NBC'S NEWEST GAME SHOW IS STATISTICALLY INVALID

This is how it works. A contestant selects 1 out of 26 briefcases that contains an amount ranging from 1 penny to 1 million dollars. That case remains unopened while the contestant first chooses 5 cases whose contents are revealed. The object , of course, is to select the cases which reveal the lowest numbers, which means his case would contain a higher number, hopefully the 1 million dollars.

After he has chosen 5 cases, a hidden banker calls the emcee and reveals what kind of deal he will make. For instance, on Tuesday night's show, a contestant from Mass. had only 4 cases left--$1,000; $300,000;$400,000;and $500,000. The banker offered him $238,000 to make the deal. Of course, greed set in and he refused. He picked a case that contained $500,000. Then the banker offered him $189,000. Keep in mind there were only 3 left: one for 10 thou and one for 300 thou and one for four hundred thou.

Now there are two things I haven't told you. One doesn't matter. This is it. The cases are held by beautiful women in short dresses. The other does matter.

A little info blurb comes across the bottom of the screen telling the viewers that the odds of this particular contestant having either the $3 or $4 hundred grand is 66%. WRONG!!!!!
That's not taking into account that the one he selected was from 26. So first of all, he would have to have incredible good fortune to pick either a $300 or $400 thousand case out of the 26 possibilities. And with only 3 left, there's simply no way that that's 66%.

He took the deal, got $189,000 and when they opened his case, it was for $10,000. What a deal. And maybe not a bad game show, but statistically it doesn't add up and never will. I'm just glad my old stat teacher in Research 500 is not alive to witness such a numerical mockery.