1
00:00:00,178 --> 00:00:01,379
Stop. 
Pay attention.

2
00:00:01,412 --> 00:00:04,682
Roulette is one of the riskiest
games in a casino.

3
00:00:04,714 --> 00:00:07,885
But instead of betting on which
number these balls will land on,

4
00:00:07,919 --> 00:00:10,621
we've got a much safer bet
for you.

5
00:00:10,655 --> 00:00:12,824
To win this bet,
all you have to do

6
00:00:12,856 --> 00:00:15,660
is pick which ball is traveling
in a larger circle

7
00:00:15,693 --> 00:00:19,431
the red or the yellow?

8
00:00:19,463 --> 00:00:21,265
Got your answer?

9
00:00:21,298 --> 00:00:23,801
Would you say the red ball was
moving in a much larger circle

10
00:00:23,835 --> 00:00:25,402
than the yellow ball?

11
00:00:25,435 --> 00:00:28,740
Seems like a pretty safe bet,
right?

12
00:00:28,773 --> 00:00:32,010
If you bet on red, you're like
most of the people we surveyed.

13
00:00:32,042 --> 00:00:33,978
And your bet would not pay off.

14
00:00:35,279 --> 00:00:38,049
Want to learn what makes this
such a risky game?

15
00:00:38,082 --> 00:00:40,585
Find out on Brain Games.

16
00:00:50,828 --> 00:00:52,030
21!

17
00:00:52,063 --> 00:00:53,331
You know, there's
a reason why casinos

18
00:00:53,364 --> 00:00:54,999
are one of the most popular
forms of entertainment

19
00:00:55,031 --> 00:00:56,467
on the planet.

20
00:00:56,501 --> 00:00:58,903
And it's because your brain
loves the rush that it gets

21
00:00:58,936 --> 00:01:00,405
when you're taking a risk!

22
00:01:00,438 --> 00:01:03,674
Just like in that roulette game
from before.

23
00:01:03,707 --> 00:01:06,010
At first glance, it seems like
the red ball is moving

24
00:01:06,043 --> 00:01:07,946
a lot more than the yellow one.

25
00:01:07,978 --> 00:01:10,849
So betting on red doesn't seem
like too big a risk.

26
00:01:10,882 --> 00:01:13,852
But when we remove the roulette
wheel in the background,

27
00:01:13,885 --> 00:01:15,820
it becomes clear
that the two balls

28
00:01:15,852 --> 00:01:18,422
are moving
the exact same amount,

29
00:01:18,456 --> 00:01:20,525
and you just lost the bet!

30
00:01:20,558 --> 00:01:23,795
Now we promise we're not
altering the balls in any way.

31
00:01:23,828 --> 00:01:25,763
We're simply removing
the background.

32
00:01:25,796 --> 00:01:28,066
Because the roulette table
was traveling in sync

33
00:01:28,099 --> 00:01:30,335
with the yellow ball,
and not the red,

34
00:01:30,367 --> 00:01:33,237
it altered the way each ball
appeared to be moving.

35
00:01:33,271 --> 00:01:36,141
And while this may be nothing
more than a clever illusion,

36
00:01:36,174 --> 00:01:37,642
we tricked your brain
into making

37
00:01:37,674 --> 00:01:39,743
what seemed like a safe bet.

38
00:01:39,777 --> 00:01:41,745
And it's not so different
from the hidden risks

39
00:01:41,778 --> 00:01:44,414
behind the choices
you make every day.

40
00:01:44,447 --> 00:01:46,717
So how good are you
at evaluating risk?

41
00:01:46,751 --> 00:01:47,618
Ugh!

42
00:01:47,652 --> 00:01:49,219
You're about to find out.

43
00:01:49,253 --> 00:01:50,388
So you're on a game show,

44
00:01:50,421 --> 00:01:51,890
and you've made it
to the final round,

45
00:01:51,923 --> 00:01:54,091
which means you have a chance
to make some money.

46
00:01:54,125 --> 00:01:56,193
Now as you can see here,
we've got three doors

47
00:01:56,227 --> 00:01:57,162
one, two, three.

48
00:01:57,194 --> 00:02:00,364
Behind one of the doors is $100.

49
00:02:00,397 --> 00:02:03,367
Behind the other two doors
are a couple penguins.

50
00:02:03,401 --> 00:02:05,403
If you're like me,
you'd rather win the $100.

51
00:02:05,436 --> 00:02:07,572
So let's say you choose
door number one.

52
00:02:07,604 --> 00:02:09,239
Before I show you
what's behind there,

53
00:02:09,272 --> 00:02:12,776
I'm gonna show you what's behind
door number three.

54
00:02:12,810 --> 00:02:14,045
We've got a penguin.

55
00:02:14,078 --> 00:02:15,612
Now here's where things
get interesting.

56
00:02:15,645 --> 00:02:17,614
I'm now going to give you
another choice.

57
00:02:17,647 --> 00:02:19,616
You can stick with
door number one,

58
00:02:19,650 --> 00:02:22,020
or you can switch
to door number two.

59
00:02:22,052 --> 00:02:23,555
You might be thinking,
what's the difference?

60
00:02:23,587 --> 00:02:25,289
It's 50/50, right?

61
00:02:25,323 --> 00:02:26,558
Or is it?

62
00:02:26,591 --> 00:02:28,359
Now before we reveal
the big secret,

63
00:02:28,391 --> 00:02:30,495
let's take a look at what
some other contestants did

64
00:02:30,527 --> 00:02:33,096
when faced with
a similar choice.

65
00:02:33,129 --> 00:02:35,098
Pick a door.

66
00:02:35,132 --> 00:02:36,935
I'm gonna choose one.

67
00:02:36,967 --> 00:02:37,834
You're choosing number one?

68
00:02:37,867 --> 00:02:38,969
Yeah.

69
00:02:39,002 --> 00:02:40,404
Okay, before we show you
number one,

70
00:02:40,437 --> 00:02:43,540
we're gonna open number three
and see where we're at.

71
00:02:43,574 --> 00:02:45,076
Ooh, we got a penguin.

72
00:02:45,109 --> 00:02:47,010
Now I'm gonna give you
another choice.

73
00:02:47,044 --> 00:02:48,445
You can stay with
door number one,

74
00:02:48,479 --> 00:02:50,682
or you can switch to
door number two.

75
00:02:50,715 --> 00:02:52,082
What do you want to do?

76
00:02:52,116 --> 00:02:53,151
What would you do?

77
00:02:53,183 --> 00:02:55,219
Would you switch to
door number two

78
00:02:55,252 --> 00:02:57,454
or stay with door number one?

79
00:02:57,487 --> 00:02:59,389
Or does it even make a difference?

80
00:02:59,423 --> 00:03:01,325
Should I keep...?

81
00:03:03,326 --> 00:03:04,762
Alright, I'm gonna switch.
I'm gonna switch to number two.

82
00:03:04,794 --> 00:03:06,496
Time for you to choose

83
00:03:06,530 --> 00:03:09,500
are you switching doors or
staying with door number one?

84
00:03:09,532 --> 00:03:10,801
Got your answer?

85
00:03:10,835 --> 00:03:11,802
Okay, let's open number two.

86
00:03:11,836 --> 00:03:12,737
Let's go.

87
00:03:12,770 --> 00:03:14,906
Alright, dude! 100 bucks!

88
00:03:14,938 --> 00:03:16,540
That's what
I'm talking about!

89
00:03:16,574 --> 00:03:17,942
Nice work!

90
00:03:17,974 --> 00:03:19,076
How'd you do?

91
00:03:19,110 --> 00:03:22,413
Did you switch and win,
or stay and lose?

92
00:03:22,445 --> 00:03:24,983
Still think it's a 50/50 risk?

93
00:03:25,015 --> 00:03:27,784
We'll hide the money again
and give you another shot.

94
00:03:27,818 --> 00:03:28,820
Number two.

95
00:03:28,853 --> 00:03:29,921
Number two, huh?

96
00:03:29,954 --> 00:03:31,421
Alright, so before
we open number two,

97
00:03:31,455 --> 00:03:33,358
we're gonna open number one.

98
00:03:33,390 --> 00:03:34,658
And it's a penguin!

99
00:03:34,692 --> 00:03:35,593
You're still in the game.

100
00:03:35,626 --> 00:03:36,794
Alright.

101
00:03:36,826 --> 00:03:38,562
So I'm giving you
a second choice now.

102
00:03:38,596 --> 00:03:43,533
You can stay with number two or
you can switch to number three.

103
00:03:43,567 --> 00:03:45,403
I'm sticking with two.

104
00:03:45,436 --> 00:03:46,804
I'm not changing my mind.

105
00:03:46,836 --> 00:03:47,638
Are you sure?

106
00:03:47,671 --> 00:03:49,139
I'm positive.

107
00:03:49,173 --> 00:03:51,308
It's a 50/50 chance, so I might
as well stick with number two.

108
00:03:51,342 --> 00:03:55,380
Do you agree or
would you switch doors?

109
00:03:55,413 --> 00:03:56,948
Got your answer?

110
00:03:56,980 --> 00:03:58,682
Let's open number two.

111
00:03:58,716 --> 00:04:01,853
Oh, you win a penguin!

112
00:04:01,885 --> 00:04:03,787
How'd you do this time?

113
00:04:03,820 --> 00:04:06,658
Think there's a trick to
winning, or is it all just luck?

114
00:04:06,690 --> 00:04:07,824
You're gonna switch.

115
00:04:07,858 --> 00:04:09,060
Yeah, I'm doing
number three.

116
00:04:09,093 --> 00:04:10,795
Let's open door
number three.

117
00:04:10,827 --> 00:04:12,396
Yes! Yay, I won!

118
00:04:12,430 --> 00:04:14,264
Yes, good work.

119
00:04:14,298 --> 00:04:15,733
What's going on here?

120
00:04:15,766 --> 00:04:18,703
Why are people winning almost
every time they switch doors?

121
00:04:18,735 --> 00:04:19,937
I'll switch.

122
00:04:19,970 --> 00:04:21,539
- You want to switch?
- I want to switch.

123
00:04:21,572 --> 00:04:24,309
Could switching really
increase your odds of winning?

124
00:04:24,341 --> 00:04:26,843
I think I'm gonna switch.

125
00:04:26,877 --> 00:04:28,579
I see a money sign.

126
00:04:28,612 --> 00:04:31,015
Nice work, man.
Why'd you switch?

127
00:04:31,048 --> 00:04:33,651
I think my odds went up
when I switched a door number.

128
00:04:33,684 --> 00:04:34,819
And he's right.

129
00:04:34,851 --> 00:04:37,621
Even though it might feel wrong
to your brain,

130
00:04:37,654 --> 00:04:38,855
by switching doors,

131
00:04:38,889 --> 00:04:41,359
these people are actually
playing the better odds,

132
00:04:41,391 --> 00:04:43,860
and they won the money
about twice as often

133
00:04:43,894 --> 00:04:45,596
as those who didn't switch.

134
00:04:45,629 --> 00:04:49,033
To see how this works, let's go
back to the three doors.

135
00:04:49,065 --> 00:04:52,102
When you first start this game,
you've got a one in three chance

136
00:04:52,136 --> 00:04:54,505
of picking the door with
the money behind it.

137
00:04:54,538 --> 00:04:56,908
That means once
you've picked a door,

138
00:04:56,940 --> 00:04:59,209
there's always
a two in three chance

139
00:04:59,242 --> 00:05:01,379
the money's behind one of
the other two doors,

140
00:05:01,411 --> 00:05:05,282
which means you probably
picked a penguin.

141
00:05:05,315 --> 00:05:06,650
After we reveal the penguin

142
00:05:06,684 --> 00:05:09,120
behind one of the doors
you didn't pick,

143
00:05:09,153 --> 00:05:11,422
we narrow it down
to two choices.

144
00:05:11,454 --> 00:05:13,524
To the fast acting part of your brain,

145
00:05:13,557 --> 00:05:17,128
the choice to switch doors
now seems like a 50/50 risk.

146
00:05:17,161 --> 00:05:20,331
I'm either gonna pick one
or the other, it's 50/50 chance.

147
00:05:20,363 --> 00:05:23,133
But actually, your odds haven't changed.

148
00:05:23,166 --> 00:05:25,836
Because if you slow down
and think about it,

149
00:05:25,870 --> 00:05:28,872
you'll see the odds you picked
the money on your first try

150
00:05:28,906 --> 00:05:30,641
are still one in three,

151
00:05:30,673 --> 00:05:33,310
which means the money is
still twice as likely

152
00:05:33,343 --> 00:05:35,545
to be behind one of
the other two doors.

153
00:05:35,579 --> 00:05:37,415
Only now you have
a big advantage

154
00:05:37,447 --> 00:05:40,350
by knowing the money isn't
behind door number three.

155
00:05:40,384 --> 00:05:42,286
So by choosing to switch,

156
00:05:42,319 --> 00:05:46,189
you automatically double your
likelihood of winning the money.

157
00:05:46,223 --> 00:05:47,225
And even though we showed you

158
00:05:47,257 --> 00:05:49,092
the mathematical trick to winning,

159
00:05:49,125 --> 00:05:52,697
don't worry if this all seems
a bit confusing it is.

160
00:05:52,730 --> 00:05:55,466
That's because anytime
you're making a risky decision,

161
00:05:55,499 --> 00:05:58,569
there's a battle going on
inside your brain.

162
00:05:58,601 --> 00:06:01,371
While one part of your brain is
busy crunching the numbers

163
00:06:01,404 --> 00:06:03,140
and weighing the odds,

164
00:06:03,173 --> 00:06:06,443
an older, more primitive system
is running off raw emotion.

165
00:06:06,476 --> 00:06:09,045
And that older system can often
win these battles,

166
00:06:09,079 --> 00:06:12,182
letting your emotions dictate
the risks you take,

167
00:06:12,216 --> 00:06:16,254
even when those risks don't
always make logical sense.

168
00:06:16,286 --> 00:06:18,889
To find just how far
your brain will go

169
00:06:18,923 --> 00:06:22,093
when it comes to risks
that make no sense,

170
00:06:22,125 --> 00:06:25,562
we've brought in illusionist
Eric Leclerc.

171
00:06:25,596 --> 00:06:26,963
I've always been
curious about risk.

172
00:06:26,997 --> 00:06:28,665
Why are some people willing
to risk a lot

173
00:06:28,699 --> 00:06:30,968
while others hardly
take risks at all?

174
00:06:31,999 --> 00:06:32,836
I know it has something to do
with your brain,

175
00:06:32,870 --> 00:06:34,838
it's just a little hard
to put your finger on it.

176
00:06:34,872 --> 00:06:37,442
To find out more about how much
people are willing to risk,

177
00:06:37,475 --> 00:06:39,076
let's play a little game.

178
00:06:39,108 --> 00:06:40,243
Do you have a cell phone
I can borrow, sir?

179
00:06:40,276 --> 00:06:41,411
- Um, yeah.
- Yes?

180
00:06:41,444 --> 00:06:42,379
Yeah, I got it right here.

181
00:06:42,413 --> 00:06:43,514
- Okay, perfect.
- Okay.

182
00:06:43,547 --> 00:06:44,882
So I'm going to ask you,

183
00:06:44,915 --> 00:06:46,250
can you put two fingers out
like this, sir? Like this?

184
00:06:46,283 --> 00:06:47,552
Yeah, yeah, perfect.

185
00:06:47,584 --> 00:06:49,186
And we're just going
to balance it

186
00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:50,721
between our fingers like that.

187
00:06:50,754 --> 00:06:53,224
This part of the
challenge is pretty low risk.

188
00:06:53,257 --> 00:06:54,492
If the phone falls,

189
00:06:54,524 --> 00:06:57,294
the worst that could happen
is a cracked screen.

190
00:06:57,327 --> 00:06:59,362
Whoa!

191
00:06:59,396 --> 00:07:02,066
Now we're gonna do exactly
what we just did,

192
00:07:02,098 --> 00:07:04,868
except we're gonna do it
over this fish bowl.

193
00:07:04,901 --> 00:07:06,803
Are you serious?

194
00:07:06,836 --> 00:07:08,338
Are you willing
to risk it, sir?

195
00:07:08,372 --> 00:07:11,509
Huh! That's a $150 phone!

196
00:07:11,541 --> 00:07:13,009
If the phone falls
in the water,

197
00:07:13,043 --> 00:07:15,646
all its contents are
probably history.

198
00:07:15,678 --> 00:07:18,248
Would you risk your phone
just to see a cool trick?

199
00:07:18,281 --> 00:07:19,883
If you're nodding your head yes,

200
00:07:19,916 --> 00:07:22,887
you might be a born risk-taker,
and you're not alone.

201
00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:24,187
I'll try it. Yeah, yeah.

202
00:07:24,221 --> 00:07:25,790
Alright, put your hands
like this, alright?

203
00:07:25,822 --> 00:07:27,457
Oh, my gosh. Alright.

204
00:07:27,490 --> 00:07:28,705
Alright, sir. 
You good?

205
00:07:28,731 --> 00:07:30,026
I'm gonna let go, okay?

206
00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:31,995
Yeah! 
Alright, Alright.

207
00:07:32,028 --> 00:07:32,930
Alright.

208
00:07:32,963 --> 00:07:35,266
Whatever you do, don't sneeze!

209
00:07:35,298 --> 00:07:37,100
Somehow,
Eric has gotten this guy

210
00:07:37,134 --> 00:07:39,036
to risk losing his phone.

211
00:07:39,069 --> 00:07:40,471
But can he take it
a step further?

212
00:07:40,504 --> 00:07:42,306
I'm gonna ask you
to do something crazy.

213
00:07:42,338 --> 00:07:45,343
I'm gonna ask you
to take your fingers

214
00:07:45,375 --> 00:07:47,377
away from under the phone.

215
00:07:47,411 --> 00:07:48,411
Oh, my gosh.

216
00:07:48,444 --> 00:07:50,882
Are you willing
to risk it?

217
00:07:50,915 --> 00:07:53,617
Would you remove your
fingers from your phone?

218
00:07:53,651 --> 00:07:54,886
Well, so maybe you can
start with one.

219
00:07:54,918 --> 00:07:56,186
Oh, my gosh.

220
00:07:56,220 --> 00:07:57,088
Good?

221
00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,722
Are you ready, sir?

222
00:07:58,755 --> 00:08:01,125
Remove your second finger.
Do you trust me?

223
00:08:01,158 --> 00:08:03,628
Would you trust your
phone's life to this guy?

224
00:08:03,661 --> 00:08:04,928
That's crazy!

225
00:08:04,961 --> 00:08:06,396
It seems like a no brainer

226
00:08:06,430 --> 00:08:08,132
if he takes his fingers away,

227
00:08:08,165 --> 00:08:11,201
his phone will be sleeping
with the fishes.

228
00:08:11,235 --> 00:08:14,838
Is he crazy enough
to take the risk?

229
00:08:44,472 --> 00:08:45,273
Are you ready?

230
00:08:45,306 --> 00:08:46,107
Yes.

231
00:08:46,140 --> 00:08:47,542
Take off your finger, bro.

232
00:08:47,575 --> 00:08:50,711
Oh, ho ho, snap!

233
00:08:50,744 --> 00:08:51,879
Did you just say, 
"Oh, snap?"

234
00:08:51,912 --> 00:08:54,047
Yes. 
That's crazy!

235
00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,851
Eric rewarded this man's
risk by blowing his mind.

236
00:08:57,884 --> 00:08:59,620
When he told me to pull
my finger away...

237
00:08:59,653 --> 00:09:01,321
Take off your finger, bro.

238
00:09:01,354 --> 00:09:03,991
I was like, wow,
this is a bad idea.

239
00:09:04,024 --> 00:09:05,559
I didn't know what to expect.

240
00:09:05,593 --> 00:09:06,928
Oh, ho ho!

241
00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,464
This man was willing
to take the risk.

242
00:09:09,497 --> 00:09:10,732
But will anyone else?

243
00:09:10,764 --> 00:09:11,765
Are you serious?

244
00:09:11,798 --> 00:09:13,167
Uhh...

245
00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,571
As crazy as it seems,
almost everyone went for it.

246
00:09:16,604 --> 00:09:18,006
Oh, my God.

247
00:09:18,038 --> 00:09:20,407
Get the out of here.

248
00:09:20,441 --> 00:09:21,910
Ohhh!

249
00:09:21,942 --> 00:09:25,212
Of course, not everyone
was willing to risk it.

250
00:09:25,245 --> 00:09:28,282
I don't think so.

251
00:09:28,316 --> 00:09:30,185
These people
took a big risk...

252
00:09:30,218 --> 00:09:31,486
Ah!

253
00:09:31,518 --> 00:09:34,422
...that seemed certain
to end in disaster.

254
00:09:34,455 --> 00:09:36,090
So why did they
take the plunge?

255
00:09:36,123 --> 00:09:38,126
I wanted to see if
he could pull it off.

256
00:09:38,158 --> 00:09:40,561
He kind of looked
trusting, so I don't know,

257
00:09:40,595 --> 00:09:42,797
I thought maybe I would get
to see something cool.

258
00:09:42,830 --> 00:09:45,532
The reward for taking
such an irrational risk

259
00:09:45,566 --> 00:09:48,101
was simply to find out
what would happen.

260
00:09:48,134 --> 00:09:49,369
What?

261
00:09:49,402 --> 00:09:52,239
Curiosity is a trait
hardwired in your brain.

262
00:09:52,273 --> 00:09:54,475
It's why you're willing
to take big risks

263
00:09:54,508 --> 00:09:56,210
if it means reaping the rewards

264
00:09:56,244 --> 00:09:59,147
of potentially mind-blowing
discoveries.

265
00:09:59,180 --> 00:10:02,150
Of course, curiosity doesn't
mean you can be careless

266
00:10:02,182 --> 00:10:04,451
when taking risks.

267
00:10:04,484 --> 00:10:05,853
What was going
through your mind

268
00:10:05,885 --> 00:10:08,555
while we were holding the phone
above the water? You must...

269
00:10:09,856 --> 00:10:12,559
Oh, God.

270
00:10:12,593 --> 00:10:15,597
Oh, no.

271
00:10:15,629 --> 00:10:18,066
I'm so sorry.

272
00:10:18,099 --> 00:10:20,401
Oh!

273
00:10:20,433 --> 00:10:24,037
And while outcomes like
this are simply unbelievable,

274
00:10:24,071 --> 00:10:27,242
risk is often not as risky
as it might seem.

275
00:10:27,274 --> 00:10:28,375
That's amazing.

276
00:10:28,408 --> 00:10:31,511
Oh, God. Oh, thank God.

277
00:10:31,545 --> 00:10:34,582
If you can accurately
predict the outcome of an event,

278
00:10:34,614 --> 00:10:37,451
then betting on it
becomes less risky.

279
00:10:37,484 --> 00:10:38,885
We're going to play a game.

280
00:10:38,918 --> 00:10:41,555
I'm going to make what might
seem like a risky bet.

281
00:10:41,589 --> 00:10:44,525
On your screen
there are 16 squares.

282
00:10:44,557 --> 00:10:46,994
I want you to choose
any blue square.

283
00:10:47,027 --> 00:10:48,428
It's entirely up to you.

284
00:10:48,461 --> 00:10:52,332
During this game, you'll be
making four simple moves.

285
00:10:52,365 --> 00:10:55,202
Each move might have you
going across one square,

286
00:10:55,235 --> 00:10:57,104
or several squares.

287
00:10:57,138 --> 00:11:00,173
And even though I can't exactly
read your mind,

288
00:11:00,206 --> 00:11:01,475
I bet when it's all over,

289
00:11:01,508 --> 00:11:04,678
I'll accurately predict
the square you landed on.

290
00:11:04,711 --> 00:11:07,948
So would you bet that
you can outsmart me?

291
00:11:07,981 --> 00:11:09,283
Here we go.

292
00:11:09,316 --> 00:11:11,786
Starting on the blue square
of your choice,

293
00:11:11,819 --> 00:11:16,324
move left or right to
the nearest red square.

294
00:11:16,356 --> 00:11:21,395
Next, move up or down to
the nearest blue square.

295
00:11:21,428 --> 00:11:26,199
Now, move diagonally to
the nearest red square.

296
00:11:26,233 --> 00:11:29,103
Finally, move either down
or to the right

297
00:11:29,135 --> 00:11:32,139
to the nearest blue square.

298
00:11:32,172 --> 00:11:33,541
And that's it.

299
00:11:33,574 --> 00:11:36,710
So clearly, you're not on
any of the red squares,

300
00:11:36,744 --> 00:11:39,147
so I'm going to remove them now.

301
00:11:39,180 --> 00:11:41,349
That leaves eight choices.

302
00:11:41,382 --> 00:11:44,452
Remember, if I take away
the square you landed on,

303
00:11:44,484 --> 00:11:46,019
you win the bet.

304
00:11:46,052 --> 00:11:48,955
So I'm going to start
with these two.

305
00:11:48,989 --> 00:11:51,492
And I don't think you chose
either of these two.

306
00:11:51,524 --> 00:11:53,727
Or even this one.

307
00:11:53,760 --> 00:12:00,067
Should I take away this one,
or this one, or maybe this one?

308
00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:02,836
So now it all comes down to
these final two squares.

309
00:12:02,869 --> 00:12:06,541
And I predict you are not
on this square.

310
00:12:06,574 --> 00:12:08,976
So that just leaves your square!

311
00:12:09,008 --> 00:12:12,613
Which means my risky bet was
actually a sure thing.

312
00:12:12,646 --> 00:12:13,815
Pretty wild, huh?

313
00:12:13,848 --> 00:12:15,516
Using a simple formula,

314
00:12:15,548 --> 00:12:18,985
we were able to predict exactly
where you were going to land

315
00:12:19,018 --> 00:12:21,489
no matter what blue square
you started on,

316
00:12:21,522 --> 00:12:24,525
thus eliminating our risk
of losing the bet.

317
00:12:24,557 --> 00:12:25,893
And now that you know
how the game works,

318
00:12:25,926 --> 00:12:30,297
you can bet your friends,
without any risk of losing!

319
00:12:30,330 --> 00:12:33,567
But if you think we're just
playing games, think again.

320
00:12:34,599 --> 00:12:37,705
Insurance companies and casinos
use complex mathematical models

321
00:12:37,738 --> 00:12:42,910
to calculate risk to make sure
they always make a profit.

322
00:12:42,942 --> 00:12:47,715
It's why they say
the house always wins.

323
00:12:47,748 --> 00:12:49,517
But evaluating risk correctly

324
00:12:49,550 --> 00:12:52,186
isn't always about
winning or losing.

325
00:12:52,219 --> 00:12:54,422
Sometimes it can mean
the difference

326
00:12:54,455 --> 00:12:56,124
between life and death.

327
00:12:58,993 --> 00:13:01,195
Stop. Pay attention.

328
00:13:01,228 --> 00:13:02,397
Which of the following
activities

329
00:13:02,430 --> 00:13:04,332
do you think is riskier

330
00:13:04,364 --> 00:13:08,970
riding a roller coaster or
riding a merry-go-round?

331
00:13:09,003 --> 00:13:13,474
Riding a bicycle or
walking down the street?

332
00:13:13,507 --> 00:13:17,678
Being a shark diver
or a cattle rancher?

333
00:13:20,513 --> 00:13:23,350
If you said the riskier options
are roller coaster,

334
00:13:23,383 --> 00:13:25,519
bicycling, and shark diving,

335
00:13:25,552 --> 00:13:27,989
you're just like most of
the people we surveyed.

336
00:13:28,022 --> 00:13:31,592
And just like them,
you got it wrong.

337
00:13:31,624 --> 00:13:33,326
It turns out that less than 10%

338
00:13:33,359 --> 00:13:35,061
of amusement park-related
injuries

339
00:13:35,095 --> 00:13:36,397
are due to roller coasters,

340
00:13:36,430 --> 00:13:39,600
while 20% are from
merry-go-round mishaps.

341
00:13:41,835 --> 00:13:44,638
And while bicycling
can be tough,

342
00:13:44,672 --> 00:13:47,508
over 4,000 pedestrians
die each year

343
00:13:47,541 --> 00:13:50,945
just walking down the street.

344
00:13:52,646 --> 00:13:55,983
And even though Jaws seems
a lot scarier than Bessie,

345
00:13:56,016 --> 00:13:59,353
you're 11 times more likely
to be killed by a cow.

346
00:14:00,988 --> 00:14:02,824
When it comes to risking
life and limb,

347
00:14:02,856 --> 00:14:05,525
our brains' assumptions
aren't always correct,

348
00:14:05,558 --> 00:14:09,596
which makes it surprisingly
difficult to evaluate risk...

349
00:14:09,629 --> 00:14:10,898
correctly.

350
00:14:10,931 --> 00:14:13,501
Just ask this guy.

351
00:14:13,533 --> 00:14:16,336
Reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr.

352
00:14:16,369 --> 00:14:17,705
He's a monster!

353
00:14:17,738 --> 00:14:20,340
Brady's reward for taking
huge physical risks

354
00:14:20,374 --> 00:14:24,778
is getting up close and personal
with some amazing animals...

355
00:14:24,811 --> 00:14:26,847
and living to tell about it.

356
00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,215
Here in South Africa,

357
00:14:28,249 --> 00:14:31,952
Brady has spotted what looks to
be a gigantic rock python,

358
00:14:31,985 --> 00:14:34,354
Africa's largest species
of snake.

359
00:14:34,388 --> 00:14:36,590
That's the biggest snake
I've ever seen!

360
00:14:36,624 --> 00:14:38,526
Brady's job is
to capture the snake

361
00:14:38,558 --> 00:14:40,293
and measure its length.

362
00:14:40,326 --> 00:14:41,595
I got it!

363
00:14:41,628 --> 00:14:42,864
I lost it.

364
00:14:42,897 --> 00:14:43,898
Dang it!

365
00:14:43,931 --> 00:14:45,266
And follow along
to find out

366
00:14:45,298 --> 00:14:49,069
where you would call it quits
if this was your job.

367
00:14:49,103 --> 00:14:50,604
Here we go.

368
00:14:50,638 --> 00:14:53,139
I see her,
she sees me, too.

369
00:14:53,172 --> 00:14:56,210
I don't know how we're gonna
get this thing out of here.

370
00:14:56,243 --> 00:14:58,179
Ahh! Ahh!

371
00:14:58,211 --> 00:14:59,713
She got my hat!

372
00:14:59,747 --> 00:15:02,717
Whoa! Would that be
your signal to leave?

373
00:15:28,149 --> 00:15:28,918
Ahh!

374
00:15:28,951 --> 00:15:31,153
My face is within ahh!

375
00:15:31,186 --> 00:15:33,187
To reduce
the risk of injury,

376
00:15:33,221 --> 00:15:36,991
Brady's using a bait to disarm
the snake's jaws.

377
00:15:37,024 --> 00:15:38,559
Would you risk a bite?

378
00:15:38,592 --> 00:15:39,495
Come on.
Bite it, bite it!

379
00:15:39,528 --> 00:15:41,163
Ah! Ahh!

380
00:15:41,196 --> 00:15:43,098
The snake bit
Brady's wrist!

381
00:15:43,130 --> 00:15:44,198
She got me on the wrist!

382
00:15:44,231 --> 00:15:46,067
Are you ready
to call it quits?

383
00:15:46,100 --> 00:15:48,836
Most viewers would stop now.

384
00:15:48,870 --> 00:15:50,339
But not Brady.

385
00:15:50,371 --> 00:15:53,875
That's because his job is all
about calculating big risks

386
00:15:53,908 --> 00:15:55,144
for big rewards.

387
00:15:55,177 --> 00:15:57,245
And we ended up
capturing the python,

388
00:15:57,278 --> 00:16:01,649
and she measured a whopping
13 feet, 4 inches.

389
00:16:01,682 --> 00:16:03,184
Some people simply have

390
00:16:03,217 --> 00:16:05,386
a higher tolerance for risk
than others.

391
00:16:06,488 --> 00:16:07,289
But why?

392
00:16:08,423 --> 00:16:10,058
Are they simply born that way?

393
00:16:10,091 --> 00:16:11,659
What if I told you
there's a way to influence

394
00:16:11,692 --> 00:16:13,995
how much you're willing to risk

395
00:16:14,028 --> 00:16:17,265
that simply involves you
keeping your eyes open?

396
00:16:17,298 --> 00:16:18,299
Would you believe me?

397
00:16:18,332 --> 00:16:21,636
I'll prove it in the next game.

398
00:16:21,669 --> 00:16:24,539
We're here in the beautiful Red
Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas

399
00:16:24,572 --> 00:16:28,276
taking a look at how far people
will go to win some money.

400
00:16:28,309 --> 00:16:29,911
Alright, so here's how
this is going to work.

401
00:16:29,945 --> 00:16:31,280
You're each going
to get a balloon

402
00:16:31,312 --> 00:16:33,649
and a turn at our pump station,
okay?

403
00:16:33,682 --> 00:16:38,220
Now for the first five pumps,
you're each going to get $10.

404
00:16:38,253 --> 00:16:42,658
For the next five pumps, we're
taking it up to $25 per pump.

405
00:16:42,691 --> 00:16:48,430
Now after that, each pump is
going to give you $50, okay?

406
00:16:48,462 --> 00:16:50,231
Now keep in mind
you can stop at any time

407
00:16:50,264 --> 00:16:54,970
and take your money, or you can
risk it all and keep going

408
00:16:55,003 --> 00:16:58,841
and possibly burst the balloon
and lose all your money.

409
00:16:58,874 --> 00:16:59,975
Okay?

410
00:17:00,008 --> 00:17:01,243
Seems simple enough.

411
00:17:01,275 --> 00:17:03,011
But to make things
more competitive,

412
00:17:03,044 --> 00:17:06,080
we're splitting these volunteers
into two teams

413
00:17:06,114 --> 00:17:07,649
the green team and the red team.

414
00:17:07,682 --> 00:17:10,085
The two teams won't see
each other's scores

415
00:17:10,118 --> 00:17:12,888
until the very end,
so it's up to each player

416
00:17:12,921 --> 00:17:15,424
to risk as much as possible
for their team.

417
00:17:15,456 --> 00:17:18,894
And to add another twist, we
showed each team a short video

418
00:17:18,927 --> 00:17:20,262
before they started the game

419
00:17:20,294 --> 00:17:22,697
to see if it would influence
their behavior.

420
00:17:22,730 --> 00:17:24,232
We'll reveal the videos later,

421
00:17:24,265 --> 00:17:27,668
but for now follow along to see
who's going play it safe

422
00:17:27,701 --> 00:17:30,572
and who's about to
burst their bubble.

423
00:17:30,605 --> 00:17:32,574
Here's our first player
from the red team.

424
00:17:32,606 --> 00:17:33,775
- Okay.
- Feeling good?

425
00:17:33,808 --> 00:17:35,309
- I'm ready.
- Alright, brother.

426
00:17:35,342 --> 00:17:37,445
One. Two pumps.

427
00:17:37,479 --> 00:17:38,747
- Okay.
- Three pumps.

428
00:17:38,779 --> 00:17:40,149
- I'm ready.
- Four pumps.

429
00:17:40,182 --> 00:17:41,316
I'm ready.

430
00:17:41,349 --> 00:17:42,551
That's $50.
You want to keep going?

431
00:17:42,583 --> 00:17:44,352
Yeah. Yeah. Keep going.

432
00:17:44,385 --> 00:17:45,788
Would you keep pumping?

433
00:17:45,821 --> 00:17:47,722
- That's $75.
- Oh, my gosh.

434
00:17:47,756 --> 00:17:49,291
- That's $100.
- I'm ready.

435
00:17:49,324 --> 00:17:51,393
- That's $125!
- Oh!

436
00:17:51,425 --> 00:17:53,162
Oh!

437
00:17:53,194 --> 00:17:55,431
Man, you had 100 bucks
in your pocket.

438
00:17:55,463 --> 00:17:56,264
Oh!

439
00:17:56,298 --> 00:17:57,465
I got too amped up.

440
00:17:57,499 --> 00:17:59,434
That's zero
for the red team.

441
00:17:59,468 --> 00:18:00,769
Not a great start.

442
00:18:00,801 --> 00:18:02,770
Here's our next player
from the green team.

443
00:18:02,804 --> 00:18:04,306
Alright, I'll count with you.

444
00:18:04,338 --> 00:18:09,310
That's one, that's two,
three, four, that's five.

445
00:18:09,344 --> 00:18:11,547
You got $50.
Do you want to keep going?

446
00:18:11,579 --> 00:18:13,948
A little bit.

447
00:18:13,981 --> 00:18:15,451
That's nine pumps.

448
00:18:15,483 --> 00:18:17,885
Ah, ten is my goal.

449
00:18:17,919 --> 00:18:18,987
Okay.

450
00:18:19,019 --> 00:18:22,891
Would you stop here,
or keep going?

451
00:18:22,923 --> 00:18:24,826
I'll stop at ten,
I'm good, I'm good.

452
00:18:24,859 --> 00:18:26,327
I'm going to stop. That's it.

453
00:18:26,361 --> 00:18:27,596
Nice work!

454
00:18:27,628 --> 00:18:30,731
$175 a good start
for the green team!

455
00:18:30,765 --> 00:18:32,267
Now let's check in
with the red team.

456
00:18:32,299 --> 00:18:34,103
You're at $100. Are you sure
you want to keep going?

457
00:18:34,135 --> 00:18:35,403
That's nothing.
I'm a gamblin' man.

458
00:18:35,436 --> 00:18:37,939
Oh, oh! 125. 150.

459
00:18:37,972 --> 00:18:38,773
Nah, that's not enough.

460
00:18:38,807 --> 00:18:40,075
175.

461
00:18:40,107 --> 00:18:42,144
The red team's catching up.
Would you risk it?

462
00:18:42,176 --> 00:18:42,977
That balloon don't blow.

463
00:18:43,010 --> 00:18:44,445
That's $200!

464
00:18:45,446 --> 00:18:49,117
But no!
He went one pump too far!

465
00:18:49,151 --> 00:18:52,054
Let's see how much this
green player risks.

466
00:18:52,086 --> 00:18:54,388
$125.

467
00:18:54,422 --> 00:18:55,624
Alright, I'm going
to stop right here.

468
00:18:55,656 --> 00:18:57,259
- Nice work, man.
- Alright.

469
00:18:57,291 --> 00:18:59,794
The green team's
in the lead at 300.

470
00:18:59,827 --> 00:19:01,262
The red team's still at zero.

471
00:19:01,296 --> 00:19:03,499
Does it seem like
they're taking more risks?

472
00:19:03,531 --> 00:19:05,733
Hopefully this woman
plays it safe.

473
00:19:05,767 --> 00:19:07,603
Alright, so you got 150 bucks.
You sure you want to keep going?

474
00:19:07,635 --> 00:19:08,903
Yeah, let's keep going.

475
00:19:08,936 --> 00:19:10,905
And it looks like
she could tie the green team.

476
00:19:10,939 --> 00:19:12,441
Keep it up.

477
00:19:15,176 --> 00:19:16,511
What's going on here?

478
00:19:16,545 --> 00:19:19,281
Another red player
risked too much!

479
00:19:19,314 --> 00:19:22,484
Meanwhile, the green team
is pulling ahead.

480
00:19:22,517 --> 00:19:24,920
That's $100, man.

481
00:19:24,952 --> 00:19:26,421
125.

482
00:19:26,453 --> 00:19:27,623
I think that's
good enough.

483
00:19:27,655 --> 00:19:29,490
Would you have
risked more than that?

484
00:19:29,523 --> 00:19:31,759
It seems like the green team
is playing it safe!

485
00:19:31,792 --> 00:19:33,394
Now they're at 425,

486
00:19:33,428 --> 00:19:36,565
and they've still got one player
left to pump.

487
00:19:36,597 --> 00:19:38,767
Come on, let's get 200.

488
00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:40,836
Oh!

489
00:19:40,868 --> 00:19:45,740
The red team is still down zero
to 425 with one player left.

490
00:19:45,773 --> 00:19:49,210
Can she win it for her team?

491
00:19:49,243 --> 00:19:50,545
I'm doing it again,
Jason.

492
00:19:50,578 --> 00:19:51,946
Oh!

493
00:19:53,682 --> 00:19:55,651
You are really going for it,
aren't you?

494
00:19:55,683 --> 00:19:57,286
No guts, no glory.
I'm doing it again.

495
00:19:57,318 --> 00:19:59,721
Okay!

496
00:19:59,753 --> 00:20:04,192
Oh, that is a big balloon
right there.

497
00:20:05,759 --> 00:20:06,795
Oh!

498
00:20:06,827 --> 00:20:08,129
Oh, I'm nervous for you now.

499
00:20:08,163 --> 00:20:08,997
I'm going for it!

500
00:20:09,029 --> 00:20:10,264
You're going for it.

501
00:20:10,298 --> 00:20:13,734
Oh, you're gonna be rich!

502
00:20:13,768 --> 00:20:16,005
Oh!

503
00:20:17,271 --> 00:20:18,573
Although she doesn't know it,

504
00:20:18,606 --> 00:20:21,777
she has single-handedly tied
the green team's total.

505
00:20:21,809 --> 00:20:23,912
She could stop now
and take the money.

506
00:20:23,944 --> 00:20:25,880
So you're at $425 right now.

507
00:20:25,913 --> 00:20:28,517
Do you want to keep going?
You could lose it all.

508
00:20:28,549 --> 00:20:31,419
Would you risk it all
for one more pump?

509
00:20:31,452 --> 00:20:33,721
I want another $50.

510
00:20:39,827 --> 00:20:42,431
You had $425!
Why did you keep going?

511
00:20:42,463 --> 00:20:43,698
I wanted more!

512
00:20:43,731 --> 00:20:46,768
I was so hyped and I just wanted
to just go, go, go.

513
00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:48,202
So what's going on here?

514
00:20:48,236 --> 00:20:49,504
No money, but you get a hug.

515
00:20:49,537 --> 00:20:51,506
Why was the green team
so cautious?

516
00:20:51,538 --> 00:20:54,710
And what made the red team
risk it all?

517
00:20:54,742 --> 00:20:57,612
Remember those videos
we mentioned before the game?

518
00:20:57,645 --> 00:20:59,780
The green team saw one
like this.

519
00:21:04,818 --> 00:21:07,188
While the red team saw one
like this.

520
00:21:11,259 --> 00:21:12,160
Whoa!

521
00:21:12,192 --> 00:21:14,328
You're enjoying that.

522
00:21:14,362 --> 00:21:15,931
Wondering how
these little videos

523
00:21:15,963 --> 00:21:18,200
could have such a big influence?

524
00:21:19,667 --> 00:21:22,803
Well, a recent study found that
the faster your brain thinks,

525
00:21:22,836 --> 00:21:24,338
the riskier you behave.

526
00:21:24,372 --> 00:21:27,109
And even something as simple as
a fast-paced video clip

527
00:21:27,142 --> 00:21:28,477
can prime your brain...

528
00:21:28,509 --> 00:21:30,345
Oh, my God!

529
00:21:30,377 --> 00:21:32,079
...to think faster,

530
00:21:32,113 --> 00:21:35,116
causing you to take
bigger risks!

531
00:21:35,150 --> 00:21:36,685
And what's fascinating
about that is

532
00:21:36,718 --> 00:21:39,821
the pace of your thinking
can be manipulated!

533
00:21:39,854 --> 00:21:41,957
You can speed it up
with caffeine or sugar,

534
00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:44,726
or slow it down
through meditation.

535
00:21:44,759 --> 00:21:47,062
So the next time you're about
to take a big risk,

536
00:21:47,095 --> 00:21:48,697
try to slow things down.

537
00:21:48,730 --> 00:21:52,601
Take a long, deep breath
and ask yourself,

538
00:21:52,634 --> 00:21:54,836
is my brain being manipulated

539
00:21:54,868 --> 00:21:57,639
or is this risk really
worth the reward?