How to Audition for NBC's Game Show Hit Deal or No Deal

I recently had the opportunity to audition for NBC's Deal or No Deal game show when their casting bus rolled into Fort McDowell Casino. I'd never done anything of the sort before and it was quite an experience!

The local news station began airing coverage the night before auditions, showing die-hard fans camping out overnight to be the first in line for a chance to appear on the show. I was not one of them. For some reason I decided that arriving a couple hours ahead of time would be just fine.

11:10 AM
Parking at the casino was at a premium, of course. I didn't even try to get into any of the lots but chose, instead, to park along a dirt side road and hike in. With only my purse and a bottle of water, I trudged down the hill, meeting up with two other women along the way. An older man we passed directed us to the back of line - which stretched around past the adjoining hotel.

We took our place in line, the casino a mere glimpse in the distance. After shuffling along for several feet we reached a sign someone had erected that said "15 hour wait from this point". I looked at my cohorts - five other women now, all standing together and making idle chit chat - and scoffed. Fifteen hours? Surely not! The group of us made a pact - we would wait it out, no matter how long it took. We were each other's support and encouragement and we all had one thing on our mind - to get on Deal or No Deal and win a million bucks, do or die!

12:00 PM
A staff member from Deal or No Deal was making the rounds of the crowd passing out application forms. I was so totally unprepared, I hadn't even printed out the online form so I filled mine out while I was waiting in line, using the hood of parked cars as we slowly inched our way forward. I'm not sure the casting staff could even read my scribblings. The more I tried to fix it, the worse my application looked. Oh well, I thought, as long as my contact information is clear, they can always get hold of me if they so desire.