Proper Partners Etiquette Playing For Money

Get_A_Grip

Get_A_Grip

Truth Will Set You Free
Silver Member
OK, my question is...if you are playing partners and you get into a side bet with someone on your game...is it proper etiquette to inform your partner of the bet or not?

Tonight I was playing in a bar and the game changed to partners. A couple of guys that I had just beat playing singles a little while ago became partners. One of their friends asked me if I would bet $10.00 on the game. I said "yes", figuring that regardless of how my partner played, I would have a good shot at winning.

I had to pick a partner from people at the bar that I didn't know. It turns out that after my partner and I won the first game and I got my $10, I informed my partner about the side bet that I had. He told me that he doesn't gamble and that I shoud have told him about the bet!

I thought...wow, he doesn't gamble...but he wasn't gambling...I was. I did a side bet again for $10 on the next game and we won again...so I bought the loser a drink and my partner a drink. (My parnter says...what was that for...and I just said...it was because you are my partner). The real reason was...because I just made $20 and he helped me win it.

The third game...it appears that my partner has had enough and wants to leave. He misses two fairly easy shots to set up the eight-ball in the game and we loose (funny thing is....the guy that is now my opponent didn't want to bet on that game).

Anyway, I was thinking about it for a while and thought that on the one hand...it would have been good of me to inform my partner of my bet beforehand...just in case something when awry. But on the other hand...if the bet didn't involve him financially...I'm thinking that he probably would have played better (with less pressure) if he didn't know that I had a bet on the game.

So what are your thoughts? Should I definitely have told him about the bet or not?
 
Hmm... should you inform someone that you are using them to make money or not.....

You could rationalize that you could win by yourself, but if you are playing partners then you NEED him to win.(whether he is worse or better than you).

I think its absolutly horrible to use people as a means to an ends such as winning a bet without informing them.

The fact is that you brought him into a game and you needed him to win(if the bet was that you had to take on a partner). If you don't inform him that he is playing to make you money, than you are USING him.

I'd rather play with someone than use them, in fact I'd rather never use people....


But its all a matter of personal ethics I guess and what you are willing to do to other people in order to get ahead(even for a measly 20 bucks).
 
I am not sure if the parner felt being used. I do understand that to some people it is a matter of principle that they do not want to gamble or get involved with any gambling action. Therefore, I think it is only fair to inform your partner that a bet is going on with your team against the other team and let him decide if he wants to get involved.
 
Absolutely

You always inform your partner of what is involved in the
game UPFRONT, whether you are covering the bets or not.
Even though it may be far-fetched, if that game got busted,
he would be charged also, and it would be your fault. It is
his right, at all times, to make his own decisions whether he
wants to play for what's involved.
 
I agree with Scott. I only play partners with a couple of people and if someone wants a sidebet, I'll make it then ask my partner if he wants half of it... for $10 he's probably going to say No, but to me, it's just common courtesy to offer him half the action. He is, after all, playing half the game.

Later,
Bob
 
Yeah, I was thinking I should have told him right away...but the game was just about to start when the guy asked me for the bet...so I just waited until the game was over.

After we won the first game and I told my partner about the bet that I had on the game, I did ask him if he wanted in on the next one--but he declined, because he doesn't gamble.

I really did luck-out in one sense, because it turned out that my partner played pretty sporty. We definitley made a good team. He did keep playing with me though after I told him about the first bet...and I think that he realized that we would keep the bet going for the next game too.

It never fails...it seems like every single time I decide to gamble (even for small amounts) there is always some kind of problem that develops (even if only an etiquette or ethical one). Certainly makes the nights interesting though...LOL.
 
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