This chart shows the variance reduction if the pool has 3% of global hashrate (the pool in the first chart has 5% of global hashrate).
The reduction in expected value reflects the value of the insurance that the miners purchase by hedging.

This chart shows the variance reduction if the pool has 3% of global hashrate (the pool in the first chart has 5% of global hashrate).
The reduction in expected value reflects the value of the insurance that the miners purchase by hedging.

If the pool has 15% of global hashrate then hedging is still a good idea.
By hedging miners and pools can eliminate payout swings due to pure randomness.
Making money most of the time reduces the risk of not making money sometimes!
