The game with Big Bucks and Whammies is even bigger and better then ever! It's time to Press Your Luck and play...
WHAMMY!
And now please welcome our host...
Todd Newton!
Broadcast History
Airdates: April 15, 2002-Present, Game Show Network
Host: Todd Newton
Substitute Host: Graham Elwood (April 1, 2003)
Announcer: Gary Kroeger
Origination: The Tribune Studios, Los Angeles
Packager: FremantleMedia North America/Game Show Network Originals
Click here to watch an opening to Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck!
Round One
Press Your Luck was brought back in April 2002, under the title "Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck" and aired on Game Show Network, the all day game network.
There are some minor rule changes from the
original, however the basic object of the game is still the same.
Round 1 is completely different. Now, all three players are given
$1,000 to start. One
at a time (starting
from the left) the players take spins (one spin
at a time) 
on the big board.
After each "round" more Whammies are added to the big
board (adding more 
risk). 
A
player may "freeze" their score at anytime and sit out the rest of
the first round.
However, if
they hit a Whammy, they lose all
their
money and are eliminated from play for the rest of the
first round.
$1,500 is the top 
dollar amount on the board.
Starting in the second season, a
new twist was added. Starting in the second season, anytime a Whammy is hit,
that players total goes into
the "Big Bank"
which starts at $3,000. When a player hits the Big Bank
spot, they are asked a question and if they answer correctly, win all the money
in the Big Bank. The player in the
lead, like on the original version, gets the advantage in the final
round.
Question Round
The second round is a throwback to the
original version. 
Host Newton asks a question and any player may buzz
in and give an answer.
That answer becomes one of three multiple
choice
answers. If 
the player who
buzzed in is correct, three
spins are given to 
them. Any of the other players who are correct get one
spin. 5 questions total are asked.
Look who shows up to host a question round! (11.5 MB, 3:34)
Final Round
The third round is identical to the
traditional Press Your Luck round on the original version. There's a
new twist to this round though: The Double Whammy. A Double Whammy
counts as one Whammy, but get ready for a mess! Whatever 
the Whammy
does in his animation (spraying water, snow, spilling a bag of
grocery's etc.), that will land 
on the
player! Four 
Whammies knocks a player out of the game. The player
with the least amount of money spins first. The player in the lead
going into the round goes last. However, most of the time two players
have $0 and one player actually has a "score."
In that case the
player with the least amount of spins goes first. If they're tied,
the player nearest to the left goes first. A player may pass their
spins to the player in the lead at any time and they
MUST take them. If a Whammy/Double Whammy is hit, those spins are
converted to earned spins and may be passed. Top dollar value in this
round is still
$5,000+A Spin, plus there are many more
valuable cash amounts and prizes.
In season 2 however, the Big Bank space is on the board, with 
rules
explained in the round 1 part. The player with the most money at
the end wins the game and all their cash
and
prizes (No returning champions).
Special spaces
(Insert dollar amount)+A Spin-Money plus an additional spin.
Big Bucks-Same as before! Moves to the space across the board which is the big money space.
Move One Space-Choice of any box surrounding the space. The difference is, now some are THREE way!
Pick A Prize-Choice of any prize on the board
$1000 or Spin Again-Choice of $1000 or
taking another spin at the board, without losing any
spins. Changed to $555 or Spin Again in season 2. 
Gem or Spin Again/Car or Spin Again-These are played for special prize called a "Gem Car," which is an electric car. In round 1, hitting "Gem" will give you a special card to put by your podium. In order to win the car you must hit "Car" in round 2, PLUS not hit a Whammy, PLUS win the game. Obviously there is an option to spin again too.
Starting in season two,
the Gem space was
replaced with two halves of a car key, which would win a player a Suzuki Aerio
SX the same way as the Gem Car. 
Whammies
Double Whammies
Facts
-Host Todd Newton is from St. Louis, Missouri. He's appeared on the E! Entertainment Television network throughout his television career, doing voiceover work and hosting many different shows and specials. He hosted the Game Show Network original "Hollywood Showdown" from 1999-2001. He was chosen over original Press Your Luck host Peter Tomarken, who also hosted a pilot for Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck.
-Announcer Gary Kroeger hasn't had a bad career himself. He appeared on the famous NBC television show "Saturday Night Live" in the mid-'80s. He later hosted a revival of "The Newlywed Game" (apart of the "Dating Game/Newlywed Game Hour") in 1995. He also announced "Card Sharks" in 2001.
-Many parts of the set, including the hosts podium and the contestant desk were taken directly from the set of the failed "revival" of "Card Sharks" in 2001. Both are Fremantle shows.
-To mark the 20th anniversary of the famous "Michael Larson" episode of the original Press Your Luck, the two contestants and Michael's brother James from that episode came back to compete on Whammy!