History Series / CashExplosion

* SuddenDeath: Since 1989, used in various ways. Originally, in the semifinal games and the championship game, ties were broken with a random drawing of cards, with the higher value winning. With the switch to the Championship Match 3/Cash Challenge in 1993, if all the finalists’ names are found twice, then the defending champion decides who becomes the champion on the last pick of the game.

* Sudden Death: Since 1989, used in various ways. Originally, in the semifinal games and the championship game, ties were broken with a random drawing of cards, with the higher value winning. With the switch to the Championship Match 3/Cash Challenge in 1993, if all the finalists’ names are found twice, then the defending champion decides who becomes the champion on the last pick of the game.

* ConsolationPrize: Near the end of the original version, players were guaranteed $1,000 just for showing up. Later formats increased it to $3,200, now $5,000.

* MilestoneCelebration: Both the 25th and 30th Anniversaries had a ton of fanfare. Bittersweetly, the end of the latter celebration was also the last episode with the 1989 format and the last one with Sharon present.

In 2006, the Ohio Lottery decided the game had run its course and replaced it with ''Series/MakeMeFamousMakeMeRich''. This...didn't end well, and in less than a year a new version of ''Cash Explosion'' was announced. This one took the format from the 1989 version, expanded the spaces (in 2009), and in general was far more well-received than its replacement was.

* BonusRound: The Championship Games, currently known as the Cash Challenge.

** Others included trips, four years of prepaid tuition, and a $25,000 bonus. Currently, there are $10K & $25K bonuses in the front game, $5K and $10K bonuses in the endgame.
** Merchandise prizes were added to the front game in 2016.
* ConsolationPrize: Near the end of the original version, players were guaranteed $1,000 just for showing up. The current format increased it to $3,200, now $5,000.
* DoubleTheDollars: The "double" cards on the board give a player an extra spin, and double the next square chosen (except for any BonusSpace prizes). In the era of two Double cards, getting both meant the next spin was quadrupled.

** LovelyAssistant: Sharon Bicknell has been there for nearly the entirety of both runs, with Michelle Duda replacing her from 2004-06. Cherie [=McClain=] has been there since the current version began.

* TheFettered: In 1990, a contestant who got a bonus space took the then-unprecedented step of declining the car because, being a union member, she couldn't accept it (it was a Honda made in Marysville at a non-union plant). Bear in mind, this was a $17,000 car on a show where the general one-round winnings were markedly less than that (and considering that the car's value is closer to $28,000 in 2010 dollars - it was a really nice car).
* LuckBasedMission: Being a lottery show, skill couldn't play too much into it aside from the "car/keep playing" choices. However, special mention goes to the Championship Game, where it was completely random owing to random placement of names on the board and random selection of spaces by the players.
* {{Retool}}: In honor of their 30th Anniversary, the show spent three months (6/3-8/19/17) in a revamped format, abstractly echoing Make Me Famous, Make Me Rich. Three teams of twelve now played; while the front game itself stayed the same, each team member had a turn at the board. Each team member won the total earned (bonuses are won individually), and the winning team then picked a letter in "CHALLENGE"; each letter had a number, high number wins. That person gets their front game score doubled and heads to the endgame, which is played the same.

* BonusSpace: The spaces that offer cars in exchange for an immediate exit from the game. (Originally; now bonus spaces are given to the contestant, but don't count towards their score.)

''Cash Explosion'' is a GameShow that debuted in 1987 and takes its contestants from the Ohio Lottery instant game of the same name. A curiosity among game shows, it's a regional broadcast (being only of interest to Ohio residents), and with the 2009 cancellation of the similar ''TheBigSpin'' (California's lottery show, which came first), it's the only weekly state lottery game show still airing.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Much like [[Series/WheelOfFortune a certain other long-running game show]], the second-format game board was mechanical, with Sharon turning the spaces. In 2004, the board went CGI.

** GameShowHost: Bob Grossi from 1987-89, Paul Tapie from 1989-2000 and 2000-04, Mike Armstrong for a cup of coffee in 2000, Lelani Barrett from 2004-06, and David McCreary since 2007.
** LovelyAssistant: Sharon Bicknell has been there for the entirety of both runs. Cherie McClain has been there since the current version began.

Debuting in 1987, Cash Explosion is a GameShow that takes its contestants from the Ohio State Lottery instant game of the same name. A curiosity among game shows, it's a regional broadcast (being only of interest to Ohio residents), and with the 2009 cancellation of the similar TheBigSpin (California's lottery show, which came first), it's the only weekly state lottery game show still airing.

It's also been [[{{Retool}} retooled]] twice (or three times) in its run. In the original game, players randomly chose cards and advanced themselves up a pyramid of eleven steps, with the prize at the top being $50,000. Players had to reach the top by exact count. Drawing two negative cards in a row or returning to the bottom of the pyramid ejected the player from the game. There were also bonus spaces which allowed a player to choose between continuing to play (risking elimination) or exiting the game with a brand new car. By the end of this format, each player started with $1,000; moves added or subtracted $100, and the winner's total was bumped to $50,000. The other players could keep their winnings or spin a wheel to increase/decrease their money.

The format was seen as a little overcomplicated, and so in 1989 the game was retooled into Cash Explosion Double Play. This was a far more straightforward affair, where players were faced with a PressYourLuck-like board of 28 spaces. Across the top were the letters "DOUBLE" and down the side were the letters "PLAY"; pressing a plunger stopped the lateral selection, and the players then had to choose among the "PLAY" letters to determine their prizes. After three turns for each player, the player with the most money got it doubled and was sent to the final round for a chance at even more money, which escalated for consecutive victories.

In 2006, the Ohio Lottery decided the game had run its course and replaced it with "Make Me Famous, Make Me Rich". This did not end well, and in less than a year a new version of Cash Explosion was announced. This one took the format from the 1989 version, expanded the spaces (in 2009), and in general was far more well-received than its replacement was.

!!GameShow Tropes in use:

* BonusRound: The Championship Games, currently know as the Cash Challenge.

* ConsolationPrize: Near the end of the original version, players were guaranteed $1000 just for showing up. The current format increased it to $3,200, now $5,000.
* GameShowHost: Bob Grossi from 1987-1989, Paul Tapie from 1989-2000 and 2000-2004, Mike Armstrong for a cup of coffee in 2000, Lelani Barrett from 2004-2006, and David McCreary from 2007-.
** LovelyAssistant: Sharon Bicknell has been there for the entirety of both runs. Cherie McClain has been there since the current version began.

* StudioAudience

* TheFettered: In 1990, a contestant who got a bonus space took the then-unprecedented step of declining the car because, being a union member, she couldn't accept it (It was a Honda made in Marysville at a non-union plant). Bear in mind, this was a $17,000 car on a show where the general one-round winnings were markedly less than that (and considering that the car's value is closer to $28,000 in 2010 dollars-- it was a really nice car).

* ShoutOut: At least one contestant has shouted out [[PressYourLuck "No Whammies!"]] during their turn.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: Much like a certain [[WheelOfFortune other]] game show, the second format game board was mechanical, with Sharon turning the spaces. In 2004, the board went CGI.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Much like a certain [[WheelOfFortune other]] game show, the second format game board was mechanical, with Sharon turning the spaces. In 2004, the board went CGI.
* UnCanceled: After its replacement flopped big time, the original was updated and brought back.

It's also been [[{{Retool}} retooled]] twice (or three times) in its run. In the original game, players randomly chose cards and advanced themselves up a pyramid of eleven steps, with the prize at the top being $50,000. Players had to reach the top by exact count. Drawing two negative cards in a row or returning to the bottom of the pyramid ejected the player from the game. There were also bonus spaces which allowed a player to choose between continuing to play (risking elimination) or exiting the game with a brand new car.

* GameShowWinningsCap: From 1989-2009, the Double Play championship game capped a champion's return appearances at 3 (first win bumped the money to $50,000, second doubled to $100,000, third to $200,000). The current version (debuting in 2009) eliminates the cap and gives champions $100,000 for every win past the 3rd (plus additional bonus money that was added to the championship game at that time. The current record is $520,000 over six weeks.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Much like a certain [[WheelOfFortune other]] game show, the second format game board was mechanical, with Sharon turning the spaces. In 2006, the board went CGI.

* BonusRound: The Championship Games.

* ConsolationPrize: Near the end of the original version, players were guaranteed $1000 just for showing up.

* GameShowWinningsCap: The Double Play championship game capped a champion's return appearances at 3 (which would give them $200,000). The current version (debuting in 2009) eliminates the cap and gives champions $100,000 for every win past the 3rd (plus additional bonus money that was added to the championship game at that time.

Debuting in 1987, Cash Explosion is a GameShow that takes its contestants from the Ohio State Lottery instant game of the same name. A curiosity among game shows, it's a regional broadcast (being only of interest to Ohio residents), and with the 2009 cancellation of the similar TheBigSpin (California's lottery show, which came first), it's the only state lottery game show still airing.

* GameShowWinningsCap: The Double Play championship game capped a champion's return appearances at 3 (which would give them $200,000). The current version eliminated the cap and gave champions $100,000 for every win past the 3rd (plus additional bonus money that was added to the championship game at that time.

* BonusSpace: The spaces that offer cars in exchange for an immediate exit from the game.

* TheFettered: In 1990, a contestant who got a bonus space took the then-unprecedented step of declining the car because, being a union member, she couldn't accept it. Bear in mind, this was a $17,000 car on a show where the general one-round winnings were markedly less than that (and considering that the car's value is closer to $28,000 in 2010 dollars-- it was a really nice car).
* LuckBasedMission: Being a lottery show, skill couldn't play too much into it aside from the "car/keep playing" choices. However, special mention goes to the Championship Game, where it was completely random owing to random placement of names on the board and random selection of spaces by the players.