Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by Golf »

triviawayne wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 11:16 am Seeing people go for it is so much better than seeing people walking with $20,000.
I emphatically disagree. Way too many people state "I came here with nothing so.....". Well that's just stupid. You have x dollars in the bank which cannot be taken away if you so choose. That is real money unlike during the game in Jeopardy.

And both of us know firsthand that the contestants are not there to satisfy the audience and/or viewers. The contestants are there to win money. Period. Or at least they should be. I don't know about you, but I didn't give a damn about possibly ruining some random's viewing experience.

I get so tired (and sad) of people just throwing money away by making bad decisions under the lights because they had no plan going in. I root for the players, not my selfish viewing experience.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by Woof »

Hearing people “got for it” when they have NFC is no better than seeing second place go all in in FJ when a $2k bet is optimal. It doesn’t add to the excitement of the game for me; it just pains me to see weak game play. YMMV of course, but I applaud when a player walks when they’re faced with a total guess and are out of lifelines.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by triviawayne »

morbeedo wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 12:17 pm
triviawayne wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 11:16 am
alietr wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 7:26 am
By now, you probably hear my screams of anguish every time someone says, "I'm just going to go for it!" Disney gets to keep a lot of its money that way.
I was planning on $100,000 or bust. I didn’t go there to change my situation, I went there to change my life.

Seeing people go for it is so much better than seeing people walking with $20,000.
It's definitely more exciting when players go for it, but I can't fault anyone for walking away, even the woman who did it on the $7K question

I burned all my lifelines early and then hit the wall at $50K with that Sesame Street question. Couldn't eliminate a single answer so I had no choice but to walk away. Just bought myself a fancy Bernina sewing machine, which I wouldn't have done with $5K in prize money

Look at how excited people get when they win Thousandaire!
Everybody has to decide what risk is acceptable to them and decide for themselves when to walk.

When I went for it, it really was a 50/50, so a $15k risk for a reward of looking at a $50k question and threshold amount wasn't a bad idea.

Risking $25k on a 1/4 shot like your situation...I probably would've still done it, but I don't think any less of you for not.

However, not risking $2k or $5k?????? I just don't get that being thought of as the acceptable risk after all the work/luck it takes to get on the show.
Total game show career losings = $171,522
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by triviawayne »

Woof wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:42 pm Hearing people “got for it” when they have NFC is no better than seeing second place go all in in FJ when a $2k bet is optimal. It doesn’t add to the excitement of the game for me; it just pains me to see weak game play. YMMV of course, but I applaud when a player walks when they’re faced with a total guess and are out of lifelines.
yeah, seeing someone walk with $7,000 and not take a $2000 risk on a 1/4 shot is so much better...WTF was I thinking!!!!!

Can't wait for what would be in your opinion the best sight of seeing someone walk with $2000 because they totally choked on the $3000 question...oooooooohhhhh, THAT player would be so intelligent not to take that risk.

If you made it there, you're good enough to be there, and you likely have some idea swimming around in your head about the correct answer to the low level questions, the risk it totally worth it.
Total game show career losings = $171,522
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by Woof »

triviawayne wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:46 am
Woof wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:42 pm Hearing people “got for it” when they have NFC is no better than seeing second place go all in in FJ when a $2k bet is optimal. It doesn’t add to the excitement of the game for me; it just pains me to see weak game play. YMMV of course, but I applaud when a player walks when they’re faced with a total guess and are out of lifelines.
yeah, seeing someone walk with $7,000 and not take a $2000 risk on a 1/4 shot is so much better...WTF was I thinking!!!!!

Can't wait for what would be in your opinion the best sight of seeing someone walk with $2000 because they totally choked on the $3000 question...oooooooohhhhh, THAT player would be so intelligent not to take that risk.

If you made it there, you're good enough to be there, and you likely have some idea swimming around in your head about the correct answer to the low level questions, the risk it totally worth it.
Well, I was thinking more about people in the $10-20K range. But even in the case of the $7K, walk, if it's a total guess, the expectation value is negative, so they're better off walking in a strict game-theoretical sense. However, if it's a 50/50 at the $7K level the analysis is reversed and it would make sense to go for it. In that latter instance, I see it as weak game play to not go for it (like a $2K DD wager late in the game when you're being crushed).
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by MDCSWildcats86 »

WWTBAM? airs on an indie here in Oklahoma City.

For those missing it due to GHWB coverage, there was this question:

Which is NOT a card game, but an extinct flightless bird?


A. Woolworth Poker
B. Oklahoma Gin
C. Rodrigues Solitaire
D. Mexican Stud


Do you think you know it?
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by bomtr »

MDCSWildcats86 wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:33 pm WWTBAM? airs on an indie here in Oklahoma City.

For those missing it due to GHWB coverage, there was this question:

Which is NOT a card game, but an extinct flightless bird?


A. Woolworth Poker
B. Oklahoma Gin
C. Rodrigues Solitaire
D. Mexican Stud


Do you think you know it?
yes
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by 1stlvlthinker »

Woof wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:44 am
triviawayne wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:46 am
Woof wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:42 pm Hearing people “got for it” when they have NFC is no better than seeing second place go all in in FJ when a $2k bet is optimal. It doesn’t add to the excitement of the game for me; it just pains me to see weak game play. YMMV of course, but I applaud when a player walks when they’re faced with a total guess and are out of lifelines.
yeah, seeing someone walk with $7,000 and not take a $2000 risk on a 1/4 shot is so much better...WTF was I thinking!!!!!

Can't wait for what would be in your opinion the best sight of seeing someone walk with $2000 because they totally choked on the $3000 question...oooooooohhhhh, THAT player would be so intelligent not to take that risk.

If you made it there, you're good enough to be there, and you likely have some idea swimming around in your head about the correct answer to the low level questions, the risk it totally worth it.
Well, I was thinking more about people in the $10-20K range. But even in the case of the $7K, walk, if it's a total guess, the expectation value is negative, so they're better off walking in a strict game-theoretical sense. However, if it's a 50/50 at the $7K level the analysis is reversed and it would make sense to go for it. In that latter instance, I see it as weak game play to not go for it (like a $2K DD wager late in the game when you're being crushed).
Wait, at the 7K level, you're freerolling, since you've banked 5K and can't walk away with less than that.

If you mean you've won $7K and going for $10K, have you taken into account the potential for further earnings? That might push the math more towards going for it even if you're only 25% on it. In actuality, you should be able to eliminate at least 1 wrong answer at 10K.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by 1stlvlthinker »

1stlvlthinker wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:58 pm
Woof wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:44 am
triviawayne wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:46 am
Woof wrote: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:42 pm Hearing people “got for it” when they have NFC is no better than seeing second place go all in in FJ when a $2k bet is optimal. It doesn’t add to the excitement of the game for me; it just pains me to see weak game play. YMMV of course, but I applaud when a player walks when they’re faced with a total guess and are out of lifelines.
yeah, seeing someone walk with $7,000 and not take a $2000 risk on a 1/4 shot is so much better...WTF was I thinking!!!!!

Can't wait for what would be in your opinion the best sight of seeing someone walk with $2000 because they totally choked on the $3000 question...oooooooohhhhh, THAT player would be so intelligent not to take that risk.

If you made it there, you're good enough to be there, and you likely have some idea swimming around in your head about the correct answer to the low level questions, the risk it totally worth it.
Well, I was thinking more about people in the $10-20K range. But even in the case of the $7K, walk, if it's a total guess, the expectation value is negative, so they're better off walking in a strict game-theoretical sense. However, if it's a 50/50 at the $7K level the analysis is reversed and it would make sense to go for it. In that latter instance, I see it as weak game play to not go for it (like a $2K DD wager late in the game when you're being crushed).
Edit: Wait, at the 7K level, you're freerolling, since you've banked 5K and can't walk away with less than that. I'm reading the whole chain now.

If you mean you've won $7K and going for $10K, have you taken into account the potential for further earnings? That might push the math more towards going for it even if you're only 25% on it. In actuality, you should be able to eliminate at least 1 wrong answer at 10K.
Now swimming in the J! pool.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by Woof »

1stlvlthinker wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:59 pm
If you mean you've won $7K and going for $10K, have you taken into account the potential for further earnings? That might push the math more towards going for it even if you're only 25% on it. In actuality, you should be able to eliminate at least 1 wrong answer at 10K.
The problem with taking that approach is that one has to make up probabilities of future walking vs. guessing. If one assumes that the person never walks and just continues random guessing, the adjusted expectation value for going for it at the $10K level (having already banked $7K) would still favor walking, ($5250 vs. $1440).
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by LucarioSnooperVixey »

Today's $250,000 question asked for the number of states that can be made by only using letters in the Hawaiian alphabet excluding Hawaii.

Hawaiian Alphabet: A, E, I, O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W

Worked through the states perfectly. Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Oklahoma.

$250,000 question streak lives on. 8-)
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by seaborgium »

LucarioSnooperVixey wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:05 pm Today's $250,000 question asked for the number of states that can be made by only using letters in the Hawaiian alphabet excluding Hawaii.

Hawaiian Alphabet: A, E, I, O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W

Worked through the states perfectly. Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Oklahoma.

$250,000 question streak lives on. 8-)
I had the wherewithal to power through this. I paused and thought about every state name. I passed Oklahoma and didn't pay enough attention to it. I blew it.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by morbeedo »

seaborgium wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:14 pm
LucarioSnooperVixey wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:05 pm Today's $250,000 question asked for the number of states that can be made by only using letters in the Hawaiian alphabet excluding Hawaii.

Hawaiian Alphabet: A, E, I, O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W

Worked through the states perfectly. Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Oklahoma.

$250,000 question streak lives on. 8-)
I had the wherewithal to power through this. I paused and thought about every state name. I passed Oklahoma and didn't pay enough attention to it. I blew it.
Had no clue that there are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet, but I think it's a great question all the same. As predicted, when the answer choices are all numbers, the right answer is neither A nor D. Probably would have guessed 3, adding Maine to the player's list

I'd love to trade his $50K question about popular vote winners / election losers for my Sesame Street question. Just not ready to let that one go ;)
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by MarkBarrett »

For the Hawaii Q I knew the letter count was on the low side. My approach was to use common names I knew:
Hawaii
Honolulu
Mauna Loa
Mauna Kea
Kilauea

For the state angle I went short names.

Ohio - that's one
Iowa - that's two
Utah - not feeling a T
Maine - works
Idaho - not falling for a Diamond Head trap since I was not thinking D was a letter
Going around the map I hit a bunch of C, T or S states I counted out.
Oklahoma seemed too long to be okay until I took it letter by letter
That got me to four.
When I zoom around the map I never get to all 50 states since I have never memorized any kind of method to insure I do all 50. Each time I always omit some states. Today it was Wisconsin & Michigan that were left out.

Four was for sure and in recalling the "rule" here about avoiding A or D for such questions I suspected there was not a fifth. The guess I could make at home in no way compares to a stage situation.

I thought it was a great Q for that level.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by seaborgium »

morbeedo wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:51 pm Had no clue that there are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet
That fact was in the question.
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by morbeedo »

seaborgium wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:30 am
morbeedo wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:51 pm Had no clue that there are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet
That fact was in the question.
Lol yes. I meant before seeing this question, I didn’t know that factoid. I’m many things but I’m not dense. And I’ve never been to Hawaii but, as a kid, I was forced to endure that Bing Crosby tune, Mele Kalikimaka, every damn Christmas

It’s a great question to bring down your Plus One on, assuming you still got it
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by CasketRomance »

MarkBarrett wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:19 am For the Hawaii Q I knew the letter count was on the low side. My approach was to use common names I knew:
Hawaii
Honolulu
Mauna Loa
Mauna Kea
Kilauea

For the state angle I went short names.

Ohio - that's one
Iowa - that's two
Utah - not feeling a T
Maine - works
Idaho - not falling for a Diamond Head trap since I was not thinking D was a letter
Going around the map I hit a bunch of C, T or S states I counted out.
Oklahoma seemed too long to be okay until I took it letter by letter
That got me to four.
When I zoom around the map I never get to all 50 states since I have never memorized any kind of method to insure I do all 50. Each time I always omit some states. Today it was Wisconsin & Michigan that were left out.

Four was for sure and in recalling the "rule" here about avoiding A or D for such questions I suspected there was not a fifth. The guess I could make at home in no way compares to a stage situation.

I thought it was a great Q for that level.

that is what i did...got to the 12 letters pretty quickly...but somehow didn't come up skipped oklahoma...ohio and iowa were instagets and then maine soon after...nixed all states around oklahoma, but for some reason forgot to think about that state
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by threearruda »

I guessed the wrong way between B and D on the Village People question (although I do like the songs I've heard of theirs).

Hawaiian alphabet made me think of some Samoan/Hawaiian football players I know, proceeding from there: Mariota, Tagovailoa, Vaitai, Polamalu, Kemoeatu, etc. May have hurt more than helped as I thought T was part of the dozen letters; should have thought of more traditional words instead. :oops:

Nevertheless, got Ohio and Iowa pretty quickly. Maine third. Incorrectly thought Utah fourth and would have stopped there knowing the trend on those types of number/stats questions. Correct answer, but not terribly proud of it. Congrats to Jonathan for winning a truckload of cash!

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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by LucarioSnooperVixey »

Well so far this week, a $0 winner, a $100,000 winner, and a $50,000 winner. I wonder what the rest of the week has in store for us?
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Re: Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

Post by seaborgium »

LucarioSnooperVixey wrote: Wed Dec 05, 2018 4:49 pm Well so far this week, a $0 winner, a $100,000 winner, and a $50,000 winner. I wonder what the rest of the week has in store for us?
Well, the current contestant is a J! veteran (who would have made the ToC if not for a fateful cross-out in his fourth game), so we'll see.

Actually, I was surprised when they came back with a new contestant in the last segment of the show. Usually, when they go to commercial after a contestant finishes and present the Question of the Day, they play Thousandaire when they come back.
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