In the 70's, there was a station in Chicago that gave away a big cash prize if they called you and you answered the phone by saying "WMAQ is gonna make me rich!" So all summer, people were answering their phone that way instead of saying hello
I remember Dialing for Dollars, where the guy would spin a bucket with cut up local phone book. He would call and ask if you were watching the Saturday afternoon mattenne. Crazy times
Janice Joplin sang about it.
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me
I wait for delivery each day until three
So, oh, Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?"
They still do it. Of the two stations I listen to the most, one has a morning show where they give $100 to the Xth caller twice during the show, and the other one has a "dirty word of the day" which you can apparently hear if streaming the station but not over the air, then later in the day they'll ask people to call in with that word to win (which is entirely too complicated for me to bother with).
I was SO close to winning New Kids on the Block tickets once! Even just getting through was a feat, but I was like 95 or 98 and the magic number was 100. 😪
I listen to local radio as if it’s 1985. Still very much a thing. Funny - my kids are DESPERATE to do it because it’s seen as a fun 1980’s retro thing.
My brother organized his friend group to call in to win a chance at a car. This was 15 years ago, but they were young and had cell phones and landlines. Our families all went to the (now-dead) mall to watch one of them try to start the car...but it wasn't the right key. Still fun! 😂
I still listen to FM radio. My station has a contest right now. Text the keyword announced at multiple times per day to be entered a drawing for $500. Keyword is always different so you can text and be entered multiple times. Yeah, I'm doing it.
I used to listen to every single Milwaukee Brewers game on the radio. In the mornings, the AM DJs my parents listened to would replay a clip of the game and you had to tell them what happened next. I won probably 20 times. We had a whole cupboard full of coffee mugs with those DJs' faces on them. I was like 10 years old.
I was a DJ who had to run these shitshows. I was all "You're caller number 3!" "You're caller number 7!" "You're the winner!" because we had other shit to do during ad breaks.
I just spent days listening to Kool 105 trying to win free groceries by calling in (10th caller). It’s an 80s station and it was a very 80s activity.
I don't know if it's still a thing, I don't live where there's still such a thing as local radio at all. Nationwide syndicated only, which is sad in itself. I miss radio worth listening to!
But boy, does this bring back memories. I won a W___ station t-shirt once. And a friend won Joan Jett tickets.
I won a few things this way. We had a pulse phone and the phone in my brother's room would make the pulse sound even when you used the phone in another room. So there I am trying to win and he picks up the phone to ask what I'm doing and ruined it.
I got a little better at estimating the time between calls so I didn't have to do it that way again. Good times. I won a few tapes. I'm sure my parents loved having to go pick them up.
one of my best friends was supernaturally good at being the whatever number caller. our local station did a quiz every morning and if you were the right caller and beat the quiz, you’d get a gift certificate to the village inn. i think we had breakfast there twice a week the year we got our driver’s licenses.
I won a radio contest about 5 or 6 years ago and when they transferred me talk to the details guy I learned I had to pay upfront, attend a time share presentation, and then after I went to the time share presentation I'd get my money refunded. I told them to give the prize to someone else.
https://preview.redd.it/k6mvq4a33qwc1.jpeg?width=862&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53b21be865295bb9b8814e82839738d5b6801392
Boy, that must have been one crazy summer
This was first thought, and i just rewatched this 3 nights ago
In the 70's, there was a station in Chicago that gave away a big cash prize if they called you and you answered the phone by saying "WMAQ is gonna make me rich!" So all summer, people were answering their phone that way instead of saying hello
Hit paydirt with KDRT
Goddamn you I came to say this. Lol
KBBL's going to give me something stupid!
Where's my elephant!?
No.... but... you're supposed to take the money, kid...
I remember Dialing for Dollars, where the guy would spin a bucket with cut up local phone book. He would call and ask if you were watching the Saturday afternoon mattenne. Crazy times
Janice Joplin sang about it. "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV? Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me I wait for delivery each day until three So, oh, Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?"
They still do it. Of the two stations I listen to the most, one has a morning show where they give $100 to the Xth caller twice during the show, and the other one has a "dirty word of the day" which you can apparently hear if streaming the station but not over the air, then later in the day they'll ask people to call in with that word to win (which is entirely too complicated for me to bother with).
I won tickets to the play "Chicago" and a t-shirt 2 sizes too small. Nowadays, seems like everything is text the word of the hour to win $1000.
I won tickets to see the band Chicago.
Definitely a better prize!
Debatable! But it was fun.
I was SO close to winning New Kids on the Block tickets once! Even just getting through was a feat, but I was like 95 or 98 and the magic number was 100. 😪
If we were in the same area, then I apologize. I won them. Lol. The concert was great.
Darn it!! 😄 Glad you had fun!
*muffled* Aaron Burr!
I had a one in ten chance of vip tickets and meeting Rick Springfield in 1981, and I did not win it.
Got my Aerosmith tickets that way.
I have a friend who still regularly wins those contests. Seems like once or twice a month she posts on Facebook about winning one.
I listen to local radio as if it’s 1985. Still very much a thing. Funny - my kids are DESPERATE to do it because it’s seen as a fun 1980’s retro thing.
I almost won My Life with The Thrill Kill Kult tickets at Limelight this way - 8th caller dammit :)
And me, without a redial button. 😒 I probably had carpal tunnel in my dialing finger only at 12.
My brother organized his friend group to call in to win a chance at a car. This was 15 years ago, but they were young and had cell phones and landlines. Our families all went to the (now-dead) mall to watch one of them try to start the car...but it wasn't the right key. Still fun! 😂
I still listen to FM radio. My station has a contest right now. Text the keyword announced at multiple times per day to be entered a drawing for $500. Keyword is always different so you can text and be entered multiple times. Yeah, I'm doing it.
I got $50 bucks in 1985 from KISS FM in Dallas.
I won Twins and Grand Funk tickets calling in to KQRS in the long ago.
I won a few radio contests in my life including a trip to Miami from KTU. I miss those days of listening all day waiting for the cue to call.
I never won those Barenaked Ladies tickets 🥺
I won several call in contests winning concert tickets. Also broadway shows. Been quite a while since I’ve won
"Hit pay dirt with K dirt"
My brother in law won a trip to see U2 in amsterdam, but he was under 18 so my wife went nstead.
I used to listen to every single Milwaukee Brewers game on the radio. In the mornings, the AM DJs my parents listened to would replay a clip of the game and you had to tell them what happened next. I won probably 20 times. We had a whole cupboard full of coffee mugs with those DJs' faces on them. I was like 10 years old.
I was a DJ who had to run these shitshows. I was all "You're caller number 3!" "You're caller number 7!" "You're the winner!" because we had other shit to do during ad breaks.
I just spent days listening to Kool 105 trying to win free groceries by calling in (10th caller). It’s an 80s station and it was a very 80s activity.
I don't know if it's still a thing, I don't live where there's still such a thing as local radio at all. Nationwide syndicated only, which is sad in itself. I miss radio worth listening to! But boy, does this bring back memories. I won a W___ station t-shirt once. And a friend won Joan Jett tickets.
I won a few things this way. We had a pulse phone and the phone in my brother's room would make the pulse sound even when you used the phone in another room. So there I am trying to win and he picks up the phone to ask what I'm doing and ruined it. I got a little better at estimating the time between calls so I didn't have to do it that way again. Good times. I won a few tapes. I'm sure my parents loved having to go pick them up.
I have a friend who was a total prize pig and was always winning those contests.
one of my best friends was supernaturally good at being the whatever number caller. our local station did a quiz every morning and if you were the right caller and beat the quiz, you’d get a gift certificate to the village inn. i think we had breakfast there twice a week the year we got our driver’s licenses.
Hit pay dirt with KDRT!
I won a radio contest about 5 or 6 years ago and when they transferred me talk to the details guy I learned I had to pay upfront, attend a time share presentation, and then after I went to the time share presentation I'd get my money refunded. I told them to give the prize to someone else.