Asking to gamble on tournament matches

[muttley76]

This might offend some, but i really don't mean to. If someone asking you if you want to bet on the match bothers you enough that it will actually throw your game off, maybe you shouldn't even be in the tournament. If you are that easily sharked, you have some other issues to deal with.

Now, I am only talking about someone asking you, you saying no, and him leaving it at that. I know some will use it for sharking purposes, and try and berate you if you say no. That is a whole other issue.

I see nothing wrong with someone innocently asking if you wnt to bet on the match. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Bingo. To any detractors, you guys probably haven't been around a whole lot of high level pool. And if you don't understand that your potential to win x amount of matches, and only lose two, is nowhere near the same thing as walking into a casino with $50 as per your post, then you obviously misunderstand, or REALLY don't understand gambling. The casino is a fixed odds proposition, whereas pool gambling is the furthest thing from it. As for being classless, this only happens in pro/open events(that I have ever heard of, at least). Sorry if this offended anyone(and for the record, I haven't personally ever asked anyone to gamble on tourney sets, unless they were people I usually gamble with anyways, and then it is just an excuse to get in an extra set), but like I said, it is a fairly common practice, and has nothing to do with class. To whomever thought it does, if it happens at your local 8-ball league or bar tourney, then perhaps you should worry about it. But when it is good players, who understand the concept, maybe you should just let it go. Whew! Glad nobody mentioned side pots or calcuttas, as I am sure that they are just as "classless", if not more!:grin:

 

[trustyrusty]

Yeah, and maybe that drink buying was a move on your part to make him feel comfortable in trying "the move" again in the future.

JoeyA

Any "moves" by me are completely unintentional....Honestly, I would've bet the guy if he'da been about 6-8 drinks lighter (we're pretty even sober). I usually know all the players in the local tourneys, so I'll offer to buy any of 'em a drink, be it a Diet Coke, or a Jager-bomb - whatever. But, I had never thought that this might've been seen by some as a dirty underhanded thing to do....should I stop??

 

[one stroke]

This might offend some, but i really don't mean to. If someone asking you if you want to bet on the match bothers you enough that it will actually throw your game off, maybe you shouldn't even be in the tournament. If you are that easily sharked, you have some other issues to deal with.

Now, I am only talking about someone asking you, you saying no, and him leaving it at that. I know some will use it for sharking purposes, and try and berate you if you say no. That is a whole other issue.

I see nothing wrong with someone innocently asking if you wnt to bet on the match. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It doesn't hurt to ask.

most of the time this happens when the guy asking already knows the answer in the first place and he thinks he is the better player the same guy is only looking for a edge not nesseraliy the money you will notice they wont ask the player better the same question ,in a lot of tours like tiger planet pool this is frowned upon as it should be the are trying to bring pool out of the getto thinking ,in many of these you are not even supposed to talk to the other player while playing it all goes back to their is a time and a place for everything , I very rarely ever see top players ever do this durring a turny mabe ,in the local pup or pool hall $10 20 where the prize money is barely a good meal but not in the bigger events.



1stroke

 

[senor]

most of the time this happens when the guy asking already knows the answer in the first place and he thinks he is the better player the same guy is only looking for a edge not nesseraliy the money you will notice they wont ask the player better the same question ,in a lot of tours like tiger planet pool this is frowned upon as it should be the are trying to bring pool out of the getto thinking ,in many of these you are not even supposed to talk to the other player while playing it all goes back to their is a time and a place for everything , I very rarely ever see top players ever do this durring a turny mabe ,in the local pup or pool hall $10 20 where the prize money is barely a good meal but not in the bigger events.



1stroke

I could be wrong, but I don't think the OP is a professional pool player and wasn't asking about major pool tournaments.

That being said I do see your point. I also do not think there is gambling on matches between two opponents in professional events. For those who want to bet on themselves, there are usually bookmakers who make lines for most matches.

 

[easy-e]

Another thing you guys are not taking into account is that it is pretty good odds. You can only lose two sets in tourneys, where as you can win a heck of a lot more(assuming you aren't playing in a 4 man tourney, lol). If youi are any kind of decent player, the math isn't hard. This is actually a fairly standard move for gamblers.

Muttley, I have to ask:

Why do you list that your playing cue is a budweiser but your break cue is a Southwest? You aren't very bright are you? You should play with the Southwest.

 

[muttley76]

Muttley, I have to ask:

Why do you list that your playing cue is a budweiser but your break cue is a Southwest? You aren't very bright are you? You should play with the Southwest.

You have obviously never played with my Budweiser. It is waaaaaaay nicer than the Southwest.

 

[muttley76]

Hey bro, Josh is coming down weekend after next for the GSBT event in Lagrange. You oughta try and make it. Place doesn't serve alcohol, but I am sure we could get into sumthin.......

 

[LPHooper03]

Muttley, I have to ask:

Why do you list that your playing cue is a budweiser but your break cue is a Southwest? You aren't very bright are you? You should play with the Southwest.

When someone lists their cue as simple as Southwest and Budweiser, its not a very good statement for you to criticize their judgement, especially when you have played with neither of the cues in question.

Now if he lists:
Playing Cue: Predator BK2
Breaking Cue: Schon

Then we have a problem...

 

[Craig]

If it's someone who doesn't know you, it's likely a move--and a poor-taste move at that, imo.

Help me out with this "odds" argument. Is this the same argument that works walking up to any casino game with $50 in your pocket, the "I can only lose $50, but I can win big, so things are in my favor" argument?

Well lets see if you go two and out for $50 a match you lose $100 total.

If you go all the way thru the tournament winner $50 a match you win $400 total. Plus what ever the tournament purse is plus calcutta if their is one.

So yes I would say you have great odds, and this is common amongst people that like to gamble I dont see it as a move on no-one like anything else if you dont wont to bet on the matches just decline the offer.

 

[muttley76]

Well lets se if you go two and out for $50 a match you lose $100 total.

If you go all the way thru the tournament winner $50 a match you win $400 total. Plus what ever the tournament purse is plus calcutta if their is one.

So yes I would say you have great odds, and this is common amongst people that like to gamble I dont see it as a move on no-one like anything else if you dont wont to bet on the matches just decline the offer.

Great post. It shouldn't ever offend or shark anyone to be asked(at least, it has never sharked me), and a "no" is an easy answer to give.

 

[Neil]

............

 

[Scott Lee]

tap, tap, tap!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

If one player asks his opponent if they could make the match a 'little more interesting?' and the other player says 'No thanks', I don't have a problem with that as a TD.
It is when the person asking to match up starts to the banter woofing talk that it becomes 'unsportsmanlike conduct' with a DQ being part of the punishment.

Just be polite and no problem from me.

If you really need to bet something on the match to get 'serious', then put $100 in your pocket, if you win, you keep it, if you lose, give it to the wait staff. The only reason you would get your opponent to gamble is to attempt to influence their game. Definitely against the rules.

 

[JoeyA]

Any "moves" by me are completely unintentional....Honestly, I would've bet the guy if he'da been about 6-8 drinks lighter (we're pretty even sober). I usually know all the players in the local tourneys, so I'll offer to buy any of 'em a drink, be it a Diet Coke, or a Jager-bomb - whatever. But, I had never thought that this might've been seen by some as a dirty underhanded thing to do....should I stop??

No Rusty. Don't stop "that". Keep doing what you feel comfortable doing. I've read enough of your posts to know you don't mean to harm or foul.
JoeyA

 

[JXMIKE]

i would just ask them to gamble later.

 

[dogginda9]

As for me personally, I never side bet on tournament matches. I also almost never buy any of myself in calcuttas either. It has been at least 10 years since I did so. I've probably cost myself many thousands of dollars with this theory but I just feel it is messing with karma. Something I would rather not do. I've been asked to side bet by my opponents and outsiders many times before but if I feel like playing that person for $ I would rather just wait until after the match is over. Gambling has it's time and place IMHO.