Would you choose £50,000 over the chance of £1m? - BBC

A YouGov survey of roughly 4,600 UK adults found that 73% would take a guaranteed £50,000 rather than flip a coin for a 50/50 chance at £1m, while 21% chose the gamble and 6% were undecided.
The gender divide was pronounced: 82% of women opted for the certain £50,000 compared with 63% of men, echoing separate findings that men are twice as likely to invest in stocks and shares while women more often favour cash ISAs.
Age also shaped attitudes to risk, with 28% of those aged 18 to 24 willing to take the coin flip versus just 11% of over-65s, despite younger people typically earning less.
The guaranteed sum is significant in itself, sitting £10,000 above the UK median annual full-time earnings of £40,000, which helps explain why many treat it as already life-changing.
Financial experts note the £50,000 could grow through compound interest or investment; Sarah Coles of AJ Bell calculated that investing £50,000 in a typical global fund just under 38 years ago would be worth £1m today.
Coles argues the preference is partly psychological, as people are wired to avoid loss and feel potential losses more acutely than the thrill of possible gains, which fuels a cautious, risk-averse mindset among Britons.