Press Your Luck

Press Your Luck was an American television game show where contestants collected "spins" by answering trivia questions, and then used the "spins" on a board with dollar amounts. The person who amassed the most in cash and prizes at the end of the game won.

Strategy

The only real decision a contestant gets to make is whether to spin or pass (except for someone who cracks the board pattern like Michael Larson; however, this is definitely no longer possible). Occasionally, as noted previously, there are squares such as "move 1 space" or "pick a corner" that do offer a choice. Most of the time, the correct decision is obvious. However, a description of the exact optimal strategy is difficult.

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Since the revival Whammy! does not feature returning champions, in this version it is sometimes correct to risk losing the game in order to win more. In classic PYL, winning the game is the primary goal. For example, in Whammy!, if you're ahead $3000 to $500 with 1 spin left, you probably should spin again to increase your winnings. In classic PYL, this is a clearcut pass, because your opponent is unlikely to be able to get $2500 in one spin. (Only 1 to 2 out of 18 squares offer a chance to get that much, plus a few more squares offer a bonus spin.) Even though you only win $3000, the right to return the next day is valuable.

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