Flip Flop (pricing game)
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Flip Flop is a pricing game on the American television game show The Price Is Right. Debuting February 25, 2000, it is played for a four-digit prize, worth between $3,000 and $9,898.
[edit] Gameplay
The contestant is shown a four digit price split between the first two digits and the last two digits. Each of these groupings is on a panel that can be flipped; on the back of the panel are the same two digits in reverse order (eg: 24 and 42). The contestant can "flip" the first two digits, "flop" the last two digits, or "flip flop" both pairs of digits. They may not leave both pairs unflipped. If the price they decide on is correct, they win the prize.
The game is very similar in concept to Side by Side and Coming or Going.
[edit] History and behind the scenes
On April 4, 2005, rather than flipping/flopping the panels, a contestant pressed the button which reveals the actual the price of the prize. An annoyed Bob Barker, rather than stopping tape and replacing the game, awarded the prize to the contestant.
On two occasions in 2007, Bob Barker forgot to mention that the contestant could "flip flop". "Flip flopping" turned out to be the correct answer on both playings. At least one of the players received a check in the amount of the prize after the staff discovered what had happened.
Drew Carey has the contestant hold his hand and say a "magic word" (i.e. "alakazam!") as he presses the button that reveals the correct price, though sometimes he varies it by letting the contestant hit the button instead, while still requesting them to enunciate "Alakazam". This reveal style is now commonplace on other games with push-button or some flip-down reveals.
