[shaniac]

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On top of all that there probably would have been a provision if he did exactly what was described and the bet would have been reworked after X amount of holes.

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One of the issues, as I heard it, was the aggressiveness with which Ivey negotiated the bet, or prop bets in general. I heard something about Sagstrom wanting to quit and settle up after less than 9 holes, realizing (or believing) that Phil had lied to them, but Phil refused and tried to incur a 100K penalty or something (don't know if this has been covered, haven't read the entire thread). Then Sags walked off the course.

I have encountered people like this--who are very aggressive in their prop-betting, and they make it less-than-friendly in the process, knowing that the lust for action will eventually get their acquaintances to make a bad bet.

Edit: Also, it doesn't really matter who was hustling whom, or if someone thought they had an edge...It all sort of depends on the tone of the gambling and the relationships among the players. If it's hardcore competitive gambling, then be as ruthless as you can, and watch your back every step of the way

But if it's supposed to be friendlier-style gambling, there is a certain honor code which dictates all parties involved negotiate a spot that's somewhere near neutral EV, regardless of the stakes. Maybe I've got it wrong, and, in a world of hustlers, there is no honor and no obligation to treat one's opponents fairly. Maybe Ivey didn't do anything wrong, but there seems to be something unpleasant about a certain kind of edge-mongering.