[eviljeff]

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So if I say I am going to give you half of my cash if I win the wsop me this year, I don't have to.

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IANAL. this is not necessarily true. it's true that no contract exists because there's no consideration, but you may be required to pay due to promissory estoppel.

promissory estoppel protects someone who reasonably relies on a promise. for example, Company A decides to generously offer a lifelong pension to Bob for his previous years of hard service. Bob quits. 10 years later, board at A changes and decides to stop paying Bob because there's no contract. promissory estoppel applies here.

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If I say I will give you half if you buy my dinner tonight, then there was bargain and consideration.

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a court would likely not enforce this if the disparity between items exchanged is great. here, this seems to be a "token" consideration (giving tens of thousands of dollars in equity for a dinner).