Tips and tricks to be the next big game show winner

Game and quiz shows are thriving, and they’re on the lookout for eager contestants. Here’s how you can become the next big winner on shows like Tipping Point, The Chase, or Deal or No Deal.

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Everybody wants to be a winner and on Australian TV viewers love the drama of watching people win big or at least have a good crack at chasing a hefty cash prize dream.

Game shows and quiz shows as a genre have never lost their lustre. From Tony Barber asking “Who am I?” on Sale of the Century, to Ian Turpie telling an audience member to “Come on down!” on The Price Is Right, or Rob Elliott asking “Would you like to buy a vowel?” on Wheel of Fortune, the thrill of testing your general knowledge, your reaction time and skill level — or simply your luck — has always been seductive to TV viewers.

Game and quiz shows are currently flourishing across commercial networks and on the ABC and SBS with popular titles including Tipping Point, The Chase, Deal or No Deal, Hard Quiz, The 1% Club, The Floor, Mastermind and Claire Hooper’s House of Games. It is even rumoured that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire will be making a comeback next year.

Game shows are all the rage — and always have been. Source: Instagram

On Thursday evening, Tipping Point pulled an average national audience of 803,000, The Chase rated 637,000, Hard Quiz recorded a national average of 346,000, Deal or No Deal had 241,000 and Mastermind pulled 120,000 viewers.

While each show is different, they have one thing in common — they all need contestants and plenty of people want to play.

The road to finding yourself standing on a set next to Todd Woodbridge on Tipping Point, Jim Jefferies on The 1% Club, Grant Denyer on Deal or No Deal, or Larry Emdur on The Chase starts with filling in an online application form.

Could you find yourself beside Todd Woodbridge on Tipping Point Australia? Picture: Supplied

“I get asked all the time ‘how do you get on the show, how do you get on the show?’, because sometimes people think that you need some sort of magic wand to be involved, but we literally make it as easy as possible,” said Deal Or No Deal host Grant Denyer.

Deal launched on Channel 10 with Denyer hosting in January 2024. The show makes 195 episodes a year, meaning 195 contestants are featured.

More than 103,000 people have applied to be on the show.

Applying starts by filling in the application form at dealornodealcasting.com.au. If your application is successful, an invitation is extended to an interview day, which can be done online if someone is interstate.

“That stage is to test your knowledge of the game and find out if you are genuinely interested in being on the show or is there something that financially we can help you with,” Denyer said.

People are then selected to attend a filming day.

“Everyone in the audience has the potential of being picked to play that day, if not for that show, maybe the next show or the three that we film after it, so it’s like a rock concert in the studio,” Denyer said.

Denyer said he encouraged applicants to say what they would do with Deal cash should they win as they move through the casting process.

Denyer encouraged applicants to say what they would do with Deal Or No Deal cash when applying. Picture: David Caird

“We’ve had someone who wanted to be able to pay for a prosthetic hand because they were born without a hand, we have people who want to be able to afford IVF so they can start a family and, of course, there are people who want to go on cruises,” he said.

“There are people who just want to be able to fix their fence or get their bathroom renovated.

“We had a 92-year-old lady, Phyllis, and her idea of opulence was being able to afford two lobsters. She came on the show and won maybe $4000 and she has since sent us this photo of her sitting at a table in front of two gigantic lobsters with the biggest smile on her face.

“When the idea of me hosting (Deal Or No Deal) came up, I thought people would want to win money for silly reasons like ‘I want a golden toilet’, but it’s so beautiful the many and varied reasons why people want the money and how we can help them.

“I thought this show would be fun, but it’s really heartfelt, it’s passionate, it’s extremely dramatic, it’s very funny and, you know, I’ve cried more than I’d like to admit.”

Deal Or No Deal applications are open year round. While this year’s show is fully filmed, the 2026 season will start shooting in Melbourne in November.

You could be one of The 1% Club. Picture: Supplied

Channel 7’s enduring evening quiz show The Chase, which helped host Larry Emdur win the Gold Logie last year, has around 4000 people apply to be on it each year.

More than 900 contestants annually get their shot at taking on the ‘Chasers.’

The online contestant application for The Chase can be found at www.mycastingnet.com.

The application includes a general knowledge component where applicants are required to attempt to answer 40 questions in seven minutes.

The next stage for selected applicants is a phone quiz and “get to know you’ audition.

According to a Channel Seven spokesperson, tips to stand out in the application process include answering questions thoroughly and honestly and avoiding giving one word responses.

In the audition, be energetic and enthusiastic and have some fun facts or unique or surprising stories about yourself.

There is significant money on offer for those who get to play the game. This year The Chase’s three biggest wins have seen contestants take home $129,000, $125,500 and $95,000.

Tipping Point Australia has been a huge hit since it launched in the 5pm weekday slot for Channel 9.

Around 160 episodes of the show air each year. Since it kicked off in January 2024, more than 40,000 people have applied to play with around 500 contestants getting to try their luck.

The floor not only has a healthy prize of $200,000 but a chance at a trip to Amsterdam where the show is filmed. Picture: Channel 9

Like with The Chase and Deal, to make it to air there are a few stages to navigate starting with the online application at 9now.nine.com.au/tipping-point which is followed by an audition where potential contestants are interviewed and complete a general knowledge quiz.

“People are selected to audition based on their initial online application, so this is the biggest opportunity to make a good first impression,” Tipping Point executive producer Becky Taylor said.

“Showcase your personality and highlight what makes you unique. To prepare for an audition, watch the show, and at an audition be yourself … on your best day.”

Taylor said producers look for positive, enthusiastic and genuine people with good general knowledge and interesting stories to tell, who know and love the game.

“We’re looking for people we think the viewers would love to see win, or at least have a fun time trying,” Taylor said.

The 1% Club, hosted by edgy comedian Jim Jefferies, casts via mycastingnet.com.

Casting has just wrapped for season four, but will soon open for season five of the hit Channel 7 show.

Think you could beat the chaser? It’s as easy as filling out an application. Picture: Supplied

Over the past three years, The 1% Club has featured 4500 contestants with 47,619 people applying to be on the show. More than $1.2 million has been won by contestants so far.

Despite careful casting, sometimes things can go off script on set, something an experienced stand up performer like Jefferies delights in.

A dozen people have pulled out from taking part in the show as they entered the holding room after being overcome by nerves.

An expectant mum went into labour and had to go straight to hospital. Her baby arrived before the filming day she was attending was finished.

One of the most seductive shows casting at the moment is The Floor.

While a healthy prize of $200,000 is on offer to the winner, the show is filmed in Amsterdam in September meaning for the lucky 81 contestants that make the cut, not only are they vying for money, they get an international trip as part of the experience.

The casting application for The Floor can be found at mycastingnet.com

Hard Quiz and Mastermind also cast via the same site.