The shows are broadcast live six to seven times a year from different cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There have also been seven open-air summer shows, broadcast from Amphitheatre Xanten, Plaça de Toros de Palma de Mallorca, Disneyland Paris, Waldbühne Berlin, and Aspendos Roman Theatre. Each of the shows, which are shown without commercial interruption, are usually scheduled to last for about two hours, but it is not uncommon for a show to run as much as 45 minutes longer.
On 14 February 1981, the German channel ZDF broadcast the first episode in cooperation with the Austrian broadcaster ORF and the Swiss channel SF DRS. The inventor of the show, Frank Elstner, hosted the show until its 39th episode in 1987. Wetten, dass..? has since been hosted by entertainer Thomas Gottschalk, except during a brief interval from 1992 to 1993, when nine episodes were presented by Wolfgang Lippert. Gottschalk hosted his 100th episode of the show on 27 March 2004. Since late 2009, Michelle Hunziker has assisted Gottschalk in hosting the show. Thomas Gottschalk will leave the show at the end of the 2011 season.
