<s>[INST] Calculate sums of inverses of binomial coefficients How to calculate the sum of sequence $$\frac{1}{\binom{n}{1}}+\frac{1}{\binom{n}{2}}+\frac{1}{\binom{n}{3}}+\cdots+\frac{1}{\binom{n}{n}}=？$$ How about its limit?
 [/INST] Assuming $C_n^k$ stands for $\binom{n}{k} = \frac{n!}{(n-k)! \cdot k!}$, and using, for $k>0$: 
$$
   \frac{1}{\binom{n}{k}} = k \operatorname{Beta}(k,n-k+1) = k \int_0^1 (1-x)^{k-1} x^{n-k} \mathrm{d} x
$$
Hence
$$
   S = \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{1}{\binom{n}{k}} =  \int_0^1 \sum_{k=0}^n k (1-x)^{k-1} x^{n-k} \mathrm{d} x = \int_0^1 \frac{x^{n+1} -(1-x)^n ((2n+1)x-n)}{(1-2x)^2} \mathrm{d} x
$$
Now changing integration variable $x = \frac{1}{2} + u$:
$$\begin{eqnarray}
 S &=& \int_{-1/2}^{1/2} \frac{\mathrm{d} u}{4 u^2} \left( \left(\frac{1}{2}+u\right)^{n+1} - \frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{1}{2}-u\right)^n \left( 1 + 2 (2n+1) u\right)\right) \\
   &=& \int_{-1/2}^{1/2} \frac{\mathrm{d} u}{4 u^2} \sum_{k=2}^{n+1} 2^{k-n-1} \left((-1)^k \left((2 n+1) \binom{n}{k-1}-\binom{n}{k}\right)+\binom{n+1}{k}\right) u^{k} \\
   &=&   \sum_{k=1}^{\lfloor\frac{n+1}{2}\rfloor} 2^{2k-n-1} \left(\left((2 n+1) \binom{n}{2k-1}-\binom{n}{2k}\right)+\binom{n+1}{2k}\right) \underbrace{\int_{-1/2}^{1/2} \frac{\mathrm{d} u}{4 u^2} u^{2 k}}_{\frac{1}{4^k} \frac{1}{2k-1}} \\
 &=& \sum_{k=1}^{\lfloor\frac{n+1}{2}\rfloor} \frac{1}{2^{n}} \frac{1}{2k-1}\frac{(n+1)!}{ (2k-1)! (n-2k+1)!} \stackrel{\ast}{=}  \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{n+1}{n+1-k} \frac{1}{2^k}
\end{eqnarray}
$$
Thus
$$
   \sum_{k=0}^n \frac{1}{\binom{n}{k}} = \sum_{k=0}^n \frac{n+1}{n+1-k} \frac{1}{2^k}
$$
For large $n$ the sum approaches the value of $2$ from above:

I am hoping this sum has a nice probabilistic underpinnings to it.

Added: Derivation of equality $\stackrel{\ast}{=}$ above
$$ \begin{eqnarray}
  S &=&  \sum_{k=1}^{\lfloor\frac{n+1}{2}\rfloor} \frac{1}{2^{n}} \frac{1}{2k-1}\frac{(n+1)!}{ (2k-1)! (n-2k+1)!} = \frac{n+1}{2^n} \underbrace{\sum_{k=0}^{\lfloor\frac{n-1}{2}\rfloor} \frac{1}{2k+1} \binom{n}{2k+1}}_{A_n} 
\end{eqnarray}
$$
We will now establish that $A_{n+1} - A_{n} = \frac{2^{n}}{n+1}$, which would imply $$A_n = \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{2^{k-1}}{k} \stackrel{k \to n+1-k}{=} \sum_{k=1}^n \frac{2^{n-k}}{n+1-k}$$
We thus proceed, firstly for even, $n=2m$:
$$ \begin{eqnarray}
   A_{2m+1} -A_{2m} &=& \sum_{k=0}^{m} \frac{1}{2k+1} \left( \underbrace{\binom{2m+1}{2k+1} - \binom{2m}{2k+1}}_{\binom{2m}{2k}}\right)  \\
  &=& \sum_{k=0}^{m} \frac{1}{2k+1} \binom{2m}{2k} = \frac{1}{2}\int_0^1 \left( (1+x)^{2m} + (1-x)^{2m} \right) \mathrm{d} x = \frac{2^{n}}{n+1}
\end{eqnarray}
$$
and then, similarly, for odd, $n=2m+1$:
$$\begin{eqnarray}
  A_{2m+2}-A_{2m+1} &=& \sum_{k=0}^m \frac{1}{2k+1} \binom{2m+1}{2k} \\
    &=& \frac{1}{2}\int_0^1 \left( (1+x)^{2m+1} + (1-x)^{2m+1} \right) \mathrm{d} x = \frac{2^n}{n+1}
\end{eqnarray}
$$
</s>