3 Strikes (+)

1976 - Present

Three Stirkes is a popular game played for a car. The contestant is shown four chips, each with one of the digits of the price of the car. In addition, three chips with x's (strikes) are placed in the bag. The contestant picks chips from the bag one by one. If the contestant picks a number, s/he must guess which position in the price of the car the digit belongs. If s/he is right, the number lights up on the board and the digit is discarded. If not, the digit is placed back in the bag. If the contestant should pick a strike, the strike is removed from the bag. The contestant wins if s/he fills out the price of the car before picking out all three strikes.

In 1998, the producers realized that with the advent of five-digit cars (see below), the odds against winning were pretty high. In order to produce some winners (or at least make the game more exciting), the rule regarding the strikes was changed. Instead of placing three strikes in the bag, only one strike is used. However, should the contestant choose the strike, it goes back into the bag and can be picked again.

Name Change: In the period between 1985-1992 when both four- and five-digit cars were used on the show, Three Strikes alternated between Three Strikes (for four-digit cars) and Three Strikes + (for five digit cars). An extra readout was stuck at the end to allow for a fifth digit. By 1993, Three Strikes was only played for five-digit cars--and nice ones, for that matter. From that point on, Three Strikes was played only for luxury cars such as Porsches, Cadillacs, and Lincolns--often worth more than $40,000.

Set Change: In addition to the changes mentioned above, the 3 Strikes sign went from green to gold in the late '70s. A graphic representing three baseballs was added to the bottom of the board in the late '80s. Around the same time, an incorrect choice for digit placement was represented by a red circle stating "NO". Previously, only a sound effect was used. In the 1990's, the "$" stuck on the end of the board became a regular window with an electronic "$". In 1998, the "NO" graphic was changed to a graphic with the word "NO" on a baseball.

Here's the 3 Strikes board in its four-digit incarnation.	The five is one of the digits in the price of the car--but where does it go?

Those pesky three strikes!	Here's Bob mixing up the bag that holds the chips and the strikes.

Reach deep into that bag! She picked a 9...	...and she placed it correctly! It was the third digit. She went on to win this $4195 car.

Here's what you DON'T want to see...that's the first strike on the three strike display.	Here's 3 Strikes from 1980 or so. Note the change in the sign color.

Just to drive the fact home a little harder, this "NO" symbol was added for wrong answers in the mid '80s.	Another Three Strikes loss, but at least it shows the whole board lit up.

Wow! A Cadillac! There's no way that will fit on the standard 3 Strikes board...	...never fear! It's more than 3 Strikes, it's 3 Strikes + !

And a win to boot! $27,869 for a car was pretty expensive back in 1986; hey, it's expensive these days too! What a win!	In 1999, this contestant knows that only one strike is put in the bag. Bob shows it to the audience for confirmation.