Hosts Linda Kollmeyer and Mark Goodman are joined by Steve Ryan on the set of Illinois Instant Riches with 'Knockout.'  The mysterious cube is first energized and then released into the arena for thirty seconds.  It shakes, rattles and rolls in a surprising and unpredictable manner.  Should a contestant's colored cylinder survive the wacky attack, he or she could go home with instant riches of up to $100,000.

FORCE FIELD

Steve prepares to release the swinging magnetic pendulum into the 'Force Field' on Instant Riches.  The drama mounts as the saucer-like object teases with circular hovering-type motions until it eventually locks into one of the ten money magnets.

Steve Ryan pauses on the set of Instant Riches to demonstrate his newest game creation, 'Thunderball.' In this multi-player game, fifteen gold balls are supported by ten lightning rods.  In alternating fashion, three players pull the numbered rods causing balls to fall through the cylinder.  Drop five balls and you're out of the game.  The surviving player can win up to $100,000.  

JD Roberto, Steve Ryan and Heather Alexander pose with 'Splash Down.'  'Splash Down'  is played with a pyramid of 10 balls that are supported by 19 numbered rods.  As rods are randomly pulled, the colored balls ultimately splash down into the water below.  Yellow balls earn $10,000 a piece. Splashing down the green ball automatically wins a grand total of $100,000.  But beware, splashing down either of the red balls ends the game and you lose half of your winnings.  

NIAGARA

'Splash Down' becomes 'Niagara' for the New York lottery.  In this game in progress, one yellow ball has already gone over the falls for $10,000.  The big money green ball is working its way closer to a splashdown but one of the dreaded red balls is also poised to spoil a big win.

Steve supervises the construction of 'Treasure Quest' for the New York lottery.  In this game one lucky player tries to maneuver his or her way to a treasure chest filled with life changing riches.  

Popeye flexes his muscles for Steve on the set of Florida's Flamingo Fortune taped at Universal Studios in Orlando.  

In 'Beach Ball,' Popeye's muscle is needed to retrieve and reset a forty-pound beach ball that swings back and forth through a revolving turntable of giant sand castles.  The more castles a player leaves  standing, the greater the winnings. 

WRECKING BALL

'Beach Ball' is transformed into 'Wrecking Ball' for Illinois Instant Riches.  Sandcastles become skyscrapers in this revolving demolition derby where lucky contestants win thousands. 

A rather calm Flamingo Fortune contestant contemplates his fate as he plays 'Steeple Chase.'  In this round two colors of balls are released onto the tracks where they tumble, shuffle and vie to win, place and show.  If a lucky contestant can get his or her colored balls to finish (1st, 2nd and 3rd), a cool $100,000 is won.  Smaller money amounts are awarded for lesser achievements.

Before all of the lights, bells, whistles and scenic elements, Steve performs early testing of 'Steeple Chase.'  The circular wheel or the "hamster cage" as it is affectionately called, rotates and scrambles the balls before it tosses them on to the top tracks. 

'Steeple Chase' is rethemed and becomes 'Camelot's Riches' for California's Big Spin.  In this version, players get to launch the balls by pulling on King Arthur's sword in the proverbial stone.  

Steve poses with his brand new 'Gold Rush' game for California's Big Spin.  This two-player game is themed to capture the flavor of California's gold rush of 1849. The object is to fill your mining car with up to ten gold nuggets.  But don't get too greedy, more than ten nuggets automatically eliminates you from play. The winner goes on to spin for up to $3,000,000 at the Big Spin wheel.

HIGH ROLLER

'High Roller' makes its debut on California's Big Spin. Joining Steve on the set are art director Michael Allen (left) and game builder Rob Shultz (right). 

Steve first created this popular roller coaster game for New York Wired where it was called 'Coney Island Coaster'. In both games balls are launched from a random and shielded position to create the ultimate suspense and excitement.  Back and forth the ball rolls, where she stops, nobody knows.

Steve tests the launching mechanism for 'Vortex.'    Seven balls are launched at a time and the balls always form a daisy shape when they come to rest in the bottom bowl.  You're a winner if the center ball is yellow.  'Vortex' is Steve's personal favorite lottery game.  It has appeared in the Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania and South African lotteries.  

VORTEX

'Vortex' makes its debut on the Massachusetts lottery game show Bonus Bonanza.

In a Powerball rehearsal for 'Zero Gravity,' we see host Bob Eubanks asking game creator Steve Ryan if he'd like to risk his current earnings for a chance to win more.  The same technology that make airplanes fly (Bernoulli effect) is used to levitate the huge red ball over the rotating wheel.  Contestant lives are changed forever when the ball comes to rest in the $1,000,000 space.  

Here we see Steve supervising early testing and construction of 'Zero Gravity.'  Drama is foremost when deciding such matters as how high to levitate the ball and how fast to rotate the wheel.   

Here we see 'Skyscraper' being played at a taping for the New York lottery.  In 'Skyscraper,' the larger the building you complete the greater the winnings.  Completing the Empire State Building wins the jackpot which often reaches $1,000,000.

In 'Powerball Express,' a locomotive pushes the Powerball up the slope closer and closer to victory or disaster.  It's a game of chicken.  Push the Powerball over the cliff and you lose.