... numbers.4.1
An effective way to ruin any linear congruential generator is to instantiate it with the wrong constants. Setting a=0, c=0 and R0=0 simulates flipping a one sided coin, since every `random' number produced will be 0. See Knuth's book for a thorough discussion of the subtle problem of selecting the right constants to make things work.
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... game.6.1
He really shouldn't have wondered. The house always has the advantage.
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... money.7.1
This isn't completely true, since many states guarantee bettors a minimum return (say 10%) on every winning bet, which would have to come from the house if everybody picked the same winner. This would be an unheard of situation in jai-alai. Such minus pools do arise occasionally in horse racing, typically when a wonder horse goes up against thoroughly inadequate competition.
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Steve Skiena
2001-06-04