[HedgeHog]

Almost all of us play the SBR trivia contest: complete level 1 and get +10 points, complete level 2 and net +50 points and get all 3 levels right for +125 points. Since you're risking what you've won in the previous rounds, is it worth attempting level 3? You're risking 50 pts vs an additional 75 pts on a multiple choice question--seems like a bad bet in all. Personally I quit at 50 each time. What's your strategy on this contest?

PS I know this isn't high finance, just curious as to how the Think Tank members approach the Trivia Game.

[yisman]

Depends on how good you are at trivia.

Most here would get the third question correct less than 40% of the time.

It's a +150 bet. If you think you can top 40%, then go for it.

[Peregrine Stoop]

weird, sometimes the 3rd question is easier. don't have a good sample yet to know for sure.

[Peregrine Stoop]

also, if you can manage to eliminate just 2 obviously incorrect answers, it's a +EV point flippament

[Peeig]

fwiw, i usually stop at fitty puntoz alzzo

[Tackleberry]

Obviously it depends on how likely you are to be able to answer the question correctly or as Peregrine mentioned how confident you are that you can at least turn the question into a situation where you have a 50% chance of getting it correct versus the 25% that even a blind monkey has. For me personally I have always thought it to be -EV and never go past question 2.

[wrongturn]

I hope they have 5th choice: Surrender (return half back).

[HeeeHAWWWW]

Sometimes the 3rd question moves away from American sports - makes it more difficult for USians, but usually easier for me :-)

[TomG]

can we start a study thread where people post the questions and answers?

[Peregrine Stoop]

so, if we start from random guessing, which will be right 25% of the time, what % of the time do you need to know the 3rd question answer to take the bet.

x*100% + (1-x)*25% > 40%
3/4x > 15%
x > 20%

So, if you know it 1 in 5 times, you should go for it.

This excludes the times you can eliminate an option or two, which would mean you need to know the answer even less.
My guess is many of you are not going for it enough and/or bad at rolling dice.

[The Sensei]

what if we never even make it to the third question haha

[That Foreign Guy]

so, if we start from random guessing, which will be right 25% of the time, what % of the time do you need to know the 3rd question answer to take the bet. x*100% + (1-x)*25% > 40% 3/4x > 15% x > 20% So, if you know it 1 in 5 times, you should go for it. This excludes the times you can eliminate an option or two, which would mean you need to know the answer even less. My guess is many of you are not going for it enough and/or bad at rolling dice.

It also excludes the number of times you have a false positive (you think you know but you are wrong).

[HedgeHog]

Depends on how good you are at trivia.

Most here would get the third question correct less than 40% of the time.

It's a +150 bet. If you think you can top 40%, then go for it.

That's my thinking, too. However, it looks like you've done very well in the trivia game, hitting the" trifecta" several times. Congrats.

[yisman]

I hit it about 65-70% of the time, so it's +EV for me.

[Peregrine Stoop]

Ken Jennings up in da house!

[HedgeHog]

Ken Jennings up in da house!

I'll take minutia for $1000, Alex.

[Sawyer]

Level 2 is +EV but Level 3 is not.

[Peeig]

so, if we start from random guessing, which will be right 25% of the time, what % of the time do you need to know the 3rd question answer to take the bet.

x*100% + (1-x)*25% > 40%
3/4x > 15%
x > 20%

So, if you know it 1 in 5 times, you should go for it.

This excludes the times you can eliminate an option or two, which would mean you need to know the answer even less.
My guess is many of you are not going for it enough and/or bad at rolling dice.

I went for Question 3 today and was able to eliminate one answer, I am starting to think maybe question 3 is +EV.

[Peregrine Stoop]

I went for Question 3 today and was able to eliminate one answer, I am starting to think maybe question 3 is +EV.

was it about Ashton Kutcher?

[Ruifgalmeida]

I am not American so I struggle a little bit with the questions so normally I hit 10points and run

[Kaabee]

whether you think it's ethical or not, googling skill is a huge factor

[HedgeHog]

whether you think it's ethical or not, googling skill is a huge factor

Googling is legit IMO, but 20 seconds is not much time to read the question, google and then enter the answer. You risk getting locked out w/o attempting an educated guess.

[Sawyer]

I wish I could google..but time limit prevents it

[Kaabee]

I wish I could google..but time limit prevents it

just gotta type quick and know how to phrase the query. i'm decent but i'm sure there are people who can get a large percentage with it.

[samdapatriotsfan]

I have never considered the Google thing, probably because I usually stop at question 2. I have gone for the 3rd question 5 times and only answered it correctly once.

[EasyHustlin]

Trivia has been burying me lately.

[Fishhead]

-0054

[WendysRox]

Speaking of the trivia... today my #2 question was, "How is the #1 Div I-A team determined? 1)something 2)playoff 3)poll" I just assumed they were asking about NCAA football and chose correctly. But, it would have been nice if the question mentioned a league. It could have been Mongolian cricket for all I knew. Then again, maybe knowing what Div I-A is is part of the trivia.

[roasthawg]

Where do I go to play the contest?

[Dark Horse]

10*50 = 4*125

40% break even point.