Fans were not happy with long-time The Price is Right host, Drew Carey after what happened in the recent Plinko round. In a recent episode, contestant Lauren had the chance to win $500K, but things didn’t go according to plan. But despite her playing well, fans blamed the host for ruining her chances of winning the major prize.

A clip of the recent Plinko round was uploaded to the show’s Instagram, and it featured Carey giving the contestant “advice” if she wanted to win the game’s jackpot. Throughout the round, the host kept saying “in the middle,” which may have been misinterpreted as “drop the coins in the middle.” Unfortunately, Lauren didn’t win the $500K prize, but she is walking away for $4,000.

Fans Had Mixed Reactions

The Price is Right fans had mixed reactions about the game’s outcome. Many were pleased to see Lauren’s infectious smile and energy in the show and felt bad for her for not winning. In addition, viewers were shocked that she kept putting her chips in the middle when she could have placed them elsewhere and had a better chance of winning the grand prize. However, there were a handful of comments that called out the host for constantly saying “right down the middle,” accusing Carey of misleading players.

“Hey Drew you don’t have to tell your contestants that the big money is “right down the middle” every single time ffs”

The Price is Right has a long broadcast history as it’s been on air for decades. Carey has been the show’s host since 2007, following Bob Barker‘s tenure. While fans may accuse Carey for setting players to fail, some knew what he meant. But it’s easy to see why his words may have confused people.

Was Drew Carey Misleading Contestants in ‘The Price is Right?’

His words of encouragement have been seen as tips, advice, or a set of instructions if one wants to succeed in Plinko. But based on the show’s long runtime, it’s very likely that players know how the game works. Even Carey praised Lauren for her efforts. In the video, Lauren is seen trying her luck by placing her chips on the other slots, not just in the middle. The game only gave her five to use, and she just decided to mainly aim at the center.

At the end of the day, Plinko is a game of chance, not skill. It’s up to gravity and luck to decide if contestants will be going home with the grand prize or not. You can watch The Price Is Right on CBS and the show is available to stream on Paramount+.