Three on a Match (NBC; Episode 5)

[pathfinder20]

$20 on the red.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding) (scattered cheers)

Another Take Away card. Find the third and you'll play for up to $100,000.

[pathfinder20]

Let’s try 40 on the green.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(dings; audience cheers)

That's a win! Kourtney, please stand by, we'll play Take Away -- right after this.

(theme plays; audience cheers)

[dougmorrisontheair]

(theme plays)

Steve: Our contestants will receive Rust-Oleum. Skip the work next year with Rust-Oleum this year. Its primer penetrates rust by driving out air and moisture, then forms a top coat for a tough barrier against the elements. That's the real beauty of Rust-Oleum, the name that means protection.

Steve: We'll be back with more of Three on a Match after this word of interest. Closed captioning provided by...

[dougmorrisontheair]

And welcome back to Three on a Match. Let's tie up a few loose ends.

John, as promised, the loss will not count against you. Again, there was some gray area with one of the questions we played in the 1950s music category. So -- we're taking the better safe than sorry approach. If you win the next game, you'll still play for up to $30,000 in Three in a Row.

Kourtney, we owe you a chance at up to $10,000 in Three in a Row. You'll be spending $530 at Three in a Row in a bit.

But first -- you'll play Take Away up here at the grid. Ready?

[pathfinder20]

Yes!

[dougmorrisontheair]

Okay, we start by placing $50,000 in the kitty. Randomly hidden in eleven of these boxes are cash awards that total $50,000. Behind the 12th is one Take Away card.

The sooner you find the Take Away card, the game ends -- and you'll *take away* that much money from the kitty. I'll show you.

By the way, all these boxes are free for the taking. So let's say I pick $30 on the blue.

And I find $2500. That's not the Take Away card. But we just took away $2500 from the kitty. So -- we'll try again.

How about -- $40 on the yellow.

Ouch -- that box just took away $10,000. I'm down to $37,500. Let's go $20 on the green.

And there it is -- the Take Away card. The game's over and I'm $37,500 richer.

I -- wish I were $37,500 richer.

(scattered laughter from crowd)

Now, as we shuffle all the cards on the board, Kourtney, here's where the $100,000 payoff comes into play.

If your *first* pick is the Take Away card, we'll double the amount in the kitty -- meaning you'll take away $100,000.

(audience cheers)

Any questions?

---

(Kourtney, in case there are no questions, please pick "(amount) on the (color)".)

[pathfinder20]

No questions: Let’s try $40 on the blue and hope that’s the Take Away Card.

[dougmorrisontheair]

I hope so, too.  Do we have a hundred grand win off the bat?

(ding)

No -- $1500 -- so that means we take $1500 away from the kitty. You're left with $48,500.

[pathfinder20]

Let’s try $30 on the yellow.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

Taking away $2500 -- down to $46,000.

By the way, you may take all four boxes in a column since you're not trying to match three things up.

[pathfinder20]

$40 on the green.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

Found $3500 -- taking you down to $42,500. Still good money if you can find the Take Away card on this next pick.

[pathfinder20]

$40 on the red.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding) (scattered groans)

Ouch -- that was a big take of $10,000 away from the kitty. $32,500.

[pathfinder20]

Let’s clean out the $40 column with $40 on the yellow.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(dings; audience cheers)

There it is! Woah -- and you were so close to finding this in the first place. You went to 40 on the blue -- and the Take Away card's been one row above all this time.

Well -- it's not $100,000 -- but it's $32,500. *And* -- a total of $60,000 can be won at Three in a Row. Ready for that, Kourtney?

[pathfinder20]

Yes, I am.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Then let's add to that $32,500 at the Three in a Row area -- by heading that way.

(audience applause; theme plays) (Doug and Kourtney walk to bonus area)

Now, Kourtney, the bad news is the $32,500 you won from Take Away cannot be spent here. The good news is...

(ding)

...the $530, most of which you collected for winning the game, can be spent here.

Kourtney, we've randomly hidden the numbers 1 through 9 with no duplicates in these boxes. You'll buy each number at the rate of $100 -- sight unseen.

Just after you put $100 on a certain number, we'll reveal it's location. Then, you'll continue your buying spree until you can't afford any more numbers or until three of the numbers you've bought are in a row straight across, up and down, or diagonally.

If your first three picks are in a row, you win an instant bonus -- of $50,000.

(audience cheers)

Any questions?

---

(Kourtney, in case there are no questions, please put "$100 on the (number)".)

[pathfinder20]

Let’s start with $100 on the one.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

And you're starting at the top center. So if you find the other numbers in the top row, that's 50 grand. The others in the middle column would also pay off 50 grand.

[pathfinder20]

$100 on the nine.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding) (scattered woos and cheers)

Bottom center.

Buy the number right in the middle and you'll turn that $100 investment into $50,000.

[pathfinder20]

$100 on the 7.

[dougmorrisontheair]

I hope 7's the lucky number. Is it for $50,000?

(ding) (loud groans from crowd)

Right row -- wrong column.

Okay -- $50,000 out of reach. A $10,000 payoff is possible. Let's keep going, Kourtney.

[pathfinder20]

$100 on the 6.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

Upper right.  So you'll need the upper left number or the exact middle number in order to advance further, Kourtney.

[pathfinder20]

Let’s try 4.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Kourtney puts $100 on the 4...

(dings; audience cheers)

Just made it.

Okay.

Now for the next phase. We've loaded the board with thousands of dollars in cash awards in addition to the numbers.

Kourtney, you'll choose up to three visible numbers, one at a time -- and you don't have to limit yourself to the top row. The 7 and 9 are in play.

When you choose a number, we'll reveal the cash prize behind the number. You may then stop and keep the money -- or trade it in for another number.

The highest cash award in this grid is $10,000. Hopefully you bought the number that hides the ten grand.

So, good luck and please pick any visible number.