When it comes to finding old game show episodes thought lost forever, there might be some possibilities. Since a lot of syndicated shows were sent to numerous affiliates, I wonder how many copied the episodes onto their own tapes before shipping the masters to other affiliates? An archaeological dig for sure, but you never know. Another person who might have some Wizard of Odds episodes is Rick Thomas Obsolete Videos on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2UipISexd0yg9VoNrxDhQ He uploaded a 1973 episode of Treasure Hunt thought previously lost. Most of what he's uploaded has been local newscasts and talk shows so far, but he's still going through shows taped directly off the television in the early 1970s.
Addressing both elements to this argument:
1) Given that local stations were notorious for keeping almost nothing of their own programs, barring some evidence that they hung onto tapes (such as extended reairings of certain programs), I would not count on your local affiliate keeping tapes around for no obvious reason.
2) The 1970s run of Treasure Hunt is understood to survive intact- it hasn't been rerun since the 1980s (apparently due to music cue issues), but there's no reason to think it is missing at all.
3) As for that YouTube account, there is clear evidence he has been largely trying to upload programs that won't set off the copyright hounds- note that some of his uploads have been pulled, and that others seem edited from longer tapes. As a result, I wouldn't interpret what he's been uploading online with what he has already digitized, much less is still going through now.
4) At any rate, what he has uploaded and what he seems to otherwise have seems largely to fit with what first adapters would have been recording in the early 1970s- and random daytime game shows weren't high on that list.
EDIT: With 2), insert "as a series" after "rerun"- yes, GSN showed a few episodes in the 1990s and 2000s, but not so many that the basic point is negated.
