Rumor Control: “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” Gets a New Money Chain After All
Who Wants to be a Millionaire will apparently be receiving a new money chain after the first week of shows. Nothing’s confirmed and they have not used this chain in actual play yet. We’re being told that the new chain is as follows:
$1,000,000
$500,000
$250,000
$100,000
$50,000
$25,000*
$15,000
$12,500
$10,000
$7,500
$5,000*
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
$500
The new chain is fine by me, but tt’s time for my favorite: Random Ass Theory Time. To all future producers, your job is to make the show as entertaining and exciting as you can while keeping a budget and really trying to save whatever money you can. The figures are larger, yes. This should cause a small amount of more walk-aways this season. But the big picture is $5,000 is now the theoretical benchmark since few don’t make it past that first tier. $5,000 is a very nice amount of money. People will be more willing to gamble money if they know they have $5,000 to fall back on. This will cause a few more higher wins, yes, but most likely it will cause more people losing money and going back down to $5,000, thus saving money. I’d like to hope people have enough sense to not go for $15,000 if they don’t know it, since they are risking $7,500 for $2,500 more which is an absolutely idiotic gamble, but I’d guess a large amount of people will.
I would just like to say I don’t think it’s that bad of a chain. The only figure which baffles me is the $12,500 but beyond that, eh, whatever. It’s the same old show. It’s just my theory that they are looking for people to walk away earlier and/or make people gamble more with the $5,000 fall back. The rest of the chain beyond the $12,500 I’m fine with. There’s just something strange about that figure.
I know it’s a nice and heartwarming feeling to think that they are trying to help people out and give them more money, but I can just about guarantee that’s not the case. The show hasn’t used this money chain yet. Want to throw out your suggestions for a money chain for shiggles? Knock yourself out. For instance, I think that 2nd tier would be much smarter to just go $6,000; $8,000; $10,000; $15,000; and finally $25,000. It accomplishes the same goals they are trying to get but doesn’t look at bizarre. But again, I have no real issue with the new chain. It’s more money. I won’t complain about that. This is not the end of the world and the end of the show like many make it out to be.
Hadn't thought of travel expenses etc. – probably because I live in a geographically small country :) Two nights' hotel accommodation near the Millionaire studios just outside London would probably be £200, rail fare from the furthest town or city of any size from the studios is £125 return, £1,000 is definitely enough for travel expenses.
My First Rule of Millionaire Chains is this: each increase should be more than the amount at risk. The original meets this condition, almost every variation does not (including the existing US chain).
If we take it that we must have a 15-question tree with Q5 worth $5,000, here's how I'd go from there:
*$1,000,000*
$500,000
$250,000
$125,000
$64,000
*$32,000*
$16,000
$10,000
$7,500
$6,000
*$5,000*
Personally, I think a better-than-the-British 12-question prize tree with milestones at Q4 and Q8 would work better:
*$1,000,000*
$300,000
$125,000
$64,000
*$32,000*
$20,000
$12,000
$8,000
*$5,000*
$2,000
$1,000
$500
Speeds up the game for syndication, throws players in at the deep end, achieves the other goals of the new tree, doesn't violate the First Rule, and provides enough incentive to go for the million and potentially create either another millionaire (which they clearly want) or another Ken Basin (which would also be dramatic).
Either way, I think the German/Austrian lifeline/milestone gamble should be implemented; at the start of the game, you can choose to sacrifice the second milestone in favour of an extra lifeline. Maybe 50:50 could be added in as well as Double Dip as that 'extra lifeline'.
Well, this is nothing, really, but I should note "each increase should be more than the amount at risk" saying the original does isn't exactly true on the $300 and $500 questions, as well as the $200 and $1,000 questions which were even odds.
very, very good.
I love that everything you just said.
The latter is a Perfect Chain
and the extra lifeline is a great idea as well
But I would sacrifice the 1st $5,000 Milestone instead of the 2nd $32,000 Milestone.
Actually I think a 10 Question chain would work better
$1,000,000
$300,000
$150,000
$75,000
$50,000*
$25,000
$10,000
$5,000*
$1,000
$500
You're more likely to risk $250,000 for $1,000,000 instead of $475,000
And $300,000 is a huge amount of money…
I believe that the 12 question format is the best. I am not dissing the new chain. I think it's good that you finally start off with some REAL money! I mean even if you use all of your lifelines early at least you have an amount where it is worth more than the paper it's written on. But in that vain here is the one we use in the bar that where I play host. It is the 12 question format. Additionally, I think they should raise the top dollar value.
$2,000,000
$750,000
$500,000
$250,000
$150,000
$100,000**
$50,000
$25,000
$10,000
$5,000
$2,000**
$1,000
Haha Sean this isnt the Power of 10! We know how that worked out. FAIL.
OK, here's my money chain idea, based on 12 questions:
$1,000,000
500,000
250,000
100,000
50,000
25,000*
15,000
10,000
7,500
5,000*
2,500
1,000
The first couple of questions would be easy, then it gets into serios mode.
A chain without any oddball amounts…
$1,000,000
$500,000
$250,000 (The top 3 should still remain the same)
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000* (Anyone remember $32,000? A higher guarantee will encourage players to stay in the game longer)
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000* (We're almost all in agreement with the first five)
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
$500
Call me crazy, but this is probably the best tree they can use:
$1 Million
$500,000
$250,000
$125,000
$64,000
*$32,000*
$16,000
$8,000
$4,000
$2,000
$1,000
$500
$300
$200
$100
IDK, call me crazy, cause this is a reeeeeeally cooky money tree. And just to make it MORE crazy, how about startin the clock AFTER reading the answers?!
Although I would MUCH rather have the original tree, this would be my suggestion for a 15-question tree:
$1,000,000
$500,000
$250,000
$100,000
$75,000
$50,000
$25,000
$15,000
$10,000
$7,500
$5,000
$4,000
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
OR, if it were to be based on the original tree…
$1,000,000
$500,000
$250,000
$125,000
$64,000
$32,000
$16,000
$8,000
$4,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,000
$500
$250
$100
I'll admit that the $2,500 looks weird there before $4,000, especially when there was just a $1K increase from the fourth to fifth question, but meh. It's the best I can think of.
In many foreign countries, the 12 step ladder seems to be working well, but I would put a safety net up every 4 questions:
12: $1,000,000
11: $500,000
10: $250,000
9: $100,000
8: $50,000***
7: $30,000
6: $20,000
5: $15,000
4: $10,000***
3: $5,000
2: $2,000
1: $1,000