A few years ago the public radio program This American Life ran a story on Michael Larson, an ice cream truck driver who made more money than anyone in the show's history when he took home more than $110,000 after appearing on Press Your Luck. You know, the show where people wait to push a button and scream "No Whammies!" It was no luck that got him that huge prize-- Larson had memorized the algorithm that ran the game board, so that while all the other contestants hoped to get lucky and hit the button when it landed on a great prize, Larson knew exactly where it would wind up.
The radio episode, which you can listen to here, is fascinating, and makes you wonder what it would be like to see someone have that kind of winning streak on a TV show. Now you don't have to wonder. Larson's several-episode run is available on YouTube, and Mental Floss posted the whole thing, along with the entire documentary about Larson's winning streak. Below you can watch the moment in the game where he really starts to take off, constantly picking squares that don't just give him a ton of money, but extra "spins," meaning he'll pretty much never run out of chances to make more cash. Knowing that he isn't just pressing his luck, as the title suggests, but gaming the system makes the whole thing feel a little sinister in retrospect.
You feel bad for the other contestants, knowing they pretty much don't stand a chance against Larson, but I also envy them getting to witness something so spectacular. Check out Larson's entire, fascinating story at Mental Floss, and try not to think of this next time you watch a game show, which will seem completely mundane by comparison.
