ZDF broadcast the first edition of Wetten, dass..? on 14 February 1981. The show was invented by Frank Elstner, who was also its first host. After each bet was read out, the host called Top, die Wette gilt!, done, the bet stands. That was the signal for the candidate to begin. A celebrity Wettpate predicted whether the candidate would succeed. In case the prediction was wrong, the Wettpate offered a stake in advance, or the host set one. In the original bet with the studio audience, the host himself was the Pate, and his stake had to be paid by the end of the evening.