There was a palm reader who lived in a high-rise apartment building full of people. First, one of his neighbors made a deal with him to tell him whether he would win for half the price of the tickets he had drawn. If he didn't, he would lose only half the money. If he did, he would win, even though he had spent one and a half payments.
Word spread throughout the building, and eventually all the residents began to pay only for winning tickets.
Finally, the first neighbor asked the palm reader:
"From every palm reading, whether you see a win or not, you always get money. When you moved into this building, did you ever dream that your ability would pay off so much?"
"I didn't dream," the reader replied, "I saw it in my own palm."