Final Jeopardy! wagering analysis:
Monday, March 28, 2016

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It’s a new week! Let’s hope our players start it off on a good foot.

Looking good so far… although Doug might wish he had made a True Daily Double out of his third opportunity, as well.

Doug Behrend (1x)	Kent Buxton	Erin Bowers
15,000	11,400	18,000

Tonight’s Final Jeopardy! category is:

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Weird category.

First-order calculations

Doug has a tight wagering range… Kent also has some wiggle room.

Doug		Kent		Erin
15,000		11,400		18,000
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
7,800	9,000	1,800	4,200	12,000
				4,800

Second-order calculations

With mind games:

Doug		Kent		Erin
15,000		11,400		18,000
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
7,800	9,000	3,000	4,200	12,000
600	3,000			6,000
				4,800

Zero wagers

Score differences:
Erin and Doug: 3,000
Erin and Kent: 6,600
Doug and Kent: 3,600

Doug		Kent		Erin
15,000		11,400		18,000
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
7,800	9,000	3,600	4,200	12,000	13,200
600	3,000			6,000
					3,000

Then we add a dollar to the minimum wagers, and subtract a dollar from the maximum wagers.

What actually happened

Doug		Kent		Erin
15,000		11,400		18,000
7,900		11,398		12,001
22,900		22,798		30,001
min	max	min	max	min	max
7,801	8,999	3,601	4,199	12,001	13,199
601	2,999			6,001
					2,999

I don’t understand the big wager out of Kent; it seems unlikely either of his opponents would leave an opening for him. Good game to all three, however, and congrats, Erin!

The Final Jeopardy! clue

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IN 1939 THIS NEW PRODUCT WAS TOUTED AS BEING STRONG AS STEEL, FINE AS A SPIDER’S WEB & MORE ELASTIC THAN NATURAL FIBERS

[spoiler]What is nylon?[/spoiler]

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