Star Trek

In front of you are two boxes, Box A and Box B.

Box A contains 100,000 lottery tickets, with a top prize of $1 million.

Box B contains 1,000 tickets, with a top prize of $100,000.

There is only one winning ticket per box.

You may draw only one ticket from only one of the boxes.

Which box would you choose, and why? Discuss.

The odds seem to be better with Box B.

Box A.  While 100,000 is nice, its not life changing.  Couldn't quit working.  Couldn't really help the family much.  That's why I pick A instead of B. 

I'd just take the whole box and run.

Very good. You've correctly perceived the real question: Given a choice between a larger (potential) payoff and better odds, which would you choose?

Mm. Sorry...forgot to mention that the boxes are being guarded by a group of cranky Klingons with itchy trigger fingers...

Box B. $100,000 is a lot of money.

One I have a 1000:1 chance, the other a 100,000:1 chance. neither are very good. Why should I:

-spend the money to get to these boxes

-waste time picking the box

-even consider it

Neither. Neither box offers good odds or a particularly impressive payoff.

Well, we can't make this too easy, now can we? But suppose we were to raise the stakes a bit? Let's say the prize in Box A is $10 million, and the prize in Box B is $1 million; the odds remain the same. Still no interest?

I’d choose the one that any group of cats would favour. They’re usually quite good at that.  Only my kitty cant seem to bring him self to go in to a box. Guess it reminds him of the vet’s office. Last time he tried to go though a glass window. Luckily he failed.

The odds are still overwhelmingly against you. The lottery usually has 30+ million, but the odds are against you, so why would you defy them??

Because that's just the kind of generous, warm-hearted person that I am...

You say there is a winning ticket inside each box.  That would imply the "winning" numbers have been choosen already, so it is known what those numbers are.....

I would bribe the Klingons into finding the winning ticket in each box.  Tell them that it is their duty to uphold their honor to give me the winning ticket.  Plus there is a vat of G'ack and worms for who ever give me the ticket too....get them a ship so they can go into gloriouse battle....

I photocopy my ticket so I have two, then put one ticket in each box.