Engadget
Conventional wisdom about coin flips may have been turned on its head. A global team of researchers investigating the statistical and physical nuances of coin tosses worldwide concluded (via Phys.org) that a coin is 50.8% likely to land on the same side it started on, altering one of society’s most traditional assumptions about random decision-making that dates back at least to the Roman Empire. More
I’m glad our pointy-headed academicians are working (on the taxpayer dime no doubt) on such important ground-breaking life-altering saving the world endeavors like this.
Now do rock-paper-scissors.
Another one of these studies to go against conventional wisdom.
Thing is, they have to flip thousands of times to come up with this number.
On a single flip the odds are still 50/50
I’ll tell you what, if a casino offered me a chance to flip a coin where I get to choose which side is up when the coin is flipped, I’d take that bet every single time it’s offered.
Dr.Tar, I’m sure a casino would offer you that.
The amount of times you would have to flip to come out a winner would be staggering.
Of course many other variables in play.
Do you bet the same each time?
Will the sub in another flipper like they do dealers?
Try it yourself by flipping a coin 10 times.
Blackjack has similar odds if played correctly with a single deck, dealer stands on soft 17, etc.
Thing is, the house always wins in the long run.
My grandfather told me back in the 60’s when they started putting slugs in the coins to spin the coin on edge first or toss it before choosing heads or tails. The unbalance of the coin would show up on any coin because the mint could not properly center the slug core. The toss would always end up the heavy side down. Another waste of precious metals by the USA.
Wonder if there is a difference
between silver coins or BS modern
copper sandwich coins ?
RadioMan, I just flipped a 1923 Peace Silver Dollar 10 times.
1) Start with Heads, result: Tails
2) Tails/Tails
3) Tails/Heads
4) Heads/Tails
5) Heads/Heads
6) Heads/Tails
7) Tails/Tails
8) Tails/Heads
9) Heads/Tails
10) Tails/Heads
3 out of 10 is far away from 50.8%
Flipping a coin 50.8 vs. 49.2
Or
GO TO WORK!
99.9% Chance you turn a profit. (esp. if you got a Trade)
Kcir, why don’t you flip a few twonies and give us the results?
^^^^ I THINK THEY CALL THEM TOONIES
I call them twonies and I’m not alone…
“The toonie (also spelled twonie or twoonie ), formally the Canadian two-dollar coin…”
To me, “too” means also, while “two” = 2, the relative value of the coin, thus making “twonie” the correct spelling…
I just wish I had a few coins to flip.
Flip The Monica Lewinski coin, you get head every time.
What, no race angle?
Now that is shocking.
Heads I win, Tails you lose
Fvck Joe Bid-On.
These people have far too much time on their hands and far too many government grants.
Anyone else notice the Quarter image used for this thread is likely pre-1930?