Para-dice promotion

[Guest]

The Para-dice Bradley promotion with 6 people rolling dice to spell Bradley is really bogus. For those not at the game, 6 people each have one die with one letter of the name Bradley and the other 5 sides blank. All 6 people roll the dice at the same time to try to spell Bradley. If they do, everyone wins $10,000. Well, I just calculated the odds of winning:

2.143 per 100,000 or 1 in 46,663.56

At an average of 15 home games per year there will be one winner every 3,119.9 years. Thanks so much for your generosity! I hope they are paying dearly for the advertisement!

[mike radigan]

The Para-dice Bradley promotion with 6 people rolling dice to spell Bradley is really bogus. For those not at the game, 6 people each have one die with one letter of the name Bradley and the other 5 sides blank. All 6 people roll the dice at the same time to try to spell Bradley. If they do, everyone wins $10,000. Well, I just calculated the odds of winning:

2.143 per 100,000 or 1 in 46,663.56

At an average of 15 home games per year there will be one winner every 3,119.9 years. Thanks so much for your generosity! I hope they are paying dearly for the advertisement!

Not to split hairs, but it is 1 in 46656 and once every 3110.4 years. And why should this be different than the crazy odds throughout gambling? It's either long odds or small payouts. The casinos aren't built from the house losing money.

[georgethedog]

Not to split hairs, but it is 1 in 46656 and once every 3110.4 years. And why should this be different than the crazy odds throughout gambling? It's either long odds or small payouts. The casinos aren't built from the house losing money.

Let's split some more (I rounded after 14 6's) :
1 in 46,663.5557629491 tries
Chances are 1 in 3,119.904 years.

In this case it is long odds and small payouts. Casinos are built buy people who do understand math, and sadly America has a lot of those people.

[J Money BU]

It's pretty stupid but I'll roll a dice for a shot at 10 G's. Maybe I can eat something other than ramen noodles for dinner. I don't think it's that big of a deal except at the Quincy game when it took so long to get the six people down there that it got in the way after the time out.

[mike radigan]

George, it's just 6 raised to the 6th power. It's exactly 1 in 46656. Nonetheless, the casinos just rake it in. One of my fav places is Lake Tahoe and I sometimes stay at a casino. Sometimes you even have to walk through the gaming area to get where you want. I've yet to try my luck.

[BradleyBrave]

Gambling is the downfall of society. Just like alcohol, pornography, and television.

[mike radigan]

Gambling is the downfall of society. Just like alcohol, pornography, and television.

I suppose there could be nothing worse than gambling on the outcome of the porno scene on your TV while downing a brew.

[georgethedog]

George, it's just 6 raised to the 6th power. It's exactly 1 in 46656. Nonetheless, the casinos just rake it in. One of my fav places is Lake Tahoe and I sometimes stay at a casino. Sometimes you even have to walk through the gaming area to get where you want. I've yet to try my luck.

Thanks Mike. I was just doing this the old stats way... the way I teach it in stats class. 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6. It is easier for students to see and inderstand and I am in the practice of doing it that way. The only problem with my way is rounding, but in this case it really does not matter because the rounding error is soooooo small.

[mike radigan]

No problem, George. The issue remains that gambling is a loser's game unless, of course, you are the house.

[georgethedog]

No problem, George. The issue remains that gambling is a loser's game unless, of course, you are the house.

Man, you are so right. I like to gamble, but I know better and have been to the boat 2 times and I am up about $6. I think I lost $40 when it first opened and then won about $46 one day when I was bored after being couped up in my house for a week after surgery and had to get away. I have not been back. I can see how it would be easy to get hooked. Oh, GO BRAVES!

[BradleyBrave]

I suppose there could be nothing worse than gambling on the outcome of the porno scene on your TV while downing a brew.

Actually, let me rephrase that - The downfall of society is booze, women, sports, and gambling. Ironically they are 4 of the things I enjoy in life.

[Les is More]

Actually, let me rephrase that - The downfall of society is booze, women, sports, and gambling. Ironically they are 4 of the things I enjoy in life.

BB-anyone that knows you knows thats not true... haha jk

[tornado]

The Para-dice Bradley promotion with 6 people rolling dice to spell Bradley is really bogus. For those not at the game, 6 people each have one die with one letter of the name Bradley and the other 5 sides blank. All 6 people roll the dice at the same time to try to spell Bradley. If they do, everyone wins $10,000. Well, I just calculated the odds of winning:

2.143 per 100,000 or 1 in 46,663.56

At an average of 15 home games per year there will be one winner every 3,119.9 years. Thanks so much for your generosity! I hope they are paying dearly for the advertisement!

Yes...the odds of any one die coming up with the letter is 1 in 6, so the odds of all six is one in 6x6x6x6x6x6 (6 to the 6th power) or one in 46,656 as you have stated.

But then these are actually better than the odds of winning some state's lotteries, but it sure doesn't prevent people from throwing away their money and their kids' college tuition trying!

[mike radigan]

But then these are actually better than the odds of winning some state's lotteries, but it sure doesn't prevent people from throwing away their money and their kids' college tuition trying!

Or stealing money to pay for their "addiction". Just today there was an article in the Journal Star about the son of Salvation Officers in Pekin stealing to support his gambling habit.

[mike radigan]

I should add that not even all the mega buck winners are happy. There has been a number of documented accounts of some winners being broke within just a few years.