Be a Contestant — Match Game

Match Game: How to Be a Contestant

Want to sit in the contestant's chair on Match Game and try to match answers with a panel of celebrities? While the show is not currently in production, understanding the casting process will prepare you for the next revival — and game show revivals happen frequently in today's television landscape. Here's everything you need to know about becoming a Match Game contestant.

The Casting Process

During the ABC revival's run, Match Game contestants were cast through a multi-step process typical of major network game shows:

1. Online application: Prospective contestants submitted applications through ABC's casting website, providing basic personal information, a photo, and answers to personality-focused questions designed to gauge how entertaining they'd be on camera
2. Audition invitation: Selected applicants were invited to in-person or video auditions where casting producers evaluated their on-camera presence, energy level, and ability to be entertaining under pressure
3. Mock game play: Auditioners typically played a simulated round of Match Game to demonstrate that they understood the format and could react naturally and engagingly to the reveal of celebrity answers
4. Interview and personality assessment: Producers conducted brief interviews to learn contestants' stories, backgrounds, and what would make them compelling television subjects
5. Final selection: Producers made final contestant selections based on personality diversity, demographic mix, and overall entertainment value for each episode's taping

What Producers Look For

Match Game casting is fundamentally different from trivia-based shows like Jeopardy! or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Producers aren't looking for the smartest person in the room — they're looking for the most entertaining. Key qualities that catch a casting director's eye include:

• Personality and energy: Match Game thrives on reactions — the gasps when answers don't match, the celebrations when they do. Contestants who are expressive and animated on camera stand out immediately in auditions
• Sense of humor: The show is a comedy vehicle as much as a game show. Contestants who can laugh at themselves, roll with unexpected moments, and banter naturally with the host make for great television
• Relatability: Audiences love rooting for contestants who feel like real people. Being genuine, warm, and likeable matters more than being polished or rehearsed
• Quick thinking: While you have time to write your answer, the reveal and reaction happen in real time. Being quick with a comment, a laugh, or a witty observation about the match results helps keep the show's energy up
• A great personal story: Every contestant gets a brief interview segment with the host. Having an interesting job, unusual hobby, or compelling life story helps you stand out both in casting and on the actual show

How to Prepare

If you're serious about competing on Match Game (either on a future revival or a similar panel-matching format), here's how to get yourself ready:

• Watch as many episodes as possible. Study how winning contestants think. Notice that successful players consistently go with the most common, obvious answer rather than trying to be creative or clever
• Practice with friends and family. Write fill-in-the-blank questions, have everyone write answers privately, and reveal them. This builds your instinct for thinking like the majority and helps you recognize common answer patterns
• Work on your on-camera presence. Record yourself reacting to things — telling stories, laughing, expressing surprise — and review the footage. Game show producers can tell immediately who will look natural and engaging on television versus who will freeze up
• Develop your personal story. Think about what makes you interesting and practice telling it concisely and entertainingly. You'll need a 30-second version for the application and a polished version for the on-air interview
• Stay current on pop culture. Many Match Game questions reference current events, celebrities, and trending topics. Being culturally literate helps you predict what answers the panel will gravitate toward

Tips for Playing Your Best on the Show

If you make it on the show, keep these strategies in mind during the actual game:

1. Trust your first instinct. The most popular answer is almost always the first thing that comes to mind. Second-guessing is the number one cause of mismatches
2. Think about what the celebrities will write, not what you think the "correct" answer is. Match Game is about matching, not about being right or clever
3. Calibrate during early rounds. Pay attention to whether this particular panel is leaning funny, obvious, or suggestive, and adjust your strategy to match their tendencies
4. For the Head-to-Head bonus round, pick the celebrity who has been giving the most straightforward, obvious answers all game — not necessarily the funniest or most famous one
5. Stay positive and energetic even if you fall behind. Comebacks happen frequently, and your attitude affects how the celebrities interact with you and potentially how they think about matching your answers

Staying Ready for the Next Revival

Game show casting calls can appear with little notice when a new season or revival is announced. To be ready when the next opportunity arises, keep your casting profiles updated on major network websites (ABC, NBC, CBS all have contestant application portals), follow game show casting accounts on social media, and consider applying for similar panel-based shows like Celebrity Family Feud or Hollywood Squares to build your on-camera experience. The skills that make a great Match Game contestant — personality, humor, quick reactions, and the ability to think like everyone else — transfer perfectly to other entertainment formats and will serve you well whenever the next opportunity comes along.