Doob's Optional Stopping Theorem
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Doob's Optional Stopping Theorem
In probability theory, the optional stopping theorem (or sometimes Doob's optional sampling theorem, for American probabilist Joseph L. Doob, Joseph Doob) says that, under certain conditions, the expected value of a martingale (probability theory), martingale at a stopping time is equal to its initial expected value. Since martingales can be used to model the wealth of a gambler participating in a fair game, the optional stopping theorem says that, on average, nothing can be gained by stopping play based on the information obtainable so far (i.e., without looking into the future). Certain conditions are necessary for this result to hold true. In particular, the theorem applies to Martingale (betting system), doubling strategies. The optional stopping theorem is an important tool of mathematical finance in the context of the fundamental theorem of asset pricing. Statement A discrete-time version of the theorem is given below, with denoting the set of natural integers, including ...
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Probability Theory
Probability theory or probability calculus is the branch of mathematics concerned with probability. Although there are several different probability interpretations, probability theory treats the concept in a rigorous mathematical manner by expressing it through a set of axioms of probability, axioms. Typically these axioms formalise probability in terms of a probability space, which assigns a measure (mathematics), measure taking values between 0 and 1, termed the probability measure, to a set of outcomes called the sample space. Any specified subset of the sample space is called an event (probability theory), event. Central subjects in probability theory include discrete and continuous random variables, probability distributions, and stochastic processes (which provide mathematical abstractions of determinism, non-deterministic or uncertain processes or measured Quantity, quantities that may either be single occurrences or evolve over time in a random fashion). Although it is no ...
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