2010–The Year of the Prop Bet

Forget all that stuff about volcanoes and earthquakes in 2010. I’ll lay you 100 to one on your money that the world isn’t ending and you’d rather read about people who aren’t you spending money you don’t have on stupid things. Pay up.

Fresh from the prop bet wire, having recently lost his $1 million vegetarian prop bet with Tom “durrr” Dwan from High Stakes Poker (of which he bought out of for $150,000), Phil Ivey is on to greener pastures with Howard Lederer. His newest bet scoffs at the U.S. Treasury, laughing at the value of money. On the line this time is an even-bet of $5 million against Ivey winning two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets in 2010 and 2011. As tall an order as this is, he has won seven bracelets since 2000, two of which came last year alone, the same year he final tabled the Main Event. Also, not to be forgotten was his three-bracelet year in 2002. Ivey has already darted out of the gates in 2010, making a second place finish at the Aussie Millions and coming up big in the cash games. If the odds aren’t on his side, than the momentum certainly is. With 80 bracelet events lined-up over the next couple of years, you’d be a fool to go against a man that could check-raise Lady Luck and win.

Ted Forrest has surfaced again, and not for a notable victory or poker related accomplishment. Weighing in at 188 p0unds, he currently has a hefty prop bet with none other than Mike “The Mouth” Matusow. Forrest has until July 15th to get down to 139 pounds to win $2 million. Should he lose, Forrest has to fork over $150,000. That’s 49 pounds in two months, which a doctor would most likely not recommend. Outside of a tapeworm or severing off a limb, it seems that Matusow has made himself some easy money, but we’re talking about Ted Forrest. This is a man that ran a full marathon in the dead of a Vegas summer for $7000, only to go immediately to the hospital afterwards for severe foot injuries after the track burned through the soles of both his shoes. It’s safe to say that he can’t be counted out just yet. Insiders have confirmed that after purchasing his Shake Weight and Ab Lounger, Forrest contacted a few Versaci runway models for tips on reaching his goals. Here’s to hoping this doesn’t become a case of getting rich or dying trying.

If I haven’t convinced you yet that 2010 has been the year of the prop bet, well than I can safely say that it certainly has been the year of the women. With three major titles recently coming at the helm of poker’s leading ladies, nobody can deny the force that the estrogen contingent has become in what used to be a male-dominated game. Not all of us believe in equal opportunity though, as Matusow has also announced that if three woman win bracelets in this year’s WSOP, he will run down the Las Vegas strip completely naked. Accounting for such a small amount of the tourney fields, it’s feat that has improbability written all over it, but miracles do happen. Regardless, the real winner here? Nobody.