It's the opposite, the author is saying is that you have to consider the dynamics of how you're getting the money. In his view, an opportunity to work 5 days for an assured $500 may be worth less than the opportunity to work 5 days for a 50% chance of even $900, even though $500 > $900/2. If you expect that 50% chance to be resolved by the end of day 1, you can just quit the second job, and if there's a third job that will pay you just $200 for the remaining four days (half the job 1 rate) then the EV increases to $550.