History Series / ShoppersCasino

* GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The former is best known for his recurring role as mess tent Private Igor Straminsky on [[M*A*S*H]].The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.

* GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The former is best known for his recurring role as mess tent Private Igor Straminsky on [[M*A*S*H"]].The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.

* GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The former is best known for his recurring role as mess tent Private Igor Straminsky on [[Series/"M*A*S*H"]].The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.

* GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The former is best known for his recurring role as mess tent Private Igor Straminsky on [["M*A*S*H"]].The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.

* GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.

It was basically an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show; each prize on the show was offered to home viewers, and a lot of the time between games (or even during them in some cases) was spent plugging the prizes and reminding viewers to have their credit cards ready and call now. The advertisements shown during commercial breaks were all direct-response ads.

The entire show consisted of two contestants playing casino games, specifically TabletopGame/{{Blackjack}}, Roulette, and Chuck-a-Luck. Win a round, win a prize and points relative to its price [[note]](only the whole dollars, though; a $499.95 prize awarded 499 points, for example)[[/note]]. Blackjack was relatively normal, Roulette only offered Black, White, Odd, and Even as bets, and Chuck-a-Luck is a dice-based game you've probably never heard of before this. If the Bonus Bell went off, that round was played for double. The winner after six rounds (two of each game) got to spin a "Big Wheel" for a bonus prize.

The entire show consisted of two contestants playing casino games, specifically Blackjack, Roulette, and Chuck-a-Luck. Win a round, win a prize and points relative to its price [[note]](only the whole dollars, though; a $499.95 prize awarded 499 points, for example)[[/note]]. Blackjack was relatively normal, Roulette only offered Black, White, Odd, and Even as bets, and Chuck-a-Luck is a dice-based game you've probably never heard of before this. If the Bonus Bell went off, that round was played for double. The winner after six rounds (two of each game) got to spin a "Big Wheel" for a bonus prize.

''Shoppers Casino'' didn't last long; by all indication, it aired from September 8 through at least the 29th.

''Shopper's Casino'' didn't last long; by all indication, it aired from September 8 through at least the 29th.

In 1987, there was a trifecta of [[DuelingShows dueling]] {{Game Show}}s that tried to cross the genre with the growing fad of home shopping: namely, Creator/{{ABC}}'s ''Series/BargainHunters'' (a Creator/MerrillHeatter production which host Peter Tomarken reportedly '''really''' hated, infamously calling it [[CreatorBacklash "a piece of shit"]]) and the syndicated ''The Home Shopping Game'' (which tied in with the Home Shopping Club). While neither show was all that great, both had some redeeming elements.

...Oh, wait, that third game. Until pictures were posted for all to see in December 2012, references to this legendary yet obscure syndicated entry were limited to assorted posts on [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/ a popular forum]] which - in an almost {{Creepypasta}}-like quality - described it as ''the'' '''worst''' game show ever made ([[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,7906.msg85584.html#msg85584 a post from 2005]], [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,11653.0.html a topic from 2006]], and [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,21947.0.html another topic from 2011]]). That show was the legendary ''Shopper's Casino''.

And unfortunately, it's '''real.''' In fact, several traders have had an episode (the premiere, as it happens) [[http://web.archive.org/web/19980525065648/http://www.negia.net/~justind/stoz.html since at least May 1998.]]

But on to the game itself, because that's (presumably) why you're here - basically, the entire show consisted of two contestants playing casino games, specifically Blackjack, Roulette, and Chuck-a-Luck. Win a round, win a prize and points relative to its price [[note]](only the whole dollars, though; a $499.95 prize awarded 499 points, for example)[[/note]]. Blackjack was relatively normal, Roulette only offered Black, White, Odd, and Even as bets, and Chuck-a-Luck is a dice-based game you've probably never heard of before this. If the Bonus Bell went off, that round was played for double. The winner after six rounds (two of each game) got to spin a "Big Wheel" for a bonus prize.

...And that's it. Much like those other shows, each prize was also offered to home viewers, and a lot of the time between games (or even during them in some cases) was spent plugging the prizes and reminding viewers to have their credit cards ready and call now. Even worse, the advertisements shown during commercial breaks were all direct-response ads! (...but more on that later.)

So what were the issues with ''Shopper's Casino''? '''Many.''' Poor production quality (camera angles, lighting, etc.), one of the laziest, blandest sets in the history of the genre, a noticeable gap in the betting choices for Chuck-a-Luck (the only choices were "12 or Over" and "9 and Under"), the hosts were terrible, the aforementioned direct-response ads had better production values than the show itself (but only slightly), and...well, [[http://www.gameshowgarbage.com/ind135_shopperscasino.html here's a full explanation with pictures, if you dare]]...or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiX0y7yHiBA the episode itself]] on Website/YouTube, if you've got a BileFascination.

The fact that its existence was treated like an UrbanLegend should be proof enough that it didn't last long, and it didn't (by all indication, it aired from September 8 through at least the 29th).

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Don Helvey.
** GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett. The latter had previously served a near-pointless hostess role in Merrill Heatter's unsold ''Series/HighRollers'' revamp ''Lucky Numbers'' in 1985.
** [[LovelyAssistant Lady Luck]]: Cynthia "Cindy" Brooke, who later appeared in the May 2, 1989 [[http://bit.ly/TvC5rh issue]] of ''Weekly World News'', which name-dropped the show. Yeah.
** StudioAudience: Yes, really. They were probably bored to death, though...
** And "Dirty Harry" (Tom Bronson), the guy who ran the games. Of all the issues with the show, he's not one of them, mainly because he looks and acts like most casinos feel about giving people money - i.e., not at all.
* PromotionalConsideration: It was basically an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show; about 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call. Legacy International--who has an ad for a work-at-home scheme in the circulating episode, is credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. Also of note is that the Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad in the aforementioned episode give the same post office box in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses.

----
!!This series provides examples of:
* LuckBasedMission: It's a casino. An indescribably crappy casino, but still a casino. Barely.
* {{Pilot}}: It's been speculated that the circulating episode, being the premiere, was an aired example given the low-budget everything and the aforementioned "phone player" sounding like she was in the studio. If so, it was a '''really''' bad first impression.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Two different examples.
** The opening logo graphic gives the name as "Shoppers Casino", with no apostrophe.
** The on-set logo gives the name as "Shoppers Ca$ino", opting to spring for a dollar sign but not for an apostrophe (never mind that absolutely no cash is involved during gameplay).

* UndesirablePrize: Somewhat; would a Coca-Cola anniversary pin set really be that desirable?

* ProductPlacement: It was basically an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show; about 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call. Legacy International--who has an ad for a work-at-home scheme in the circulating episode, is credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. Also of note is that the Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad in the aforementioned episode give the same post office box in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses.

* ProductPlacement: About 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call. All of the advertisements use the same style of on-screen graphics as the show itself, plus the last ad in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International. Said company is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show.

So what were the issues with ''Shopper's Casino''? '''Many.''' Poor production quality (camera angles, lighting, etc.), one of the laziest, blandest sets in the history of the genre, a noticeable gap in the betting choices for Chuck-a-Luck (the only choices were "12 or Over" and "9 and Under"), the hosts were terrible, the aforementioned direct-response ads had better production values than the show itself (but only slightly), and...well, [[http://www.gameshowgarbage.com/ind135_shopperscasino.html here's a full explanation with pictures, if you dare]]...or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiX0y7yHiBA the episode itself]] on YouTube, if you've got a BileFascination.

* ProductPlacement: About 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call. All of the advertisements use the same style of on-screen graphics as the show itself, which makes you wonder whether they were produced by the show's staff.
** The last advertisement in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International, which is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these two facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show, or some type of time-brokered program.

In 1987, there was a trifecta of [[DuelingShows dueling]] {{Game Show}}s that tried to cross the genre with the growing fad of home shopping: namely, Creator/{{ABC}}'s ''Series/BargainHunters'' (a MerrillHeatter production which host Peter Tomarken reportedly '''really''' hated, infamously calling it [[CreatorBacklash "a piece of shit"]]) and the syndicated ''The Home Shopping Game'' (which tied in with the Home Shopping Club). While neither show was all that great, both had some redeeming elements.

...Oh, wait, that third game. Until pictures were posted for all to see in December 2012, references to this legendary yet obscure syndicated entry were limited to assorted posts on [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/ a popular forum]] which — in an almost {{Creepypasta}}-like quality — described it as ''the'' '''worst''' game show ever made ([[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,7906.msg85584.html#msg85584 a post from 2005]], [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,11653.0.html a topic from 2006]], and [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,21947.0.html another topic from 2011]]). That show was the legendary ''Shopper's Casino''.

But on to the game itself, because that's why you're here — basically, the entire show consisted of two contestants playing casino games, specifically Blackjack, Roulette, and Chuck-a-Luck. Win a round, win a prize and points relative to its price [[note]](only the whole dollars, though; a $499.95 prize awarded 499 points, for example)[[/note]]. Blackjack was relatively normal, Roulette only offered Black, White, Odd, and Even as bets, and Chuck-a-Luck is a dice-based game you've probably never heard of before this. If the Bonus Bell went off, that round was played for double. The winner after six rounds (two of each game) got to spin a "Big Wheel" for a bonus prize.

So what were the issues with ''Shopper's Casino''? '''Many.''' Poor production quality (camera angles, lighting, etc.), one of the laziest/blandest sets in the history of the genre, a noticeably gap in the betting choices for Chuck-a-Luck (the only choices were "12 or Over" and "9 and Under"), the hosts were terrible, the aforementioned direct-response ads had better production values than the show itself (but only slightly), and...well, [[http://www.gameshowgarbage.com/ind135_shopperscasino.html here's a full explanation with pictures, if you dare]]...or [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiX0y7yHiBA the episode itself]] on YouTube, if you've got a BileFascination.

The fact that its existence was treated like an UrbanLegend should be proof enough that it didn't last long.

* HomeParticipationSweepstakes: There ''seemed'' to be one, although the person supposedly playing over the phone on the premiere sounded like she was in the studio. (It's been speculated that the premiere was an aired pilot, which would explain.)

** And "Dirty Harry" (Tom Bronson), the guy who ran the games. He's the best part, mainly because he looks and acts like most casinos feel about giving people money — i.e., not at all.

** But wait, there's more! The last advertisement in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International, which is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these two facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show, or some type of time-brokered program.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The title card gives the name as "Shoppers Casino", with no apostrophe.

** But wait, there's more! The last advertisement in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International, which is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these two facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show, or some type of time-brokered program.

In 1987, there was a trifecta of [[DuelingShows dueling]] {{Game Show}}s that tried to cross the genre with the growing fad of home shopping: namely, Creator/{{ABC}}'s ''Series/BargainHunters'' (a MerrillHeatter production which host Peter Tomarken reportedly '''really''' hated, infamously calling it [[CreatorBacklash "a piece of shit"]]) and the syndicated ''The Home Shopping Game'' (which tied in with HSN, the UrExample of the shopping channel). While neither show was all that great, both had some redeeming elements.

...Oh, wait, that third game. Until pictures were posted for all to see in December 2012, references to this legendary yet obscure syndicated entry were limited to assorted posts on [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/ a popular forum]] which — in an almost {{Creepypasta}}-like quality — described it as ''the'' '''worst''' game show ever made ([[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,7906.msg85584.html#msg85584 a post from 2005]], [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,11653.0.html a topic from 2006]], and [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,21947.0.html another topic from 2011]]). That show was the legendary ''Shopper's Casino''. And unfortunately, it's '''real.''' In fact, several traders have had an episode (a single episode, as it happens) [[http://web.archive.org/web/19980525065648/http://www.negia.net/~justind/stoz.html since at least May 1998.]]

So what were the issues with ''Shopper's Casino''? '''Many.''' Poor production quality (camera angles, lighting, etc.), one of the laziest/blandest sets in the history of the genre, nonsensical betting choices for Chuck-a-Luck ("12 or Over" and "9 and Under"), the hosts were terrible, the aforementioned direct-response ads had better production values than the show itself, and...well, [[http://www.gameshowgarbage.com/ind135_shopperscasino.html here's a full explanation with pictures, if you dare]]...or [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiX0y7yHiBA the episode itself]] on YouTube, if you've got a BileFascination.

* HomeParticipationSweepstakes: There ''seemed'' to be one, although the person supposedly playing over the phone sounded like she was in the studio.

** GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Sue Maffett.

* ProductPlacement: About 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call. All of the advertisements use the same style of on-screen graphics as the show itself, which makes you wonder whether they were produced by the show's staff. But wait, there's more! The last advertisement in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International, which is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these two facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show, or some type of time-brokered program.

* ProductPlacement: About 65% of the show is dedicated to hawking the prizes and reminding viewers to call.
** All of the advertisements use the same style of on-screen graphics as the show itself, which makes you wonder whether they were produced by the show's staff. But wait, there's more! The last advertisement in the circulating episode promotes a work-at-home scheme from a company called Legacy International, which is also credited as a production company in the credits alongside a company called Knight Productions. The Legacy ad, "be a contestant" spiel, and the insulation-matting ad give the same post office box in [[LosAngeles Culver City]] as their addresses; judging by these two facts alone, this ''must'' have been an {{Infomercial}} dressed as a game show, or some type of time-brokered program.
* [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Spell My Name With An ']]: The title card gives the name as "Shoppers Casino".

...Oh, wait, that third game. Until pictures were posted for all to see in December 2012, references to this legendary yet obscure syndicated entry were limited to assorted posts on [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/ a popular forum]] which — in an almost {{Creepypasta}}-like quality — described it as ''the '''worst''''' game show ever made ([[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,7906.msg85584.html#msg85584 a post from 2005]], [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,11653.0.html a topic from 2006]], and [[http://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,21947.0.html another topic from 2011]]). That show was the legendary ''Shopper's Casino''. And unfortunately, it's '''real.''' In fact, several traders have had an episode (a single episode, as it happens) [[http://web.archive.org/web/19980525065648/http://www.negia.net/~justind/stoz.html since at least May 1998.]]

In 1987, there was a trifecta of [[DuelingShows dueling]] {{Game Show}}s that tried to cross the genre with the growing fad of home shopping: namely, Creator/{{ABC}}'s ''Series/BargainHunters'' (a MerrillHeatter production which host Peter Tomarken reportedly '''really''' hated) and the syndicated ''The Home Shopping Game'' (which tied in with HSN, the UrExample of the shopping channel). While neither show was all that great, both had some redeeming elements.

Okay, so what were the issues with ''Shopper's Casino''? '''A lot.''' Poor camera angles, the laziest/blandest set in the history of the genre, nonsensical betting choices for Chuck-a-Luck ("12 or Over" and "9 and Under"), the aforementioned direct-response ads had better production values than the show itself, and...well, [[http://www.gameshowgarbage.com/ind135_shopperscasino.html here's a full explanation with pictures, if you dare]]...or [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiX0y7yHiBA the episode itself]] on YouTube, if you've got a BileFascination.

** GameShowHost: Jeff Maxwell and Debbie Maffett.

But on to the game itself, because they's why you're here — basically, the entire show consisted of two contestants playing casino games, specifically Blackjack, Roulette, and Chuck-a-Luck. Win a round, win a prize and points relative to its price [[note]](only the whole dollars, though; a $499.95 prize awarded 499 points, for example)[[/note]]. Blackjack was relatively normal, Roulette only offered Black, White, Odd, and Even as bets, and Chuck-a-Luck is a dice-based game you've probably never heard of before this. If the Bonus Bell went off, that round was played for double. The winner after six rounds (two of each game) got to spin a "Big Wheel" for a bonus prize.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Only the September 8, 1987 show (which may be the premiere) seems to be around, but nobody was brave enough to put it online until April 2013.