The game used a
horse racing motif as its premise. Two contestants (originally three in the early weeks) competed for the entire show, and started the game with $20 (sometimes $50) each, trying to predict which of six celebrities could correctly answer questions posed by the host. Some questions were based on biographical information provided by the celebrities, but they did not receive any of the questions in advance. Information on their strengths and weaknesses was given to the audience and contestants in the form of
tip sheets, akin to actual horse
racing forms.
Round 1 The host asked a question, and the celebrities wrote down their answers while the audience members each voted for a celebrity they believed could answer correctly. The results were used to set payout odds on the celebrities, displayed on
totalizator panels at their desks. Odds ranged from 1:1 (even money) or 2:1 for the celebrity who received the most votes, to as high as 99:1 for the one who received the fewest; these two were dubbed the "favorite" and "longshot" respectively. During the final 13 weeks of the show, the host announced the category, allowed the audience time to vote, then read the question. The contestant in control placed a bet on one celebrity, based on the following rules: • Up to $100 or the contestant's entire total on the favorite, whichever was less (later changed to $10 less than the contestant's total) • Either $2, $5, or $10 on anyone other than the favorite, if he/she had more than $10 • $2 only, if he/she had $10 or less A correct answer multiplied the bet by the relevant odds and added it to the contestant's total (e.g. a $10 bet at 4:1 awarded $40), while a miss deducted the bet and allowed the opponent to place one on any of the five remaining celebrities. If no one had the correct answer, the question was thrown out ("scratched") and a new one was asked. If either contestant's score dropped to $1 or zero, both contestants were given $1 or $2 respectively so they could still make the minimum bet. Contestants alternated control on successive questions, and the round lasted for an unspecified time limit. Near the end of the show's run, the celebrities simply gave their answers aloud when called on instead of writing them down first.
Home Stretch In this round, celebrities always wrote down their answers, and a contestant who won a bet could double the payout by picking a second celebrity who had the correct answer. During the earliest and latest portions of the series run, an incorrect second pick cost the contestant all the money he/she had won on the first one, but he/she could opt not to play for double winnings. If only one celebrity gave the correct answer, a bell would ring and any bets placed on him/her would pay out at double odds. Each contestant received one turn.
The All or Nothing Question The host announced a category, and the odds for each celebrity were set based on how well he/she had performed up to that point: 1:1 for no more than one wrong answer, 2:1 for two, 3:1 or for three, and so on. Once the odds were set, the celebrities wrote down their answers, and each contestant secretly chose one and decided whether to bet his/her entire total ("all") or no money ("nothing"). Both contestants kept any money they had left after this question; in addition, any contestant who bet "all" and lost received a large prize worth approximately $1,000. The contestant with the higher total returned as champion on the next show; in the event of a tie, both contestants returned. Champions remained on the show until defeated, and won a car after every third victory. Later changes to the round were as follows: • Odds were set by audience vote, and could run as high as 8:1 (later reduced to 5:1). • If both contestants lost all their money, neither of them returned as champion. • Champions were retired after three days, then five, with the car awarded only after the fifth win at first and the third win later.
Syndication rule changes On the syndicated versions, two new contestants played each week and the overall winner received a bonus prize. There were no returning champions. Later in this run, contestants were occasionally given the chance to win a prize package (the "
exacta") by guessing how many celebrities had correctly answered the current question. They made their guesses in secret, and could both win the package for being correct. The exacta was added to the NBC version during its last 13 weeks, but with an added requirement that contestants make different guesses. ==Promotions==