Price is Right fans suspect they’ve found ‘loophole’ to ‘unfair’ game and warn producers to act fast before new season

GUESSING the prices of popular merchandise and jet-setting trips isn’t child’s play – just ask any of the contestants featured on The Price Is Right.

Fans of the longest-running game show in US history believe they’ve uncovered a major flaw in what they consider one of the most difficult pricing games on the show, leaving producers scrambling for solutions.

Drew Carey hosts The Price Is Right as contestant Erik plays 3 StrikesCredit: youtube/priceisright

Drew Carey hosting The Price Is RightCredit: Getty

Drew Carey has hosted The Price Is Right since June 2007Credit: CBS via Getty Images

BATTER UP

The Price Is Right features several pricing games, though one game has consistently had one of the show’s best prizes.

3 Strikes debuted on February 12, 1976, and has notoriously become one of the most challenging games in the show’s history.

The payoff, however, is huge, with contestants vying for a chance at a massive prize: a brand-new car.

The game’s rules are relatively simple, with contestants being shown eight “baseballs.”

Five of the baseballs are white and labeled with a non-repeating number that represents the price of the car.

The other three balls are red and marked with a giant X to signify a strike.

All eight balls are placed into a rotating drum – resembling a giant baseball – and shuffled around before a contestant draws balls one-by-one from the bag.

If a contestant draws a ball with a number, they must place it in one of five empty slots that make up the car’s price.

If they’re correct, the ball’s digit lights up on the screen, and the ball is discarded.

If they’re incorrect, a buzzer goes off, a “NO” appears on the screen, and the ball must be returned to the bag.

A foghorn sounds off if a contestant draws a ball with a strike, and an X marker is lit up on the board.

Contestants must keep drawing balls from the bag until they place each digit in the correct spot – thereby winning the car – or until they draw three strikes – which signifies they’ve lost the game.

PLAY BALL

After winning the One Bid round, Erik got a chance to play the infamous game.

He ran up to the stage to greet the show’s host, Drew Carey, who chuckled at the contestant’s shirt.

Erik’s shirt read: “HELP…I NEED A RIDE HOME!!”

The announcer confirmed they could “probably” help him with that, before revealing the grand prize was a Range Rover Evoque S.

Drew then revealed the five numbers, which included: zero, one, two, four, and six – along with the three strikes.

Erik’s first number was “one,” and he correctly placed it in the third slot.

He then pulled a strike, which he dropped in the bucket.

Erik then drew a six and correctly guessed that it would go in the second slot.

His luck ran out after drawing a two, which he incorrectly placed in the first spot before drawing it back in the drum.

After drawing another strike, he gave the drum another spin, and was able to correctly place the “zero” ball in the fifth spot.

Erik then drew “two” again, and he correctly placed it in the fourth spot.

After rustling around the drum, Erik drew the last available number – a four – and placed it in the first spot, winning the luxury vehicle.

Price is Right contestant Erik incorrectly guessed that the number two would be the first number in the price of the carCredit: youtube/priceisright

3 Strikes involves five numbered baseballs and three red “strike” ballsCredit: youtube/priceisright

The Price is Right host Drew Carey looks on as Erik tries to guess which number goes into which spotCredit: youtube/priceisright

HOME RUN

The Range Rover was priced at $46,120.

“That’s pretty special right there,” Drew laughed as Erik ran over to his prize, jumping up and down and dancing in the process.

Longtime viewers and fans of the show were ecstatic to see someone win the tricky game.

“Finally…. a well deserved win on 3 Strikes! Way to go, Erik!!!!” wrote one viewer.

“FINALLY!!!!!! I have been looking forward to someone winning Three Strikes because it’s been one h*ll of a rough dry spell of over four years since the last win back in October 2016,” commented another viewer.

“Lol love it when he Bust out a Carlton Dance from Fresh Prince,” another viewer wrote.

Price is Right fans suspect they’ve found ‘loophole’ to ‘unfair’ game and warn producers to act fast before new season/Taken without permission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrbZdyAsIt4Credit: youtube/priceisright

FOUL BALL

Still, not all viewers were excited about Erik’s win, with some commenting on how Three Strikes is “the worst” game on the show.

“IMO – this is the worst game they have,” a viewer commented.

“This is the Price is Right not Let’s Make a Deal,” another viewer wrote.

“The absolutely worst game on the Price is Right is ‘Three Strikes’,” another user tweeted.

“You have an awesome mega cool & expensive prize that you are just about guaranteed NOT TO WIN.

“That game is my most non fave…” they added.

The Price is Right Hosts

The Price is Right first came on TV in 1972. Fans fell in love with the game show so much that it has been on for over 50 years. Throughout that time, the show has had a few different hosts. Find out who they are below.

Bob Barker – 1972 to June 2007 (also became executive producer in 1988)

Drew Carey – October 2007 to present

Dennis James – filled in for Bob in 1974 when he missed four episodes, also hosted the nighttime version

Craig Ferguson – 2014 April Fools Day Special

YOU’RE OUT

“This game has a flaw that can make the win rate sky rocket,” one viewer revealed.

“The non strike balls have numbers on them that are taped on,” they continued.

“You need to feel the ball for a number before lifting it out.”

“The only concern I have with…letting the contestant place [the balls] in the bag themselves is that they could somehow mark the balls…to make the strikes easier to identify,” another user wrote, seemingly finding a loophole in the game.

“The player cheated,” one viewer alleged, though there weren’t any facts to support their claim.

“Standards and Practices would never allow them to cheat like you said,” one user wrote.

“It’s also unnecessary because 3 Strikes is a hard game,” they added.

3 Strikes may not be rigged on purpose, but there’s nothing stopping contestants from sneaking a peek inside the baseball drum or from trying to feel out the numbers – and strikes – on each ball.