Tonight’s ‘Deal or No Deal’ Contestant: Who is George Stathoulis?

On tonight’s new episode of Deal or No Deal, hosted by Howie Mandel, George Stathoulis is the lucky contestant hoping to win one million dollars. The description for the episode, titled “My Big Fat Greek Game Show,” reads “Restaurateur George Stathoulis and his big Greek family take over the show in a loud, colorful and suspense-filled game.”

In CNBC’s promo video for Stathoulis’s episode, they feature him and his family bringing Greek culture and chaos to the Deal or No Deal stage and studio. The video shows them smashing plates, dancing, waving Greek flags, and even spitting on the cases for good luck. The show promises that the family will “play this game like no one has before.”

George Stathoulis is a husband and family man, who helps run the family restaurant in southern California. On LinkedIn, there is a George Stathoulis from the greater Los Angeles area who works at “Frisco’s Carhop Diner & Catering.”

When Mandel invites George up to the stage, he emerges from the wings with his wife and the rest of his family and runs up on stage before kissing Mandel on each cheek. He gave Howie an “evil eye” charm pin to wear, to “protect from bad energy.” He also brought one for the banker.

After Mandel asks Stathoulis to tell him about himself, he says “I am from southern California. I work for my family’s restaurant and catering business.” Pointing to his wife (who joined him on stage), he adds “I just recently got married to the love of my life. She is my everything, and we broke up and I just couldn’t be with anybody else. And I chased after her and finally I won her heart the same way I’m going to win a million dollars.” Also joining George and his wife on stage were George’s parents.

If he were to win the million dollars, George said “My wife and I want to have seven kids” which he joked they needed to help the family at their restaurant. Then, indicating to his own big family, he said “It’s so important to us ’cause having a big family, there’s nothing better.” He got emotional when he told Mandel that his big family is “an amazing experience,” and their close-knit and fun-filled bond remains a major part of the episode. His mother is one of 7 children, making the number even more significant to him. To conclude, he told Mandel “If we get this big money today, we can start a family tonight!”

It is no surprise that Stathoulis chose case number 7 as the one he believes is holding one million dollars. In another preview clip of the episode, Stathoulis does not immediately open up his first six cases. Before choosing them, he tells Howie that in the Greek culture, “for good luck, we gotta spit on the case.” He and Mandel take turns spitting on case number 7, and then he chooses case 19 to open first because it was his grandfather’s favorite number.

Tune in to Deal or No Deal on CNBC, Wednesday nights at 9/8c.