riddle me this
 

Can you start a show parlay with only a buck?

I have solved the riddle, but will not give away the answer.

It is two different equations with portions of each other included to confuse the reader. Well written though especially with the vertical on the left. My solving and explanation should leave it open for others to play still.

When I was a kid my grandfather used to ask me how many fingers I had. I said 10 and he said I don't think so, let me see. So I held out my fingers and he counted on one hand, 10, 9, 8, 7. 6, and 5 is Eleven.

The riddle tricks us into thinking the key number is 30, when OBVIOUSLY, it's actually 25. So you subtract down to 25, instead of adding up to 30.

(This became incredibly obvious only after someone explained it to me:o)

I hope you thanked Mitch.