Let's Make a Deal

Costumes, curtains, and the famous three doors. Let's Make a Deal is one of the most anarchic formats in game-show history: host Wayne Brady cruises a studio audience of wild costumes, offering trades, cash, and mystery boxes — any of which could turn into a brand-new car, a Caribbean vacation, or a Zonk (a goat, a giant sandwich, a 1985 Pontiac with no engine).

Created by Monty Hall and Stefan Hatos, Let's Make a Deal debuted on NBC on December 30, 1963, with Hall as host. Hall's "Monty Hall Problem" — the probability puzzle about switching doors after one is revealed — became a famous math brain-teaser after Marilyn vos Savant's September 9, 1990 Parade column. The current CBS version premiered on October 5, 2009 with Wayne Brady; Brady won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2018 and has taped more than 2,500 episodes.

What makes it unique: There's no set game board — every deal is improvised between Brady and audience "traders" in costume. Contestants choose curtains, envelopes, boxes, or the famous three doors (Big Deal of the Day), balancing the sure thing in front of them against what might be behind the unknown. The Zonk — a worthless prize elaborately staged to look real — is one of the most beloved misdirections on television.

Quick Facts

• Host: Wayne Brady (since 2009); Jonathan Mangum, announcer/sidekick
• Network: CBS
• Premiere Year: 1963 (NBC original); 2009 (current CBS version)
• Seasons: Season 18 of the Wayne Brady era premiered September 21, 2026
• Filming Location: Haven Studios, in the Los Angeles area

Learn more: cbs.com/lets-make-a-deal · Wikipedia