1980 - 2006 (Retired)
Hit Me is a game based on blackjack played for a bonus prize. At the beginning of the game, the house draws two cards; one is kept face down and the other shown to the contestant. The contestant is then shown six grocery items. Five of the grocery items show a price which is the ARP of the product multiplied by a whole number. One of the items displays the exact price of the product. If the contestant chooses one of the items multiplied by a whole number, a card representing the multiplier becomes part of the contestant's blackjack hand. For example, should the contestant choose an item with an ARP of $3.79 which is displayed as $37.90, the contestant would receive a 10. The one product with the actual prize displayed is represented by an ace, which can count as one or eleven. If the contestant's hand goes over 21, the game is over. If the contestant hits 21, s/he wins automatically. Should the contestant stand on a hand lower than 21, the house plays out the hand it started at the beginning of the game. As long as the house has 16 or less, it must hit. The house stands at 17. In such a case, if the contestant's hand beats the house, s/he wins the bonus prize. In the event of a tie, the contestant also wins.
Along with Clock Game, Hit Me is definitely the easiest game to win on the show. The obvious strategy is to find the item that is exactly right along with the item that is multiplied by 10 to earn an easy blackjack. For some reason, contestants have the most difficult time figuring this strategy out!
The contestant cuts the cards for the house from a deck of 34 playing cards. Six additional (different) cards represent the products on the Hit Me board. At first Bob played dealer with the house's cards but now the models (currently Kathleen) perform that function.
At first, there were no face cards in the Hit Me deck, and a prize multiplied by 10 was represented by a 10. Face cards are now an integral part of the game.
Despite being pretty much a no-brainer to win, Hit Me was retired in 2006 for being "too confusing" to contestants.
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| Here's the Hit Me board from a 1999 ep. | Cut those cards! The house will draw from that deck. |
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| The house has a 9 showing...that's not too bad. | Hmm...does something look suspect about this VO5? TPiR uses this conditioner almost every day. |
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| What did I tell ya? | Uh oh...didn't want that 2. |
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| Wow, this guy was really messed up. He stood at 16...the house has 14 and has to hit... | What luck! The house busted! Kathleen can breathe a sigh of relief. |
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| Some contestants aren't so lucky. This was the first playing of Hit Me, and the contestant got beat by one! Note that Bob is handling the cards. |