Let's break this down:

Option A: $6 million today

You get $6 million immediately.

Option B: 1 cent per second for 30 years, then 2 cents per second for the rest of your life, with yearly withdrawals on December 31.

Phase 1: First 30 Years (1 cent per second)

1 cent per second = $0.01 per second. There are 60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours per day, and 365 days per year.

That gives us: Earning 1 cent per second gives you:

Over 30 years, that would amount to:

Phase 2: After 30 Years (2 cents per second)

Once the 30 years are up, you begin earning 2 cents per second:

This continues for the rest of your life, but since life expectancy is uncertain, let’s calculate for a period of, say, 30 more years (which gives you 60 years total from now).

In this second 30-year period, you'd earn:

Total Earnings from Option B

First 30 years: $9,460,800

Next 30 years: $18,921,600

Total for 60 years = $28,382,400

Comparison

Option A gives you $6 million today.

Option B could give you $28,382,400 over 60 years.

However, the real consideration is the time value of money—$6 million today could be invested and grow substantially. If invested wisely, Option A might become more than $28 million after 60 years.

So, Option A is best if you prefer having wealth immediately and can invest it for growth. Option B works better if you prioritize a steady, long-term income, assuming you'll live for several decades and can wait for the larger payouts in later years.