Carol Mihalko of Madera, center, was on the television show "Deal Or No Deal" that was telecast this past week. She was accompanied to Hollywood, Calif., by her daughter, Melissa Shetrom, left, and daughter-in-law Laura Mihalko, right. (Submitted photo)

The shows were televised Monday through Friday this past week.

Accompanying her were her daughter Melissa Shetrom of Huntingdon, an accountant with Valley Rural Electric Co., and daughter-in-law Laura Mihalko of Madera, a kindergarten teacher in Moshannon Valley School District.

The activity began when Carol sent losing lottery tickets in to Pennsylvania and, during the process of elimination, won one of seven trips awarded to the state.

There were what she called "intensive" interviews of 97 people before 26 were chosen from various states. She said they were watched and interviewed the whole time, noting people coming along the line, who looked like backstage workers, were really producers who would be choosing the contestants. Twenty-two were on each show with the other four alternates used to replace a winner each day.

When the contestants went off stage, there were various kinds of food and beverages, and they had their hair, makeup and clothing checked. They were not given time to change outfits for each show.

All five shows were filmed in one day with the bus ride from the hotel beginning at 6:30 a.m. and arriving at Universal Studio at 7:30. They were done at 4 p.m.

Ms. Mihalko said there was high security for the cases held by the contestants and the locked container holding them came in with security guards. As the game went on every one was opened to show a number amount inside.

Ms. Mihalko said the contestant on Monday's show won the most, $175,000. She said she is a "gambler," and if she had gotten to be on a show she would have gone the whole way.

She mentioned the friendliness of each one of the crew, mentioning models Patricia and Tameka, but said, although host Howie Mandell was very nice, they had no one-on-one talks with him.

And no matter how she watched she was never able to see The Banker. He was just a shadow behind a window.

Ms. Shetrom and Laura Mihalko were in the audience for each show. Their bus left the hotel at 8:45 a.m.

They were in California from April 15-19 and were able to do some sightseeing. One venture was to go to Santa Monica and put their feet in the Pacific Ocean.

Ms. Shetrom called it a once in a lifetime experience and said she had a good time.

Laura Mihalko also called it fun and exciting to be able to be in the audience and watch each show. Other contestants' family members sat behind them.

Ms. Mihalko said she feels she won by just being able to be one of the  seven from Pennsylvania.

She was sent $500 before traveling and all the expenses were paid for two, the flights and hotel. After coming home she received $5,000.

The show will now be moving to Connecticut for filming, and Ms. Mihalko wants to apply to try again for a nighttime show.

This is not the only television show Ms. Mihalko has been on, because she, also by sending in losing lottery tickets, was an Instant Powerball Millionaire winner.

The show filmed in Las Vegas in March 2004 and it was aired May 22 of that year. She received $1,003,688.

She was accompanied to the show by her husband, Jim, and her brother Tom Elling and his wife, Barb. One rule for that show was that no one could be told the outcome until the show aired.

She sent an entry the next year to Channel 10 television and won a Casey's Cruiser trip for herself and her husband to the Western Caribbean. That year, on May 22 she won $4,000 playing bingo on the cruise.

She said she is called "lucky," but she enters many contests.