Ben has offered himself as tribute to play Le Banquier, so as we say back in Quebec, where I was born, allons-y (let's go).

We've got 26 cases loaded with all kinds of money, from one cent - retired across Canada since 2012 - to our top prize of $500,000. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of those cases, with the hopes that it contains that amount.

And just like the actual show, the three bonuses - Capital One, Maxi and Surprise - are all in play. Capital One awards a $10,000 bonus added to your cash total, the Maxi Case will give you a trip to an exotic location, and we can't say what the Surprise case holds because it's a surprise .

Don't worry, you're not required to know French to play this game. But since this is Le Banquier, we do things a bit differently. Instead of Deal or No Deal, the question here is "Est-ce que cette offre est acceptée ou refusée (Do you accept or refuse this offer?)?.

Okay, that takes care of the housekeeping stuff. Ben, it's now over to you to select a case for yourself, and then six more for the first round of the game.

Bonne chance (Good luck), monsieur .

I'll choose Case 9, please. My first six selections will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, please.

No problem. I think I've figured out your system and lucky number already .

For those new to this version of the game, here's what the board looks like.

$0.01
$1
$5
$10
$20
$50
$75
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$750
----------
$1,000
$5,000
Capital One
$25,000
$50,000
$100,000
$125,000
$150,000
$175,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000

All right, here we go.

[1] - $1,000
[2] - $400
[3] - $200,000
[4] - $750
[5] - $5
[6] - $50,000

Well, aside from losing one of the Power Eight, that was a pretty good round. Here comes your first offer.

BANKER'S OFFER

$42,000

Est-ce que cette offre est acceptée ou refusée?

1, 2, 3, REFUSEE!

Oops, I got Le Banquier and APOAL confused.

7, 8, 10, 11, and 12, please.

No worries, mate. I imagine you'll learn the difference between France and Quebec eventually .

All kidding aside, let's open the next five cases.

[7] - Maxi Case | $300 - You win a trip for two to Puerto Vaillarta, worth $8,000 .
[8] - $100,000
[10] - Surprise | $50 - The Surprise is $10,000 worth of coupons to use at the stores of your choosing .
[11] - $400,000
[12] - $25,000

A so-so round. You've got two of the three bonuses under your belt at this point. Here's the offer.

BANKER'S OFFER

$53,000

Julie Snyder rarely asks the question these days, so I'll do the same. You know what it is by now, so answer accordingly.

I predict you'll chose cases 13, 14, 15 and 16 next .

REFUSEE!

13, 14, 15, and 17 next, please.

Ah, touché, monsieur. Just when I thought I figured out your system .

[13] - $1
[14] - $75
[15] - $150,000
[17] - $500

That was a much better round. Offer time.

BANKER'S OFFER

$68,000

REFUSEE!

16, 18, and 20, please.

Also, can you please post the board after this round?

No problem. First, let's open those three cases.

[16] - $200
[18] - $300,000
[20] - $20

Here is what the board looks like at this point.

$0.01
$10
$100
----------
$5,000
Capital One
$125,000
$175,000
$500,000

And now, for your offer.

BANKER'S OFFER

$87,000

This is where things get tough. There's no way I would decline 85% of the average at this stage on virtually any other version of Deal or No Deal, but given the Le Banquier Banker often goes above the average towards the end of the game and I still have the Capital One bonus, NO DEAL.

21 and 22, please.

Don't you mean Refusée? Ici, on parle français .

Two cases stand between you and your next offer, so let's open 'em now.

[21] - $125,000 - That's not so great.
[22] - Capital One - But that is! You're now guaranteed $10,000 !

Also a guarantee: This offer.

BANKER'S OFFER

$114,000

Oh, just one more thing. I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now. You say you're American, but what state are you from? I'm curious.

I'll tell you what state I am from if you add $5,000 to the offer.

You got it, pal .

BANKER'S OFFER

$119,000

I'm from North Carolina.

Also, I shall DEAL the $119k offer.

My next choices would've been 23, 24, 25 and 26 in that order. Feel free to offer the Banker's Gamble if the $500k stays to the end.

You know, I'd have never guessed that. I always thought it was either Massachusetts, New York or California.

I have to ask you another question: Are you a Carolina Hurricanes fan? They play in Raleigh.

...Oh, right. I'm supposed to be hosting a game show here. Sorry about that. Right, so $119,000 is secured, along with the other stuff you won along the way. Nice going there.

But could you have done better? Let's find out.

[23] - $0.01 - That's not what we wanted to see.

BANKER'S OFFER WOULD'VE BEEN

$166,000

[24] - $500,000 - Yes !

Well, in true Le Banquier fashion, once the biggie goes in the proveout, we stop right there and reveal the rest of the cases. Let's find out how much you were sitting on top of.


Here's what was in the other cases.

[19] - $5,000
[25] - $10
[26] - $100

You leave us with a grand total of $147,000 in cash and stuff. That's a great takeaway, and you played it like a true Le Banquier contestant. I hope you enjoyed yourself .

Join us next time for more fun and excitement on Le Banquier. Until then, this is Mark David saying merci, et bonne soirée.