c4countdown

How about 500 per win, plus a 2,000 bonus for being an octochamp.
Series Winner 40,000.
Series Runner-Up 20,000.
Beaten Semi-Finalists 10,000.
Beaten Quarter-Finalists 5,000.
There you go, 100,000 covers the "Championship" part of it.
It could even be Sponsored.
If not, it would hardly break the bank at a Channel that's happy to fork out 250,000 to someone for opening a few boxes.
It may attract a more "mercenary" type of contestant,but hey,what's wrong with that?

I don't think Vitabiotics value it that highly.

Whilst it sounds nice, I'd side with Mark there. Also, I think that it'd probably take the fun out of it slightly. Sure, a couple of apterites take it fairly seriously, but giving people something to compete for which could cause more efforts to cheat or henceforth might make the show slightly more uncomfortable to watch.

Isn't Deal or no Deal paid for by the phone line you have ring to become a contestant (apparently the phone line for Who Wants to be a Millionaire paid for an entire series payout by the amount of calls needed to fill one episode, everything else was pure profit).

At least you got an envelope, Adam

Good points, both Marks.
However, once the final 8 are known, how about getting a major Bookmaker involved, let them price up a whole range of markets (they could even print coupons!).
For 7 consecutive days, we could have actual "day of recording" broadcasts.
The cut off point for taking bets could be 1-45pm on the day of each match.
The show could then be recorded from 2pm onwards and then broadcast later that day.

Do you have a gambling addiction?

Not an addiction,Jack,just a keen interest!
Besides, we live in an age where it's now possible to bet on virtually anything,"Strictly" "X Factor" "Big Brother" "I'm a Celebrity..." "Dancing on Ice" etc, so why not "Countdown"?

The size and nature of the audience don't really demand it.

I see the winner of the new series of Fifteen To One is getting,wait for it...............£40,000! instead of the usual glass bowl! I'm saying nothing!

Steven M. McCann wrote:Not an addiction,Jack,just a keen interest!
Besides, we live in an age where it's now possible to bet on virtually anything,"Strictly" "X Factor" "Big Brother" "I'm a Celebrity..." "Dancing on Ice" etc, so why not "Countdown"?

I might go to some recordings and make a 10 way accumulator of the correct scores and see if the bookies are stupid enough to run it through! I doubt it though

Steven M. McCann wrote:I see the winner of the new series of Fifteen To One is getting,wait for it...............£40,000! instead of the usual glass bowl! I'm saying nothing!

He is, but he still won't give me a pay rise. C'est la vie.