Pay the Rent - why hasn't it been axed yet?

[tpir04]

I asked the question in the subject line, now here is my explanation. Frankly, I believe it's just an excuse to offer $100,000. Yet even someone with a vague understanding of prices can walk away with $10,000.

[Punchboard91]

You answered your own question. It offers a huge cash prize that is rarely won. And yes, typically most contestants are able to reach $10,000, but a good number of them still risk it and go for the $100,000.

[JayC]

I feel like if a new regime were to take over Pay the Rent may be retired or reformatted to be downsized and offer a lower top prize, but unless that happens there's no way it'll be axed. It allows them to offer a large prize while only giving it away at most once or twice a season, and $10,000 isn't the budget hit it once was.

[garffreak]

Because there is no reason to retire it.

It's a high-stakes cash game that draws excitement. It adds thrill and drama.  And it holds a better win/loss rate than the next highest payout cash game (Plinko).

The Big Three is now the Big Four; I do not see that changing any time soon.

[Estil]

That excitement is pretty much gone as soon as the contestant puts the cheapest product in the mailbox...the show knows most contestants will do that instinctively, and right away blow any chance at the $100K.  It along with Temptation are a couple of my most disliked Pricing Games because you already know the game will be lost...in the case of Temptation it's nearly impossible to win (it once had a five YEAR losing streak did it not?) and that's not justified for a "regular car" game...if it offered a big luxury/sports car or offered two cars (one digit in each small price goes with one car, the other in the other car) it'd be different.

[Estil]

Because there is no reason to retire it.

It's a high-stakes cash game that draws excitement. It adds thrill and drama.  And it holds a better win/loss rate than the next highest payout cash game (Plinko).

The Big Three is now the Big Four; I do not see that changing any time soon.

Plinko doesn't really count because (technically) it's only a "win" if all five chips land in the big spot which is pretty much impossible (I think only once has a contestant done it four times; how many times has the big spot ($5 or $10K depending on era) been hit three times?).

[garffreak]

Plinko still counts, even if it is hard and all luck.  It's still easier than Stack the Deck with a car price of $21,034.