********************************************************************* SEMINARI DI PROBABILITA' E STATISTICA MATEMATICA DIPARTIMENTO DI MATEMATICA "G. PEANO" UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO *********************************************************************

Martedi 22 novembre alle ore 14:30 in aula C presso il Dipartimento di Matematica "G. Peano" dell'Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Carlo Alberto 10,

Il Prof. ISAAC MEILIJSON (Tel Aviv University)

terrà un seminario dal titolo

PLACING A BET ON MORE THAN ONE HOLE AT THE ROULETTE TABLE

Abstract:

In Dynamic Programming, mixed strategies consist of randomizing the choice of actions. In some problems, such as portfolio management, it makes sense to diversify actions rather than choosing among them purely or randomly. Optimal betting in casinos and roulette by a gambler with fixed goal was studied by Dubins and Savage 1965 and their school without the element of diversification (betting simultaneously on different holes of the roulette), once it was proved (Smith's theorem - Smith 1967, Dubins 1972 and Gilat and Weiss 1976) that diversification doesn't increase the probability of reaching the goal. We question the scope of this finding, that was based on the assumption that the holes on which gamblers can bet are disjoint, such as 1 and BLACK in regular roulette. A counterexample is provided in which holes are nested, such as 1 and RED. Thus, it may be rational for gamblers with fixed goal to place chips on more than one hole at the table.

Tutti gli interessati sono invitati a partecipare.

-- Federico Polito

Department of Mathematics University of Torino Via Carlo Alberto, 10 10123, Torino, Italy Email: federico.polito@unito.it Tel: +39 011 6702937 Web: www.federicopolito.it