Mandel: Someone wins $1M this season

BURBANK, Calif., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- "Deal Or No Deal" host Howie Mandel has announced that, for the first time, the U.S. game show's $1 million top prize will be given away this season.

Mandel made the announcement on Thursday night's finale of NBC's "Last Comic Standing," the network said.

The new season of "Deal or No Deal" is to premiere Aug. 25.

"The Million Dollar Mission is back and it will eventually be 'mission accomplished' this season as the premiere episode will kick off with four $1 million cases on the board -- increasing the contestants' chance to win the top prize," NBC said in a press release. "For each consecutive game without a million-dollar winner, an additional million-dollar case will be added to the board. But the question remains -- which episode will see the first million-dollar winner crowned? Viewers and fans of the show will have to tune in to find out."