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In the revival, the first round is different. Instead of answering trivia questions for spins, the contestants take turns spinning on the board, with an option to "freeze" (i.e. stop spinning). If a contestant hits a Whammy in the first round, he's out of the round and cannot spin any more. The Whammy is now CGI, but when you come right down to it, it's still the same show.
Also, the revival features fewer chances to earn extra spins in the final round. Some of the best shows in classic PYL occurred when 2 contestants kept passing spins back and forth, because they kept earning bonus spins.
The only real decision a contestant gets to make is whether to spin or pass. (Except for someone who cracks the board pattern like Michael Larsen; that is probably no longer possible.) Occasionally, there are squares such as "move 1 space" or "pick a corner" that offer a choice. Most of the time, the correct decisions is obvious. However, a description of the exact optimal strategy is difficult.
Since the revival "Whammy!" does not feature returning champions, in this version it is sometimes correct to risk losing the game in order to win more. In classic PYL, winning the game is the primary goal. For example, in "Whammy!", if you're ahead $3000 to $500 with 1 spin left, you probably should spin again to increase your winnings. In classic PYL, this is a clearcut pass, because your opponent is unlikely to be able to get $2500 in one spin. (Only 1-2 out of 18 squares offer a chance to get that much, plus a few squares offer a bonus spin.) Even though you only win $3000, the right to return the next day is valuable.
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