ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Local musician Neil Nayyar is no stranger to the spotlight. From mastering more than 130 instruments to appearing on billboards across California, the Elk Grove native recently added a win on national television to his growing list of accomplishments.

Nayyar appeared as a contestant on Season 17 of the popular game show “Let’s Make a Deal” in an episode that aired Jan. 15. He made a deal with host Wayne Brady that won him a five-night stay at the Palm Springs Fantasy Casino Resort, a prize valued at more than $3,000.

Nayyar said the episode’s airing stemmed from an opportunity that first took shape in 2022, when the show’s producers contacted him after seeing his appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show.”

At the time, he did not meet the age requirement and had to pass. A couple of years later, producers reached out again, and this time Nayyar was ready to say yes. He and his mother made the nearly six-hour drive to Glendale on April 5, 2025, to the show’s studio, which also houses productions such as “The Price Is Right.”

 

Neil Nayyar poses for a picture outside the “Let’s Make a Deal” studio in Southern California on April 5, 2025. 

Nayyar told the Elk Grove Citizen that although auditions take place ahead of time, the show’s premise is built around audience members dressing in eye-catching costumes to draw the host’s attention and earn a spot on stage.

Staying true to his musical style, Nayyar arrived dressed as a drum and accessorized the look with a clear saxophone outfitted with flashing, colorful LEDs.

“Eventually, one of the producers called me aside and told me I would be a contestant on the show,” Nayyar said. “Even though I had suspected it, hearing it directly was surreal.”

When his turn came, Nayyar made his mark by performing a musical piece for the host and audience that playfully nodded to the show’s original theme song.

 

Neil Nayyar, left, is pictured playing his saxophone during the Jan. 15 episode of “Let Make a Deal,” with a fellow contestant and game show host Wayne Brady. Photo courtesy of Neil Nayyar

“I then played my own original ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ tune on my saxophone,” Nayyar said. “Halfway through, Cat Gray, the show’s live musician, jumped in and jammed with me, which was an unforgettable moment.”

After watching several contestants either win big or walk away empty-handed after being “zonked,” Nayyar trusted his instincts when it was his turn to pick a hidden prize behind a curtain.

“When my curtain opened, it revealed a trip to Palm Springs,” he said. “I was beyond shocked and excited; I had never been there before.”

Though the episode aired just last week, Nayyar said he has already used his prize and enjoyed his stay last summer, calling the experience a cherished memory.

“Overall, it was an unforgettable journey; from being on ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ to exploring Palm Springs... It’s a memory my family and I will always cherish,” Nayyar added.

 

Dressed in a drum costume, Elk Grove musician Neil Nayyar poses with a poster at the Glendale studio where the nationally televised game show “Let’s Make a Deal” is taped.