look, and there is a Rolls there, a Rolls-Royce miniature.
It's a kiddy Rolls-Royce.
And-- and where did we get that Rolls, Brian?
- From a JC Penney catalog.
A battery-operated Rolls-Royce features working headlights, horn, and rubber tires.
Great fun for kids.
Imported from England and available through the JC Penney catalog.
- And that is an adorable little Rolls.
And I think I'll just take it home for my kids.
And you took double the price of the caviar and the champagne.
Let me tell you, it was a very wise choice because the caviar sells for $395.
That is a lot of caviar.
The champagne for $59.50.
The total rounded out, double the price of the caviar and champagne, comes to $909 for Chris Pinkham.
I think, if you add it all up, you'll find $909.
- Oh, I trust you.
- If there's more, you'll give it back, right?
- Oh, absolutely. - Sure you will.
OK, very good deal.
Now, meat and potatoes girl, you turned that down.
That was $909, a lot of caviar.
- That's a nice $909.
- Yeah, nice loot.
Now, before I offer you any deals, I want Brian to tell you about the meat and potatoes that you own, right here.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - Meat and potatoes kind of people like a meat and potatoes kind of meal.
Mary Kitchen roast beef or corned beef hash, from Hormel.
- Now, what goes with that is right behind the box that Karen is showing us right now.
You own that now, OK?
You own the meat, and the potatoes, and what's in the box that goes with it.
And if you don't want it, how would you like curtain number 2?
And I'll show you part of what's back there, all right?
And part of what's back there is calcium.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - Os-Cal Calcium supplement.
If your body isn't getting enough calcium, it could rob it from your bones.
Os-Cal Calcium, your body needs it.
- So what do you want?
Do you want the meat and potatoes because that's something that you already own, or do you want to go for the calcium and what's behind it?
- I'll go for the calcium.
- She's going to go for the calcium.
All right, she turned down the meat and potatoes.
Now, she had this.
And what went with it behind the box, Karen?
Show us what was behind that box that she already owned and turned down.
And back there, something to store it all in, major kitchen appliances to store it, to cook it, to enjoy it.
- First, the Kelvinator no-frost 16-cubic foot refrigerator-freezer.
Only 28 inches wide.
Has four adjustable cantilevered shelves, see-through meat keeper, and twin crispers, from Kelvinator Appliances.
It sells for $709.95.
And to warm-up or fast cook your meat and potatoes, the Litton Go Anywhere microwave oven for the family room, dorm, or kitchen.
It features electronic touch control, two memory levels, and clock, from Litton Microwave Cooking.
It retails for $349.
And Littonware microwave ovenware, a seven-piece starter set and micro-browner grill for frying and searing in a microwave oven.
Littonware microwave ovenware from Litton.
Total value of this deal, $1,148.90.
- Well, that was your meat and potatoes deal that you had, but don't despair because you still have a meat and potatoes deal.
Behind the calcium, she still gets meat and potatoes.
And there it is.
[MUSIC PLAYING] That steer is a reject from old McBrian's farm.
He is so tough, they won't even take him to the rodeo.
But he's going to be back there.
You take good care of him.
Melinda Martin, thank you for making this opening deal with me.
Thank you, dear.
Champagne and caviar did all right.
And as usual, more surprises coming up next, right after these words.
[MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] - OK, now as I look over the audience and try and find some names, here's two, the same [INAUDIBLE]---- same second name.
Diane Freese, is that right?
- Yes, yes.
- And Rick Freese, right?
- Yes.
- OK, now Diane and Rick Freese, I got a terrific deal for you.
It's a choice.
You could have the little box on Brian's tray or the big box on the display floor.
And it's your choice.
- Big things in little boxes?
- OK.
- Big things in little boxes?
We'll take the little box.
- They're going to take the little box, Brian.
They're going to pass up the big box.
You know, good things come in big boxes too.
Let's find out what was back of that big box.
Karen, give us the word, and move it out.
- And there was a brand new car.
That's right, not always behind a curtain, sometimes behind boxes.
And Brian is going to describe same for us.
- Mazda's GLC Custom L hatchback offers a beautiful balance of luxury and economy.
Velour seats and five-speed overdrive are among the many standard features from Mazda.
It retails for $7,615.
- Oh, dear, dear, dear, dear.
- [INAUDIBLE] - And you know, we would add tax and license for a total of $8,264, but you don't want to know about that because, oh, you just passed that up.
That just feels dreadful, doesn't it?
All right, listen, you still have the small thing.
You think the little boxes have good things.
So I'm going to let you trade away for a curtain this time, curtain number 3.
Now, do you want curtain 3, or do you want to keep this [INAUDIBLE]?
- Your turn.
- We'll-- we'll take the box.
- You're going to keep the box.
They've got a hunch they want to keep the box.
So take a look and see what was behind curtain number 3.
You will not believe it, it was a car again.
Oh, not once but twice.
- That's right, Monty.
That's the same Mazda GLC Custom L hatchback you just saw, and it still sells for $8,264.
- It is now slightly used by now, went down in price.
Holy mackerel, twice they lost the car.
Oh.
I'll tell you, it's a hard, long day.
Sometimes things just don't go right, right?
- Right.
- One of them days.
- One of those days.
- You want to trade one more time?
This time you can have what's behind curtain number 2.
- We're going to keep the box.
- We're going to keep the box.
- You're going to keep the box.
You figured, you've stayed with that, and you're stubborn.
You saw one car, you saw two cars, and you're still going to stay with the box.
And what was behind curtain number 2?
No, just that old steer back there.
Just the old steer, the old meat and potatoes deal.
No potatoes, just the steer.
And that means that you stayed with this box.
And you know what you got?
You got yourself popcorn.
You got a year's supply of popcorn.
But what kind of popcorn, Brian?
- Discover the great taste of Jolly Time Popcorn.
Always light, crisp, and delicious.
Jolly Time, our taste will win you over.
- Now listen, you've had a hard day.
Now, you think you got zonked, but you didn't.
Because behind here, there's an envelope for you, you see?
And there may not be a car in there, but there's a lovely consolation prize for your kids.
You ended up with popcorn, but you also have $1,500 in cash.
$1,500.
So you see, you lost two cars, but you came back with a very nice gift.
Thank you, Diane. - Thank you.
- And thank you, Mr. Freese.
It turned out to be all right after all.
- And not only that, Rick, but here's the popcorn.
I've got to go backstage and pop some popcorn, and I'll be back and get $1,200 with me for the next deal.
That's a lot of popcorn.
[MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] - OK, here we go with a little pricing deal.
We're going to have several competitors in this deal.
And the first two competitors are these two people.
Stand right up.
And these two people are Ronnell-- - Ronnell.
- Ronnell Brinson, Jolene Coleman.
A little pricing deal.
Brian describes an item, you price it.
The one that comes closest to the manufacturer's suggested retail selling price on the West Coast is going to get $400.
Are you ready to compete?
- Yeah.
- You're there.
You're with us, right?
OK, Brian, here we go.
- Webbs features the up-front kiltie stepping soft cowhide and one-piece molded sole in a variety of colors from Webbs.
- OK, would you give me a price on that, please?
- $32. - $32.
Jolene?
- $31.
- The price actually is $23.
Jolene Coleman comes closest, wins $400.
You, my dear, get the shoes. Thank you.
You made be seated.
[INAUDIBLE] 1, 2, 3, 4.
All right, the next pricing goes between you two guys.
Stand right up.
Steve Ballard and Dick Johnson.
Steve Ballard and Dick Johnson, and the moose speaks.
- Yes, yes. - OK.
Groomsman by Wahl, the new battery-powered trimmer to keep your beard, mustache, and sideburns looking barbershop fresh.
- All right, we get a price on this.
We'll start with the far gentleman, first.
- $40.
- And Steve says?
- $25.
- The price actually is $27.98.
Steve gets $400.
All righty.
And you get the trimmer.
You may be seated.
I'll be back with you in just a moment.
These two ladies.
Or, no, it's a lady and a gentleman.
Stand right up. Where's the dough?
Where's the beef?
Where's the beef?
Where's the dough, Albert?
- Where's the-- where's the meef [INAUDIBLE] beef?
- Where's-- you got-- you got the bread.
Where's the beef? - That's what I want.
- Yeah. - I'm looking [INAUDIBLE].
- I've got it, right here.
Rose Sherry, where's the drink?
Here's the Sherry. All right.
- I drank it all.
- You drank it.
And this little old lady's still waiting for champagne.
Rose and Albert, item number three.
Listen as Brian describes this.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - The Mr. Coffee Ultronic System.
Space-age technology for the most perfect cup of coffee on this planet or any other.
- All right, we'll let-- we'll let the lady go first.
- $36.
- And Albert?
- $59.
- The price actually is $69, and Albert gets $400.
And there's the beef. You may be seated.
You're going to get the item.
So you didn't do too badly.
- [INAUDIBLE] - Listen, you made enough bread, so now I've got the bread.
I've got the bread, you see?
Where are you going, Albert? Come here.
You got some money of mine. - [INAUDIBLE] I'm with you?
- Yeah.
- You're going to-- you're going to mess me up again.
- Did I mess you up? Did I get you $400?
- Yeah, but this other time.
- Oh, you think this next-- - I don't know.
- Well listen, hang on to your money.
Don't do a thing.
Don't even go for curtain number 1.
I didn't-- I didn't-- did I say a word about it?
Not a word. You got $400.
You don't want curtain number 1, do you?
- Number 1? Number 1?
- Yeah.
Yeah, number 1. - I didn't mess you up.
Somebody back there messed you up.
- My daughter. - Your daughter messed you up.
Give me back the money. What's behind the curtain?
Albert, you just traded yourself in for a beautiful set of furniture and a stereo.
- Beautiful, beautiful, thank you.
- All right. Sure.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - The La-Z-Boy Signature II sleep sofa and love seat.
They have a wide variety of fabrics that are suitable for any decor.
Enjoy elegance by day and comfort by night thanks to La-Z-Boy.
They're valued at $1,208.
And for your listening enjoyment, Hitachi's cassette-matched music system with FM/AM stereo-receiver and two-way speaker system.
It sells for $419.95.
This deal is worth $1,627.95.
- [INAUDIBLE] deal, Albert.
See, we didn't mess you up at all.
Good for you.
Now, Steve Ballard, you have $400.
You have a chance to buy what's in the box on the display floor.
- I'll take the box.
- Here comes the $400.
What have we got behind the box?
Did Steve Ballard make himself a very good deal?
Let's move the box and find out.
Here we go.
And it happens to be not one but two shuttles.
Hey, cowboy, you'll ride the range.
You won't need the hobbyhorse anymore.
You don't need this horse anymore.
You got those.
- It's a pair of Suzuki FA-50 shuttles.
The peppy shuttle features a dependable two-stroke engine, automatic clutch, and no-shift transmission, from Suzuki.
They retail for $798.
And for your car, the Black Max Auto Security System from Maxi Guard, featuring an action detector which provides continuous protection automatically every time you leave your vehicle.
From Maxi Guard.
It sells for $300.
Total value of this deal, $1,098.
- Good for you, young man.
Two right over here.
Jolene [INAUDIBLE].
Jolene, you have $400.
I'll show you part of curtain number 2, then you tell me whether you want to go for it.
Ready?
Open up the curtain and show her some finger lickin' good chicken.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - Kentucky Fried Chicken and fresh buttermilk biscuits.
You've got a right the chicken done right.
At Kentucky Fried Chicken, we do chicken right.
- There's something behind the chicken too, Jolene.
Everybody's telling you what to do.
Now, you got $400.
You want to buy the chicken and what's behind it?
- I'll take the money.
- I'll tell you what. What do you want to do?
- [INAUDIBLE] keep the money. - You don't want to go for it?
All right.
You sure about that, huh? - Yeah.
- All right, she didn't want to go for what's back there.
She wanted to keep the $400.
What was back of that curtain?
By golly, it was the steer once again.
And he brought another little one to keep him company too because he was getting so lonesome.
He was there for a whole half hour on this show.
So Jolene kept the money.
She has $400.
Congratulations to all our dealers on "Let's Make a Deal."
[MUSIC PLAYING] Albert did well.
Steve did well.
Jolene did well.
All right.
Now I tell you what I'm going to do.
I'm going to take a look at a couple of men over here and ask you, do you have a wallet, sir?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Do you have a wallet, sir? All right, stand up.
I want these two guys.
I'm going to give you $100 just for having a wallet.
And then, Dave Hattaway and Jim Blinson, I am then going to determine which of you-- show me your wallet. Why are you standing?
Do you think I'm going to pay you for just saying yes?
- You take my word? - No, I don't take your word.
- Oh. - Now open it up.
How much money have you got in your wallet?
The one who has the least amount of money is going to get $200. How much money you got?
- None.
- None?
Boy, we can't beat that. You got-- - You can beat it.
- What do you mean, you got none?
- None.
- Wait a minute.
All right.
Hey, listen, I'm a sport, I'm a sport.
I said $200 to the one who has least.
How do you guys live?
Oh, Mama, Mama.
And who's got your money?
Mama, Mama.
Don't tell me who controls the purse strings of America.
All right, now I'm going to give each of you $200.
You have $300.
You have $300.
And I'll tell you what else, I have something for sale.
It's on the display floor, and either one of you, or both, can buy it.
Do you want to buy the box for $300?
Do you want to buy the box for your $300?
- Yeah.
- Dave says yes. - Yes.
- Jim says yes.
The $300 comes back to me from each person, and each of them gets what's behind the box, and each of them is going to get a stuffed moose head.
And that looks prettier than the one that Brian was wearing because that one comes from Saskatchewan.
And Jim's got one and Dave's got one.
The old moose head zonk, we call that deal.
Thank you, guys.
You came with nothing, and you still have nothing.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Well, not really, they got a moose head.
Well, little moose head, what is the Big Deal worth today?
- The Big Deal today is worth $8,264.
- All right, I'll go to two of our traders and see if they want to take one more chance at that Big Deal, risking $8,264.
And first, I'm going to go to Rick and Diane Freese, who have $1,500 in cash and the popcorn.
You want to spend it?
They say yes.
Albert [INAUDIBLE],, do you want to give up the furniture and the stereo worth-- yes.
You just told me that's what you wanted.
- Oh, don't believe me. - Yeah.
Don't believe he says.
OK, all right, I won't believe you.
But I'll believe you when we come back for that Big Deal that takes place right after these messages.
[MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] - OK.
Here we go with the Big Deal of the Day.
It's worth $8,264, and it could be behind door number 1, or door number 2, or door number 3.
And Diane and Rick Freese are spending $1,500 for this.
- What do you think?
- 1. - 1.
- Door number 1.
And Albert, who's trading away all the furniture for $1,600 worth, brings his daughter along.
- Number 2.
- Number 2.
OK, you took 1.
Let's take a look and see what's behind door number 1 for the Freese's right now.
The Freese's traded $1,500 for Monty's Cookie Jar.
How much money in the Cookie Jar today?
There happened to be $765.
You've traded down exactly in half, and that's the way it is. - Yep.
- What a day, you passed up a car twice, you passed up $1,500.
You're going home with $765, which is better than a kick in the head, right? - That's right.
Thank you. - Thank you, Diane.
Thank you, Rick Freese.
All right.
Now, over here, Albert.
You still-- how come you got it back?
- You gave it to me. - What do you mean?
You gave it to me.
- I got it [INAUDIBLE].
- You-- don't you-- you can't trade back like that.
What door did you take?
- Number 2.
- Should we take a look and see what's back there?
- [INAUDIBLE] - We're going to whether you like it or not.
Gifts for fun at home.
- That's nice.
- First, this innovative chair.
Westnofa's concept in seating, the Balance Tri-post, three chairs in one, forward into balance, middle for lounging, and all the way back for reclining.
The Balance Tri-Post from Westnofa.
It retails for $549.
Plus a Service Merchandise gift certificate with which you might purchase this Atari video game system to challenge and entertain your whole family, from the 500-page Service Merchandise catalog or at one of their showrooms.
And those video games will look their best on this 13-inch Hitachi Quickstart color TV with random access electronic tuning.
It sells for $399.95.
And finally, for your home office, this Touch II by Teletec.
A quality two-line telephone system with many asked-for features for home or business, from Teletec Systems Incorporated.
It's valued at $395.
So far, this deal is worth $1,383.78.
- Do you like the deal so far? - [INAUDIBLE] - Well, then how about-- how about I reach in my pocket and give your daughter $1,000 in cash to go along with that deal?
You like that, huh? - You better believe it.
You better believe it.
- So that your deal-- so that your deal is worth more than just what he said.
It's $2,383 altogether.
- Thank you.
- And you just asked me a question.
You said, could there be a car back there?
Well, you've missed a car twice today.
Would you like to see a third time that you missed it?
Because there it, is behind door number 3.
And indeed, you did miss it for a third time today.
- I said, I bet the car's still there.
- And it was.
And there it was.
- That's the Mazda GLC Custom L hatchback, with five-speed overdrive among the many standard features.
It retails for $7,615, and we added tax and license to bring the total value of this Big Deal to $8,264.
- Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
How come you got this back again?
- Because you [INAUDIBLE].
- It keeps on coming back to you.
Well, I'm going to take it.
OK, now listen, there's a Statue of Liberty back there, and I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions about that.
And if you can answer these questions, I'm going to give you $50 for every right answer.
What country gave us the Statue of Liberty?
Don't tell her.
What country gave it to us as a gift?
- France.
- France.
You're right. $50.
A lady wrote a poem about the Statue of Liberty.
What was the lady's name?
- Oh, the lady, the lady.
- The lady.
- Don't know.
Emma Lazarus.
Give me the first seven words of that poem.
- [INAUDIBLE] - Give me your tired, your huddled masses.
How about that, Grace?
You didn't know anything about the Statue of Liberty.
- I'm from New York.
- And you're from New York too? - [INAUDIBLE] - You're only going home with $50.
That's not even enough to fix part of that statue that they're fixing up right now.
Grace [INAUDIBLE],, is that right? $50 is what you get.
All right.
Lady at the end of this row, Fay [INAUDIBLE],, is that right?
Fay, I tell you what, you can give me a can opener, I'll give you $100.
A bottle opener, $50.
A corkscrew, $100. - [INAUDIBLE] - None of these things?
Did you bring anything?
Don't tell me what you brought.
Show me some scissors.
I'll give you $100.
A nail file, $100.
An Emery board, $100.
Fay, don't you-- don't give her your bag.
She's got her own bag.
Fay, what am I going to do with you?
Fay, where do you live?
- The all-new "Let's Make a Deal" is a Stefan Hatos Monty Hall production in association with Telepictures.
- [INAUDIBLE] for $50.
- We don't have one [INAUDIBLE]..
Related Videos
Olympiad Mathematics | Indian | Can You Solve This One?
PhilCoolMath
650 views•2026-06-03
Escaping the Fog
LogicLemurGaming
760 views•2026-06-03
A Brutal Radical Expression Made Easy! The Shortcut Changes Everything.
tamoshop
112 views•2026-06-02
V : jee main /advance class 11 mathematics : Binomial Theorem class-1 ( 29 may 2026 )
dcamclassesiitjeemainsadva9953
125 views•2026-05-29
Is This Pentomino Tileable?
3cycle
241 views•2026-05-30
This Sudoku Has Many Lines!!
CrackingTheCryptic
2K views•2026-05-29
Olympiad Mathematics | Indian Can You Solve This One?
PhilCoolMath
268 views•2026-06-02
Olympiad Mathematics | Indian | Can You Solve This?
PhilCoolMath
669 views•2026-06-02











