A new version of Deal or No Deal has premiered on NBC, and this time, there is an added dimension to it — it is all on an island and not inside a studio.
The show’s premise is simple: there are different amounts of dollar figures inside briefcases, and contestants need to outwit a banker and each other to eliminate the cases, hoping to choose the most significant amount and win it.
Deal or No Deal Island also boasts a new host, Joe Manganiello, giving Howie Mandel a much-needed break.
One contestant is not new to the Deal or No Deal family, and it seems to be giving her a leg up in the show since she is used to the pressure of guessing which briefcase is a good one.
This contestant, Claudia Jordan, worked on Deal or No Deal as a briefcase model during Seasons 1-4 of the show.
During his appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark in Las Vegas, Howie Mandel gave her a shout-out, calling her a great friend from his beginning on Deal or No Deal.
Howie isn’t the only one who loves Claudia Jordan. Fans are calling her out on social media, and she is looking to be the fan favorite of Season 1.
Claudia is a ‘good luck charm,’ say her fans
Claudia knows how this game works from her years on the original Deal or No Deal and is putting that knowledge to good use.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, one of the players, Aron Barbell, 26, from Champaign, Illinois, is an accountant. His skills with numbers got him so far in the first episode in selecting good briefcases to eliminate, but Claudia correctly guessed two briefcases for him.
Fans started to notice and post on social media about her luck, with one calling her a “good luck charm.”
Another fan said they watched, and she did great! They called it correctly by saying Claudia, “Picked both briefcases for Aron.”
Claudia certainly did a great job in this first episode.
Claudia is not afraid to get herself dirty in Deal or No Deal Island
Claudia posted a photo of herself after the first challenge in the mud on the island and asked, “What do you think I was thinking on the very first challenge of Deal or No Deal Island? Is this a happy face or na?? Dirt, bugs, and heat— what could go wrong?”
A fan quickly replied, “Why do I have DIRT in every orifice? The things I do to collect a bag!!!”
This apt description caused Claudia to think she may have said that during the show! But the fan clarified that while she didn’t say it out loud, her face screamed it.
Since this show is part Survivor and Traitors mixed in with the regular Deal or No Deal structure, Claudia being lucky may take her far in the game.
Deal or No Deal Island airs Mondays at 10 pm Eastern on NBC.