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The Perils of Betting to Win: Aspiration and Survival in Jeopardy! Tournament of the Champions

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  • Elizabeth Boyle
  • Zur Shapira

Abstract

Behavior in competitive situations requires decision makers to evaluate their own as well as their competitors’ positions. Using data from a realistic competitive risk-taking setting, Jeopardy’s Tournament of Champions (TOC), we test whether players choose the strategic best response when making their betting decisions. Analyses show that the percentage of players choosing the strategic best response is very low, a surprising finding because the TOC is contested by the best and most experienced players of the game. We conjecture that performance aspiration and survival targets that guide risk-taking behavior in competitive situations may lead players to select inferior competitive strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth Boyle & Zur Shapira, 2006. "The Perils of Betting to Win: Aspiration and Survival in Jeopardy! Tournament of the Champions," Discussion Paper Series dp417, The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
    • Handle: RePEc:huj:dispap:dp417
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    1. Metrick, Andrew, 1995. "A Natural Experiment in "Jeopardy!"," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(1), pages 240-253, March.
    2. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Luís M. B. Cabral, 2003. "R&D Competition when firms Choose Variance," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(1), pages 139-150, March.
    4. Nalebuff, Barry, 1990. "Slot Machines, Zomepirac, Squash, and More," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 179-187, Winter.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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