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A comment on The expected value of the game is positive regardless of Ballmer’s strategy. Parent comment

Re:The expected value of the game is positive regardless of ... by gwd on Friday September 06, 2024 @04:23AM (#41464101)
> The point is if you get _one round_ to play - essentially all or nothing - should you play? No.

On the contrary, in general yes you should, because life as a whole will give you a variety of these sorts of risks. Steve Balmer's offer is just one episode in a lifelong series of risks offered you by the universe at large.

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Re:The expected value of the game is positive regardless of ... by denizener on Friday September 06, 2024 @08:05AM (#41465386)
It all depends too if the absorbing barrier is a true absorbing barrier like death.

Bankruptcy would suck but it is not like you have no possibility of another chance like death.

I suspect there is much muddled thinking in this area viewing the death of a LLC as equal to the death of a human.

A coin flip for 20 million dollars if tails, physical death if heads is much different than bankruptcy if heads.

One is a stupid gambler with their life and the other is basically a serial entrepreneur taking asymmetrical bets until the coin comes up tails.

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