A contestant on Press Your Luck set a new record and wowed host Elizabeth Banks in the process.
At one point, the host even fell onto the podium, amazed at how well the contestant was doing.
Several weeks ago, the popular game show returned to television with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Lucky 13, and more.
Thursday’s Press Your Luck included a special theme for the Whammies, which featured Marvel superheroes Deadpool and Wolverine, in time for the release of the new film.
During the episode, a contestant named Dylan transformed into a Press Your Luck superhero, dazzling and amazing the audience, host, and fellow contestants by battling past Whammies to win serious money and prizes.
He impressively took down the previous longtime record for total prize money won on the show.
Press Your Luck star wowed everyone during his record-setting performance
Press Your Luck contestant Dylan kept pressing on as he racked up money and other prizes on the game board. The popular show involves a game board featuring money, prizes, free spins, and the dreaded Whammy.
At one point, he won a $59,000 Dodge Charger on the game board, which pushed his total over $66,000. Dylan’s spins continued to land more cash and prize slots to reach $99,988.
Banks informed him he had two more spins and needed to avoid those Whammies. He landed on The Big 50, surprising everyone, including himself.
As fellow contestants celebrated the huge moment with Dylan, Banks spun around and pretended to collapse onto her podium.
“I’m dead!” the show’s host exclaimed.
Soon after, she revealed he’d won $50,000 from The Big 50, adding to his total.
His run shocked his fellow contestants, with one calling it “amazing.”
Dylan already had two of three Whammies and one spin left. His spin landed on more money, bringing his impressive total to $152,333.
After his fellow contestants high-fived and hugged him, Dylan passed his remaining spins to Frank, the contestant closest to him in the game, who had $44,274 as his total.
Banks informed him he had to get $109,000 in three spins to move past Dylan. Frank could not achieve that, hitting a Whammy on his second spin and not having enough money for the other two spins. That meant Dylan was the winner.
“Dylan! Dylan! $152,333. That is a Press Your Luck record,” Banks announced after he’d won.
Contestant broke longstanding Press Your Luck record set by controversial player
According to the New York Post, an unemployed ice cream truck driver named Michael Larson set the previous Press Your Luck winnings record in 1984.
Larson used a strategy of studying Press Your Luck episodes he recorded on a VCR and memorizing the game board to win $110,000 on the show. That was also the most money anyone had won on any game show at the time.
He technically broke no rules and was paid his winnings by CBS. However, the Game Show Network released a 2003 documentary covering Larson’s story called Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal.
Since then, contestants on other popular game shows have surpassed that sort of prize money, including winners on Jeopardy! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Several viewers on X, formerly known as Twitter, reacted to the new Press Your Luck record, referencing the previous winner.
One commenter posted: “Michael Larson’s record finally goes down!”
“Eat your heart out Michael Larson, New #PressYourLuck record,” another individual wrote, adding, “And that was just in the front game. The bonus round is coming up!”
At the bonus round, Banks told Dylan, “You are gonna be our superhero tonight.”
“Deadpool got nothin’ on Dylan!” she yelled.
During the bonus round, he hit three Whammies but still won more money. When his time on the show was over, he’d won a collection of Marvel comic books worth over $3,000, a trip to Easter Island, the Dodge Charger, and $229,000 in cash.
Banks stood nearby as the show’s announcer revealed the total value of Dylan’s prizes, including cash, was $302,333.
Dylan’s wife, who attended the game show, was asked how she felt about her husband’s exciting win.
“This is life-changing,” she said, adding, “He’s the most deserving person I can think of. I’m so so happy.”
Press Your Luck airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.