If it's a wrong answer, then it's a sigh of relief for the contestant, knowing they quit at just the right time. Let's Just See What WOULD Have Happened: If a contestant does opt out because they fear they can't answer right, they're probed for the answer they would have said anyway.Conversely, the benchmarks can propel a contestant forward when they have nothing to lose. The contestants are given the option to walk away with what they've won in between these benchmarks, usually starting off with small guaranteed amounts to ensure contestants don't walk away with nothing, but then escalating to potentially life-changing amounts (such as enough to pay off tuition or mortgage that will almost certainly cause contestants who have their family's welfare in mind foremost to walk away on the dot) with more unforgiving drops from accumulated winnings to the last benchmark if the contestant screws up. Benchmark values/"safety nets" that act as a tantalizing Opt Out and are used to dissuade contestants from reaching the top value.Qualifying rounds that decide who will play for the jackpot out of a random selection of contestants.Unique tournament-themed episodes where people compete against one another for a shot at the grand prize in a bracket.Occasional special episodes, such as ones with guest stars playing for charity, ones where the grand prize value is hiked, or ones where something is done to sweeten the jackpot, such as the possibility of winning a new car.Giving away the outcomes of upcoming games, in the hope that it'll entice people to watch.It will also react with the outcome of the game, with triumphant fanfares after big wins, dramatic stings when choices are eliminated, etc. The music will become more suspenseful as contestants reach more substantial dollar figures, ending with a minimal but intense "hearbeat" on the final question. Foreboding music, oftentimes involving a Heartbeat Soundtrack.The lights may grow progressively darker as the stakes get higher until they finally all go out. Dark theater-in-the-round sets adorned with complex lighting setups.Camera shots of friends, family members, or relatives of the contestants sitting in the audience (or meaningful photos on hand if the people in question could not be there for the taping) being sprinkled in intermittently during the episodes as a sympathetic-empathetic appeal to the at-home audience.And of course, the mandatory segment where the contestant tells the audience and host a little about themselves (including any dramatic backstories they may have). Sometimes coupled with running out of time and having to wait till the next episode to see the exciting conclusion.
Gratuitous Filler and/or Padding, such as pauses before the reveal of the answers (sometimes spilling over into commercial breaks).An hour-long primetime format (half-hour format if the primetime version fails and the show is scaled down to daytime syndication), although actual gameplay might be less than three minutes, which leads to.Losing all of your money if you answer wrong, unless certain levels of the money ladder are "safe havens" where you're guaranteed to win at least that amount.