How to Win Bets and Influence Elections

Risky Business with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova

Caroline Ellison, the second most important person who worked at FTX, was sentenced to prison this week. Nate and Maria talk about how she and Sam Bankman-Fried thought about making +EV bets (with other people’s money). They discuss her role – victim? villain? – and how she played out her real-life prisoner’s dilemma. Then, Nate gives an election update, and he and Maria discuss what people can do to influence the election in the final weeks. (Hint: It’s not donating to a presidential campaign.) Plus, Nate and Maria say farewell to two degenerate gamblers who passed away this week.

Further Reading:

Charity Navigator

More on Betsy Paluck’s research

Willy Nelson’s discography

Dana Carvey’s Biden impression from SNL

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Silver Bulletin from Nate Silver

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