Shafted

***Shafted*** was a game show based on game theory which was broadcast on DTV 1 from January 2003 until its cancellation in October 2006. Hosted by *Greed* presenter Aatto Raikkonen, the show was based on the British original of the same name.

Unlike most versions, as Raikkonen put it, DTV "forgot to cap the prize limit", so, if a player really wanted to, they could win up to 104.2m Kr (however winning that amount is extremely difficult).

## Gameplay

The game begins with six players and is played in five rounds. In the first round, each player must secretly declare how much money they would like to receive, to a maximum of 25 000 Kr. Once the amounts are revealed, the person who has asked for the largest amount is immediately eliminated from the game and receives nothing. Each of the other five is credited with the amount they requested.

In each of the next three rounds, the host reads the first few words of a question and invites the players to wager a portion of their totals. Once the wagers are entered, the host reads the entire question and the player who made the largest wager has to answer it. A correct answer adds the wager to their total, while a miss deducts it. Once the host has asked as many questions as there are players still in the game, the leader chooses one opponent to eliminate with no winnings. The totals of all remaining players are then increased to match that of the leader.

At the beginning of the third round, each player is given an option to "Shift," or force an opponent to answer a question meant for them. Each player can use this option once during the third or fourth rounds.

However, an complete question can be on a very different matter from that suggested by its incomplete prompt. An example from the British version:

* **Prompt:** Which major planet...
* **Question:** Which major Planet Hollywood investor played the lead in the 2000 remake of *Get Carter*? (Answer: Sylvester Stallone)

In the fifth and final round, the two remaining players stand at podiums facing each other in a form of the prisoner's dilemma, with the leader's total at stake. A brief snippet of a backstage interview with each player is shown to the audience, after which both of them must secretly decide to "share" or "shaft." Their choices are revealed to the home viewers, but not to the audience, host, or players, and they are then given a chance to discuss the situation and change their decisions if they wish. Their final choices determine the fate of the jackpot.

* If both choose "share," each wins half the money.
* If one chooses "share" and the other "shaft," the shafting player wins all the money.
* If both choose "shaft," neither wins any money.

## Reception

Unlike most versions of *Shafted*, the show enjoyed a strong reception, mostly due to Raikkonen's performance as host. The show lasted for five series until it was dropped in 2006.

Audience Figures
 2
 3
 4
 5

## Highest winners

On a Series 3 episode on 9 April, 2004, Elizabeta Lämpää amassed 1 855 000 Kr from her game, however, both Elizabeta and Walter Fällönen shafted each other out, and they left with nothing.

On a Series 4 episode on 29 September, 2005, Ray Pöllönen shared his 961 000 Kr with Reijo Laksonnen, and they both left with 480 500 Kr.

On a Series 3 celebrity special on 8 February, 2004, Timo Brondevik successfully shafted 510 000 Kr from Sarah Jones.