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Weekend


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February 23, 2001

Strange But True!

  • A weekly column of incidental information, off-the-wall observations and other random facts about the world.
    • By BILL SONES AND RICH SONES, PH.D.
    Special to the Journal

    Q. Flipping a coin usually yields around 50-50 heads and tails. But what if you spin the coin instead?

    A. Many spun coins also show 50-50, but others go strongly one way or the other, 65-35 or more, due to weight imbalances. If you secretly pretest a few coins, then bet on them at a party, you should have little trouble pinching a few pennies from the unsuspecting.


     
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