There is one little question consisting of four little words that could potentially change someone’s life forever. Those four little words I am talking about is “deal or no deal.” The iconic, life-changing game show is returning to television screens on CNBC beginning Wednesday December 5, 2018. A top prize of one million dollars is on the line and contestants and fans everywhere are screaming with excitement.

First airing in December 2005, Deal or No Deal is a game show that deals with luck, guts, and a great sense of timing. There are no tricky stunts or trivia questions, just one simple question that could make someone very rich in a very short amount of time. Comedian Howie Mandel first hosted the show during its first four seasons from 2005-2009. He is returning to host the game show and he could not be more eager to ask contestants that one little question again.

For those who do not how the gameplay works, here is a brief synopsis. Mandel and the contestant will stand before 26 individual briefcases held by identically dressed models. The cases are holding random amounts of money ranging from one penny all the way up to one million dollars. On the stage is a video wall that displays the amounts still in play at any given moment. The player’s chosen case is brought onto the stage and placed on a podium before him/her and the host. In the first round, the player chooses six cases to eliminate from play, one at a time. Each case is opened as it is chosen and the amount inside is removed from the board. After the sixth pick, a cordless telephone on the podium rings and the host answers it to speak with “The Banker” – a male figure, visible only as a dimly lit silhouette, who sits in a skybox overlooking the studio. The Banker’s face is never seen, and his voice is never heard; after the call ends, Mandel relays the Banker’s offer to buy the player’s case. The player can accept the offer and end the game by saying “deal” and pressing a red button on the podium, or reject it by saying “no deal” and closing a hinged cover over the button.

Each time the player rejects an offer, he/she must play another round, eliminating progressively fewer cases: five in the second round, four in the third, three in the fourth, two in the fifth. Beyond the fifth round, the player eliminates one case at a time, receiving a new offer from the Banker after each. The ninth and final offer comes when there are only two cases left in play, the one originally chosen by the player and one other. If the player rejects this final offer, he/she may either keep the chosen case or trade it for the other one, and receives the amount in the case he/she decides to take. The exact same gameplay will be used for the new season.

Along with a new season of Deal or No Deal comes new models! Some of the show’s original models will not be returning for various reasons. Meghan Markle, who once held case number 24 during season 2, is now living the life of a royal family member. Claudia Jordan, who held case number 1 for four consecutive seasons, will not return since she is featured on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

The brand new season of Deal or No Deal will premiere on Wednesday December 5, 2018. If you are a fan of the show, you will not want to miss it!