A roulette wheel consists of 38 numbers, 0 through 36 and 00. Of these, 18 numbers are red, 18 are black, and 2 are green (0 and 00). You are given $10 and told that you must pick one of two wagers, for an outcome based on a spin of the wheel: (1) Bet $10 on number 23. If the spin results in 23, you win $350 and also get back your $10 bet. If any other number comes up, you lose your $10, or (2) Bet $10 on black. If the spin results in any one of the black numbers, you win $10 and also get back your $10 bet. If any other color comes up, you lose your $10.
a. Without doing any calculation, which wager would you prefer? Explain why. (There is no correct answer. Peoples’ choices are based on their individual preferences and risk tolerances.)
b. Find the expected outcome for each wager. Which wager is better in this sense?