Richard Bell

KARNS CITY — Richard Bell's friends may be crossing their fingers as they watch "Deal or No Deal" on Wednesday, but he will not.

"We can tell you he won between a penny and one million dollars," said Bell's mother, Vicki Smith.

She said Bell, 39, was hesitant at first when a group of his friends from work invited him to Ross Park Mall on May 14 to try out for the show.

"He stood in line down there for 10 hours," Smith said.

Of 6,700 people who auditioned, NBC executives narrowed the field to 45 people.

"That very night, it was a Saturday, he received a call from them," Smith said.

Bell, who cannot talk about his experience until the show airs, spent the next Monday in an interview with show producers. After the 45 finalists were interviewed, he was one of two invited to Los Angeles to be on the show.

Bell was told he may be called at any time over the next year to appear on the program. Then on July 15 he got a call from producers, the first of many, according to his mother.

"Boy, the interviews you have to go through; it's really something," Smith said.

NBC flew Bell, his sister, mother, and brother, all of whom are nurses and live together, to Los Angeles, as well as Smith's 7-year-old grandson and a family friend.

"We were all out there, they paid for everything but food, and it was wonderful," Smith said.

The episode featuring Bell was taped July 30, though the family stayed in Los Angeles through Aug. 2.

"Deal or No Deal" will air at 9 p.m. Wednesday.