Introduction to Poker Prop Bets

If you’ve ever watched a television show like GSN’s “High Stakes Poker,” then you know that prop bets are half the fun of the game. After all, because playing for millions of dollars just doesn’t present enough excitement for some superstars of poker, prop bets provide an easy outlet to scratch that gambling itch just a little bit more. So what prop bets are the most popular? What should you try to negotiate with your friends? Hold’em Bonuses will review some of the most talked about prop bets in the poker world.

Last Longer Bets

These are the most popular type of prop bet. The concept itself is pretty straightforward: Whichever bettor lasts the longest is the winner. Last longer bets are typically found during the industry’s largest tournaments like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, and European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Grand Final. Players don’t even have to finish in the money in order to claim a last longer bet, making the prospects of cashing something to play for as well.

Online sports books like Bodog and Paddy Power have capitalized on the popularity of last longer bets by offering them during major tournament series. For example, you can grab a slice of your own last longer bet by visiting Bodog prior to the WSOP Main Event and laying down money on one of 20 to 30 runners. Some sites have gone even further, allowing betting on two nemeses, like Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Phil Hellmuth, who have crossed paths on several occasions during the annual National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Who will you choose?

Bracelets Won

The point of any WSOP tournament is to win a bracelet. Not only does a player take home a bundle of cash, but they also capture a highly sought-after piece of hardware that only a small percentage of the poker world has ever won. Poker pros will often lay odds on each other’s bracelet possibilities to up the ante even further. For example, Hellmuth might give Barry Greenstein 10:1 odds that he’ll win a bracelet in 2010. Oftentimes, bracelet bets are laid out within a group of players, adding to the excitement. Only three players (Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan) have ever won double-digit bracelets, making the accolade worthy of a common prop bet.

Money Won

There are numerous ways to lay down a prop bet on the amount of money won. This could be based on the performance of only one player or the combined tally of two or more combatants. Some sites will allow you to bet on total money won in both ways, making for an intriguing proposition. Among friends, betting on the amount of money won means a winner is easily determined. Moreover, the player who earns the most cash also takes down the prop bet, meaning a rich payday is in store.

Golf Bets

Poker players are notorious for laying down prop bets on golf. In Las Vegas, some of the world’s top courses exist. One memorable prop bet involved WSOP bracelet winner and Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren, who was challenged that he couldn’t play four consecutive rounds of under 100 golf in one day while walking the course. This was also in the desert in the middle of the summer, making the bet all the more interesting. In the end, Lindgren rose to the occasion and took down one of the most memorable prop bets of all-time. I probably would have collapsed after hole number 12.

High Stakes Poker Prop Bets

The fifth season of GSN’s popular cash game show “High Stakes Poker” was chalk-full of prop bets. They included a pushup bet featuring Antonio Esfandiari and a variety of wagers related to what a player’s down cards were. In total, there was nothing that the show’s participants wouldn’t bet on, which is characteristic of the gamut of poker players.