“Millionaire” Tournament of Ten Day Eight: Jeff Birt
I think I’m starting to see a fascinating problem with Millionaire‘s Tournament of Ten: no one wants to risk their money to go for the million. The million dollar questions are so hard now (as they should be) that you’re not going to find someone to randomly gamble on it. It happened once in this tournament essentially, to Sam Murray, and he really lucked out and is looking like the winner of the tournament and $1,000,000. But it’s been amazing that practically everyone, during the hypothetical guesses from walking away, would have been right. I’m still enjoying the tournament and it’s really been exciting, it’s just becoming a bit predictable that if lower seeded players risking less money won’t go for it, that people with $100,000 or $250,000 aren’t going to either.
Day seven, with number four seed Matt Schultz, went like the rest. He was faced with this question:
The most-watched TV episode of all time, the final episode of “M*A*S*H” aired at 8:30 PM on February 28, 1983 following what sitcom?
A: Private Benjamin B: Square Pegs C: Alice D: Newhart
Again, he wasn’t sure. He walked away, and would have guessed C if he had to, which was correct. So given that $50,000 winners didn’t want to even risk $25,000 to win $950,000 more, I really don’t think we’ll be seeing people risk $75,000 or $225,000. But I’ve been wrong before. We were unbelievably close to having no one win the million, though.
Day eight features Jeff Birt from Louisville, KY. He’s got a question in the category of Nephelococcygia worth $1,000,000. Will he pan out like the others, walking away while knowing the right answer?
You can't forget that they may be taking into account the fact that the million is not guaranteed just because they risk it. Only Jehan get's the shot to see a million dollar question that she definately will leave with a million if she gets right.
You can't forget that they may be taking into account the fact that the million is not guaranteed just because they risk it. Only Jehan get's the shot to see a million dollar question that she definately will leave with a million if she gets right.
This was definitely on the minds of the contestants once the rules were revealed to us; a the risk increased, the reward decreased (and keep in mind, the “million” is paid out as $250,000 and a $30,000/year annuity, making it worth significantly less than a million, but still nothing to sneeze at). I can’t imagine they will repeat the same format. The risk need to be equalized. That being said, it was a great experience and I met a lot of incredible people (the “top ten” still stay in touch via facebook, and Sam Murray came to Louisville in June for my wedding). As a final footnote, I will say this: I should have gone for it. However, that decision is based upon the realization that after paying taxes I was risking much less than $75,000.
Jeff, I sat in the front row of the audience directly behind you when you were in the ring of 10 last summer. You didn’t make it into the hot seat but were brought back for the daytime version. I know the 9 people on the last show came back.
But i’m wondering, Did they ask you back or did you try out afterwards for the daytime version? Because I was shocked to see you and some other holdovers.