Most people take the money now. But some bet on the future.
Like actors who accept a lower up-front salary in return for a share of the box-office gross. Like musicians who accept a lower advance in return for retaining the rights to their master recordings. Like Bill Gates when he kept the rights to his PC operating system; instead of taking guaranteed money up-front, he bet that future royalties would add up to a lot more.
And that's what American Basketball Association (ABA) owners Ozzie and Daniel Silna did in 1976 -- which turned their initial $1 million investment into approximately $800 million.
