Ep 20. Bingo to a Million

Deal or No Deal is a popular game show that features a contestant who tries to win as much money as possible by choosing the right briefcase with a cash prize inside. In season 2018 episode 20, titled "Bingo to a Million", the contestant is a retired nurse named Linda from Indiana who dreams of winning big to travel the world and buy a new house.

As the episode begins, Linda takes her place on the iconic stage in front of 26 briefcases, each containing a different amount of money, ranging from one penny to one million dollars. She chooses one briefcase to be her lucky case and hopes that it contains the million-dollar prize. The other cases are randomly assigned to 26 models, who each stand with a briefcase in front of them.

Host Howie Mandel begins the game by asking Linda a few personal questions, including her lucky number, her favorite vacation destination, and her experience with playing bingo, which is a theme for this particular episode. Linda reveals that she loves playing bingo and once won $800 in a game. Howie then explains the rules of the game and asks Linda to choose six briefcases to be opened in the first round.

Linda selects her first case, which is number 18, and the model opens it to reveal $1,000. The crowd cheers as Linda breathes a sigh of relief. She then chooses case number 1, which contains $500, followed by case number 11, which holds $5,000. Linda's luck seems to be on an upswing as she picks cases 20, 21, and 16, which all contain the smallest amounts of money.

After the first round ends, Howie receives the first offer from the banker, who is a mysterious figure that communicates with the host via phone and offers the contestant a certain amount of money to stop playing. The banker's offer is $35,000, which makes Linda and the audience gasp in excitement. However, Linda decides to keep going and chooses five more cases to open.

In the second round, Linda picks case number 12, which has $25, then case number 5, which has $50, and case number 17, which has $10,000. Her luck takes a turn for the worse when she chooses case number 6, which contains $500,000, and case number 25, which holds $750,000. The audience groans in disappointment as Linda's chances for winning a million dollars dwindle.

Despite the setback, Linda remains determined to continue playing and rejects the banker's second offer of $20,000. Howie encourages her to keep going and cheerfully interacts with the contestants and the models, who eagerly support Linda's choices.

In the third round, Linda selects case number 3, which has $1,000, followed by case number 24, which has $50,000. The banker's third offer is $55,000, which Linda considers for a moment before deciding to keep playing. She then picks case number 26, which has $200, and case number 13, which has $100.

As the game progresses, tensions rise and the studio audience becomes more and more involved in the outcome. Howie keeps the energy high and regularly reminds Linda that she has a chance to win big if she chooses the right case.

In the final round, Linda must choose between her original case (number 18) and the case of the last remaining model. Before making her final decision, she consults with her daughter, who is sitting in the audience, and listens to advice from Howie and the models. The tension is palpable as Linda makes her final decision, and the audience holds its breath as she opens the case.

To find out what happens next and whether Linda becomes a millionaire or not, viewers need to watch the entire episode. "Bingo to a Million" is a thrilling installment of Deal or No Deal that showcases the excitement and drama of the show, as well as the engaging personalities of the contestants and the models. With a mix of luck, strategy, and nerve, Linda tries to achieve her dream of winning big, and viewers are sure to be on the edge of their seats until the very end.