Your analysis takes into account secondary effects of Kodos’s decisions, and this is why “penny grabbing” would consist of anything less than trading seconds for lives. But penny grabbing also has secondary effects: and why assume these secondary effects will be bad instead of good? The secondary effects might well be good, and if so, they can multiply just like the consequences of his other decisions.
Your analysis takes into account secondary effects of Kodos’s decisions, and this is why “penny grabbing” would consist of anything less than trading seconds for lives. But penny grabbing also has secondary effects: and why assume these secondary effects will be bad instead of good? The secondary effects might well be good, and if so, they can multiply just like the consequences of his other decisions.