U.S. National Lottery Game Show

[tvmitch]

Looks like BBC1 is airing a new National Lottery game show tomorrow called "Secret Fortune." I've always been partial to the National Lottery game shows, and the way they are presented, with the favorite being Winning Lines. This new one looks interesting, hope it turns up in the usual places.

Turning the discussion stateside. What is stopping our lotteries from doing a nationwide Lottery game show? Now that Powerball and Mega Millions share a joint sales agreement (I believe that's what it's called), wouldn't it be feasible? There certainly can't be a shortage of money to fund such a thing. And at least one of the drawings is set up at Universal...Powerball, I think. Ten years ago, this discussion wouldn't have been as relevant. But now, 43 out of 50 states participate in at least one of the big draw games, and 40 of 50 states participate in both.

A lottery game show like what the BBC shows, format changing 2-3 times a year, telecast on a U.S. cable network. Live. Heck, it could be on GSN. A wider reaching network like TBS or USA might be more ideal. But properly done, it could easily be GSN's highest-rated show.

Should be live. Slick presentation, big money game that is more involved/skill-based than anything Jonathan Goodson ever did. And a live draw could be integrated at the end of the show; if the show ran 10-11pm Eastern, the live draw might conclude the show, or have something to do with the gameplay of one of the final rounds of the show, like setting the final jackpot, or something similar. "Powerball Instant Millionaire" but to a far grander scale.

Is this too far-fetched? The problems I see are that the current presentation of the live draws both look like they are broadcast from my unfinished basement, and that the local stations might not want to give up the live draw exclusivity. But many of these stations tape-delay the draw anyway, and could still show the draw taped from the show, so maybe that's not as much of an issue.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'256929\' date=\'Feb 11 2011, 09:39 AM\']There certainly can't be a shortage of money to fund such a thing.[/quote]
Money to fund it isn't the question.  The question is whether such a project MAKES money.  The other issue is that lottery shows, at least in this country, are specifically NOT designed to be knowledge or skill based.  Some are made to look like they are, and some might have a sliver of strategy to them, but they are essentially games of luck with little play-along value, and as such, are generally not crowd-pleasing.

[tvmitch]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'256932\' date=\'Feb 11 2011, 09:57 AM\']Money to fund it isn't the question.  The question is whether such a project MAKES money.  The other issue is that lottery shows, at least in this country, are specifically NOT designed to be knowledge or skill based.  Some are made to look like they are, and some might have a sliver of strategy to them, but they are essentially games of luck with little play-along value, and as such, are generally not crowd-pleasing.[/quote]
This is my point, though, that the show would need to step out of the "this jumping box might knock over your blocks" format. With that change and some other changes, the show could certainly make money. And it should increase lottery ticket sales, too.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'tvmitch\' post=\'256933\' date=\'Feb 11 2011, 10:02 AM\']This is my point, though, that the show would need to step out of the "this jumping box might knock over your blocks" format. With that change and some other changes, the show could certainly make money. And it should increase lottery ticket sales, too.[/quote]
But then your point seems to be "a really good game show could be successful nationally".  A good game is a good game, whether it has anything to do with a lottery or not.  A lottery game show that isn't based on pure luck is...a game show.

[mmb5]

Isn't there also a legal requirement that the all lottery games must be by chance in the US otherwise it is not a lottery and is now a game of skill?  And by extension, that would include anything played on a show?

I never understood the appeal of lottery shows.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'256932\' date=\'Feb 11 2011, 06:57 AM\']but they are essentially games of luck with little play-along value, and as such, are generally not crowd-pleasing.[/quote]
[quote name=\'mmb5\' post=\'256938\' date=\'Feb 11 2011, 08:47 AM\']I never understood the appeal of lottery shows.[/quote]
QFT, both of you. That said, I enjoyed The Big Spin in CA (we always referred to it as "the SPIIIIN the big prize wheel!" show, calling back to an old George Carlin bit): but back when it was simply a procession of people spinning the wheel. The second they tried to add random, skillless "game show" elements to it, it became much less interesting.

By pure random chance, last night I came across the Michigan Lottery's "Fame and Fortune" show last night on YouTube. That program pretty much exemplifies everything wrong with the concept of a "lottery" show, particularly when a contestant would agonize over the choice between an "O" or an "N".

[curtking]

This is tangentially related, but today's Variety is reporting that Nigel Lythgoe has bought the format for "Secret Fortune" to bring it to the US:

Variety Article