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Knockout bracket where the two best teams collide last

Question

A single-elimination tournament has 2n2^n teams placed into the bracket uniformly at random. The stronger team always wins each match. What is the probability that the two strongest teams play each other in the final?

Short answer

2n−12n−1\dfrac{2^{n-1}}{2^n-1}. They meet in the final exactly when they start in opposite halves of the bracket. Given the best team's slot, 2n−12^{n-1} of the other 2n−12^n-1 slots lie in the opposite half.

Adapted from Joshi, Denson & Downes, Quant Job Interview Questions and Answers, Q3.19, p.82; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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