‘Press Your Luck’ Player Shatters Controversial Record

Press Your Luck | YouTube

Press Your Luck returned in 2019 with Elizabeth Banks as the new host. The game show was always popular thanks to the “Whammys” and “No Whammy” chants when players spun the wheel. However, it was also known for controversy when a player in 1984 shattered records by memorizing the original pattern of the board to win over $100,000.

That controversial record has now been broken. Here is what you need to know.

New Press Your Luck Contestant Shatters Winnings Record

A player on Press Your Luck this past week just shattered the old winnings record with an incredible performance. It was impressive enough that host Elizabeth Banks pretended to faint on the podium when she saw how much he was winning in the game.

Press Your Luck | YouTube
Press Your Luck | YouTube

The contestant, Dylan, was competing in a game with a special Deadpool & Wolverine theme to coincide with this weekend’s big movie release. He was winning and avoiding the Whammy throughout the entire game. He had already won several prizes and free spins, and then he hit it big and won a $59,000 Dodge Charger.

This pushed him to just over $66,000 in winnings and he kept winning more and more until he hit just under $100,000. He had two more spins, and Whammies were still on the board. He then hit The Big 50, which won him $50,000 more. Finally, he spun again and landed on more money to push his total to $152,333.

Dylan stopped her and gave the other players a chance, but no one could catch him. This set a new Press Your Luck record, eclipsing the controversial prior record set in 1984.

What Happened With The Original 1984 Record?

The original Press Your Luck record was set in 1984 by a player named Michael Larson. While he broke no rules and played the game his way, he went down in infamy for his style of play. Larson had watched hours of Press Your Luck episodes and memorized the pattern of the spins, which was not random at that time.

 

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This allowed him to win over $100,000. When the show learned how he won, they looked into it. However, Larson broke no rules, and Press Your Luck awarded him the winnings anyway. The show then changed things up to make the spins on the board more random.

This ended up becoming a big deal in the television game show world. A documentary called Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal aired on the Game Show Network in 2003, exploring the controversy behind the win.

Dylan went on to the bonus round, winning more money and prizes and leaving with $229,000 in cash. His winnings totaled $302,333, shattering Larson’s old record.

What are your thoughts on the new Press Your Luck record holder? Are you happy to see Michael Larson finally lose the record? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Shawn Lealos
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