The Untold Story: Drew Carey Finally Opens Up About the “Price is Right” Crisis That Almost Rocked the Nation’s Favorite Game Show

Drew Carey Reveals the “Price Is Right” Plinko Cheating Scare You Didn’t See on TV

Think Plinko is pure, unpredictable luck? Think again. “The Price Is Right” host Drew Carey recently shared a behind-the-scenes story that almost rocked the very foundation of the beloved game, revealing a near-scandal involving some very strategically placed fishing line.

Speaking on Sirius XM’s “Jeff and Larry’s Comedy Roundup,” Carey recounted a moment early in his tenure, during his second season taking over hosting duties from the legendary Bob Barker (circa 2008), that sent a chill down his spine. The culprit? The seemingly innocent game of Plinko.

In Plinko, contestants drop weighted chips down a peg-filled board, hoping they’ll land in the coveted $10,000 slot. Carey described a particular contestant, a college student, who was experiencing an unbelievable streak of luck. “There’s a college girl that got to play Plinko, and she dropped her first three chips right down in the $10,000 spot,” Carey recalled, the disbelief still evident in his voice.

Three chips. Thirty thousand dollars. The crowd erupted, a wave of pure, unadulterated excitement washing over the studio. This contestant had seemingly shattered the previous Plinko record in a mere three plinks. But just as the fourth chip was released, the floor director rushed over, halting its descent. Leaning into a bewildered Carey, he uttered words that instantly evaporated the celebratory atmosphere: “The game is fixed.”

For Carey, the world tilted on its axis. “‘I’m going to jail. I’m losing my job. There’s gonna be a scandal,’ all these emotions going through my head,” he confessed, the weight of the potential fallout palpable even in his retelling. The sanctity of “The Price Is Right,” a daytime institution built on fair play and the thrill of chance, was suddenly under a harsh, unforgiving spotlight.

However, the impending scandal turned out to be less malicious conspiracy and more honest, albeit monumental, oversight. As Carey explained, prior to the start of that season, the show had filmed a commercial for a “Price Is Right” video game. To ensure a $10,000 winner every time for the advertisement, the Plinko board had been subtly rigged with thin fishing line. The problem? In the post-shoot bustle, the nearly invisible fishing line was never removed.

The show ground to a halt as producers and crew grappled with the unexpected revelation. A decision had to be made, and quickly. “Off-camera, we gave her the $30,000,” Carey revealed. They wanted to honor the contestant’s apparent winnings, acknowledging the extraordinary luck – or rather, the accidental assistance – she had received. However, those winnings couldn’t count towards her overall total, as that total plays a crucial role in determining a contestant’s fate later in the show.

To rectify the situation for the viewing audience, the contestant was given a fresh set of game chips, and the Plinko game continued as if nothing had happened. The viewers at home remained blissfully unaware of the near-catastrophe that had unfolded behind the bright lights and enthusiastic cheers.

In the end, the honor of Plinko was preserved, albeit with a behind-the-scenes scramble that could have easily spiraled into a major scandal. Drew Carey’s candid recounting of this “Price Is Right” secret serves as a fascinating reminder that even in the most seemingly straightforward games of chance, unexpected twists – sometimes involving a little bit of fishing line – can lurk just beneath the surface.