| Hosts | |
| Monty Hall (Pilots 1 & 2) Marjoe Gortner (Pilot 3) | |
| Hostess | |
| Marlise Ricardos (Miss California) | |
| Correspondent | |
| KC Winkler | |
| Announcers | |
| Charlie O'Donnell (Pilots 1 & 2) Dean Goss (Pilot 3) | |
| Taped | |
  | |
| Packagers | |
| Murray Schwartz Enterprises Paul Anka Productions | |
| Distributor | |
| Viacom | |
Betcha! was an unsold pilot where three studio contestants attempted to make wagers while predicting whether ordinary people can perform the stunt successfully or not.
Gameplay[]
Three studio contestants attempted to wager and predict whether people can perform a live stunt or not.
The game was played with four stunts. On each stunt, the performer of the stunt was brought out, the stunt was explained and the contestants then made their wagers and their predictions. The stunt then commenced and the performer received money for his/her work, $250 for failing and $1,000 for succeeding. On the contestant's side, a correct prediction won the wager while an incorrect prediction lost it.
Rules of the Hall Pilot[]
The contestants were each given a stake of $1,000 to start with. After the first part of the stunt was executed, the contestants then made their wagers and their predictions. Once they were made, their answers were revealed. After the stunt was over, the bets were revealed and then added or subtracted depending on their answers.
The player with the most money at the end of the game kept his/her cash and also won a prize package.
Extra & Altered Rules of the Gortner Pilot[]
On each stunt, the contestants were each given a stake of $100 to bet with. Then they got to set their own odds with an electronic odds maker wheel. It flashed odds from 2:1 to 5:1; the hostess Marlise started by pulling a lever and it stopped when a player hit his/her button.
Next came the rules explained above. Any money not used in the wagering was immediately added to their bank. Their predictions were revealed after the bets were revealed.
The final stunt of the show was the "Big Bet" which was played differently. This time the stake was immediately added to each of their banks; plus the odds wheel now had two Daily Double spaces, they represented 8:1 odds and one space marked 10:1. Finally, the bets were in secret and will not be revealed until after the stunt was over.
All contestants got to keep their cash, but the player with the most money also won a grand prize package.
Comparisons[]
Both the Hall & Gortner pilots had three of the same events, but a few differences along the way:
- For the math stunt, a male body builder was featured with the showgirls of Las Vegas in the Gortner pilot while Hall's pilot had just the showgirls.
- For the rowing stunt, although both versions had the same video clip. In the Hall pilot, both the rowing team & KC Winkler appeared in the studio together while in the Gortner pilot, only Winkler herself appeared in the studio.
- For the truck pulling stunt, only one fisherman appeared in the Hall pilot while in the Gortner pilot two fisherman appeared.
The betting wheel only appeared in the Gortner pilot, Hall's version did not.
Trivia[]
When odds landed on the maker wheel is lit up behind the contestant, the sound effect used in the fast money round from Family Feud can be heard.
O'Donnell was the announcer in the Hall pilot, while Goss was the announcer in the Gortner pilot.
Reporter KC Winkler was also a model on the short-lived revival of High Rollers with Wink Martindale from 1987 until 1988. This also marked the second time she and announcer Dean Goss has worked together, as they previously worked on '87 High Rollers revival.
The Big Bet was also the name of the final bet in the Money Cards game on Card Sharks.
In the "Big Bet", the reference of the "Daily Double" is also used on Jeopardy!.
From one of the Monty Hall pilots, Ben Wong previously did the Kevin O'Connell pilot of Keynotes and was contestant on Aussie Sale of the Century. Ande Swift later became a contestant on Blackout.
Music[]
Paul Anka
Production Slate[]
