Don't Bet To Tie

[J.R.]

Do you start them with their total from the previous day (because that would actually make the SJ Daily Double interesting) or treat it like day two of a Grand Final?

Watching everyone win nothing is bad television. Simple as that.

Your ideas are clever, but I don't think they'd work in real life.

[Unrealtor]

Maybe somewhere in between? Do it tournament-style and it basically means the initial game becomes meaningless, other than awarding a bonus to whoever happens to win day 2. Start over with the previous day's scores and the entire second game comes down to who gets the Daily Doubles and how much they wager.

What comes to mind is something like adding day 1 totals at the end of Double Jeopardy. Makes it pretty much impossible to have a runaway, but there's still a big advantage to going in with the lead and opens up the possibility of the third-place player beating the other two and being a spoiler.

[TLEberle]

This is perhaps the lamest idea I've read in some time.

Really? Were you around for Teen TPIR? 'Cuz that was awful. And I know you were here when Bobby suggested that the contestants on Biggest Loser who mutinied should get a share of the prize money.

You have racked up $28,000.  The two contestants below you end the game at $14,000 apiece.

What you've done is provided the perfect setup for why you want to discourage playing it safe. If I know that I don't win the $28,000 by standing pat I know have a choice to make. If I get Final Jeopardy right I'm made anyhow. I have to decide if I want to minimize the downside of being wrong. If my opponents are wrong I win $27,500. If they're right and I'm not, I lose.

On the other hand, I can decide to bet a huge amount because the same thing applies: if I'm right it doesn't matter what they do because I'm taking down $55,000. If I blow it and one of the opponents is right I'm out anyway.

(Once again, I will point out that you'd only do this if you want to discourage the once-a-year happenstance of a tie. Joe is not only right, but watching several people winning money makes for great TV.)

[davemackey]

Wasn't there a three-way tie a few years back?

I seem to recall the reasons the leader allowed it was to be nice and thought the idea of everyone coming back was cool.

Yes there was. I know the gentleman who made that possible, his name is Scott Weiss. Nice guy, see him once a year at the crossword tournament and play board games with him and other tournament attendees. Here's a story about how he prepared for the show.

[HYHYBT]

You could always take the "clear the pot and double the stakes" approach.

[PYLdude]

I would always go for the win.

It is difficult enough to get on the show, and everyone that does is good enough to be there.  Jeopardy is very much a game of reaction time as it is about recall on demand.  You can clearly see all three contestants trying to buzz in first on an overwhelming amount of questions (I'll just leave the definition of overwhelming up to each individual here, but I think many readers can agree with me about many questions have all three pushing the button).

Studies have shown that the more a person does a task, the more automatic and easier it becomes (just ask anyone certified to test drivers for DUI for those studies); and I would much rather play against someone with less experience on that buzzer.

So you're telling me that if you have double what your nearest opponent does- EXACTLY double- and you get a Final Jeopardy question that's in a category you don't know much about. You're going to purposely bet $1 so you can win the game, instead of not doing anything like you should and putting all the pressure on your opponent? And then say said opponent gets it right and bet everything and you lost. Instead of all but guaranteeing yourself a return trip, you've now guaranteed yourself $2,000 because you had to win.

(I see Don's doing his usual shtick again...and I'm certain nothing will be done about it again- heaven forbid anyone should complain, lest they be called out for writing too long a complaint)

[chad1m]

So you're  telling me that if you have double what your nearest opponent does-  EXACTLY double- and you get a Final Jeopardy question that's in a  category you don't know much about. You're going to purposely bet $1 so  you can win the game, instead of not doing anything like you should and  putting all the pressure on your opponent?

I'm preeeetty sure  he's talking about every other situation but that.

I see Don's doing his usual shtick again

Yeeeeah. Don's most recent post in this thread was from three weeks ago. You're crapping on my carpet again. Stop it.

[J.R.]

(I see Don's doing his usual shtick again...and I'm certain nothing will be done about it again- heaven forbid anyone should complain, lest they be called out for writing too long a complaint)

You seriously should seek some kind of professional help. You have serious anger issues.

[PYLdude]

So you're  telling me that if you have double what your nearest opponent does-  EXACTLY double- and you get a Final Jeopardy question that's in a  category you don't know much about. You're going to purposely bet $1 so  you can win the game, instead of not doing anything like you should and  putting all the pressure on your opponent?

I'm preeeetty sure  he's talking about every other situation but that.

I'd HOPE so...he's being awful damn ambiguous, you gotta admit.

You seriously should seek some kind of professional help. You have serious anger issues.

I'm sorry, Joe, but I think I had a right to be upset there. I may be a pain in the ass but that doesn't give anyone carte blanche to say "I hope your whatever gets ruined", "you deserve to be tortured for your opinions", etc., and I would expect if I said something about it, I'd get a different response than "we're not doing anything because your post was too long." Like I say, think of me whatever you want, but even the worst of the worst were given fair trials before the verdicts were handed down, didn't they? (maybe that isn't the best example to use but still)

That's all I'ma say about that.

(ETA: okay, perhaps next time I should read dates on posts...this topic was basically dead until HYBYBT chimed in. Way to enhance my rep, man. )

[Joe Mello]

It's just a show; I should really just relax.

[HYHYBT]

Sorry; I didn't realize this thread was too old.

[PYLdude]

Sorry; I didn't realize this thread was too old.

Don't be...I poked the bear.