
Risky Business is a weekly podcast about making better decisions. The hosts, Maria Konnikova and Nate Silver, are both journalists who moonlight as high-stakes poker players. On Risky Business, they bring their analytical framework to everything from politics to poker to personal decisions.
Maria has a PhD in psychology and is the author of several books including, most recently, The Biggest Bluf... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 116 | Founded | 2 years ago | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsPoliticsSociety & Culture | |||

Nate and Maria sit down with the elite amateur runner Nicholas Thompson (who also happens to be the CEO of The Atlantic) to talk about his new book The Running Ground. They discuss what running can teach about productivity and fulfillment, his favori... more
We have a special episode for you today! In which Nate and Maria join their fellow Pushkin hosts to dive deep into the art of failure.
Tim Harford of Cautionary Tales shares stories of minor mistakes with massive consequences. Jonathan Goldstein of... more
Over the weekend, some 5 million people across the United States marched in ‘No Kings’ protests. Nate and Maria sit down to talk about why this matters, the psychology of protests, and how Democratic strategists can build on the momentum going forwar... more
The 2025 Nobel Prizes have now been announced, and Maria convinces Nate to learn about the winners. They discuss the selection process, the economic award for research on “creative destruction,” and what prizes they should be considered for.
For ... more
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I really enjoy the show. I like both hosts individually and I think they do a great job together covering decision making topics. Highly recommend.
Interesting topics and some discussion, but Nate cannot get a sentence in without Maria telling him to wait and then monologuing for 10 more minutes. So much potential but frustrating to listen to.
Maria emotes about Bari Weiss for god knows how long, basically a regurgitation of Bluesky talking points of the day, Nate tries to jump in and gently push back, she cuts him off “you’re not even engaging with what I’m saying, you’re picking one little thing”…well yeah, you just said 100 things and you’re already cutting him off after like 5 words, how could he have already addressed all of the points you read online and are now repeating? Nate, this was a good experiment, but you have a lot to ... more
Update: You stopped having as many 3 minute ad breaks, so I’m changing my review from 1 star to 5 stars.
Original Review: Seriously, why 3 minutes per ad breaks? No other podcast does ad breaks longer than 2 minutes. It’s disruptive and greedy.
Brings otherwise overlooked opinions to interesting discussions
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
| Apple Podcasts | #107 | |
| Apple Podcasts | #78 | |
| Apple Podcasts | #123 | |
| Apple Podcasts | #87 | |
| Apple Podcasts | #174 | |
| Apple Podcasts | #29 | 
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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A unique weekly exploration of decision-making, combining high-stakes poker strategies with insights from various fields such as politics, personal development, and societal issues. The hosts, seasoned journalists and poker enthusiasts, bring their analytical expertise to discuss topics ranging from gerrymandering and AI to mental health and the psychological aspects of competition. With engaging conversations and a mix of personal anecdotes, the content appeals to listeners interested in critical thinking, psychology, and contemporary issues. Notably, the blend of poker discussions with serious analysis of current events sets it apart from traditional news commentary.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Risky Business:
1. GD POLITICS
2. Against the Rules: The Big Short Companion
3. Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
4. Politix
5. The Ezra Klein Show
Risky Business launched 2 years ago and published 116 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Risky Business include:
1. Sheila Heti
2. Jonathan Goldstein
3. Elie Honig
4. David Epstein
5. Robert Mariano
6. Leo Margets
7. Erik Seidel
8. David Zweig
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