Prop bets and a WSOPE freeroll

Pud's Poker Progress / Matthew Pitt / 27 June 2008 / 4

Although I was in the middle of a run of 13 tournaments without cashing, I decided to offer some of the members on Raise The River some action on a prop bet I made. I took $150 of action that I could make $5,000 profit in 200 days by only playing MTT's.

The action was quickly bought and two members offered me 2/1 odds on me doing it as I have a habit of starting a challenge then dropping it completely for one reason or another so if I fail to reach $5k I owe $150 but if I make it then I scoop an extra $250.

Well, I started appallingly and did not cash in a further 19 games, taking the run to 32 tournaments without being paid. Obviously, this started to affect my confidence but a 4th place from 90 runners restored my faith a little before variance kicked me square in the nuts once more.

Despite cashing a further six times, including an outright win, I am $101.60 down. Since the start of the challenge, I have played 62 tournaments and have exited 49 of them being at least a 70% favourite.

In this time, I have had Aces 14 times and they have been beaten on 11 occasions, usually at key stages of the tournament. I had one hand last night when I hit a final table where a short stack shoved UTG and I re-raised to isolate knowing I was ahead with AdQd. By the time the river was dealt, he had a straight with A8o! Stuff like that is really getting to me. Even Mrs P keeps telling me how unlucky I have been as she watched me a few times thinking I was a load of rubbish and just making the beats up!

I suppose that is the nature of tournament poker, just finishing a couple of places higher makes a huge difference to your ROI. I have bubbled six times too which has not helped but I am very aggressive on the money bubble because the times you go extra deep with the chips you earn make up for the time you bust out before being paid, apparently!

In case you are interested, my figures are as follows:

Tournaments played = 62

Total buy-ins = $245.90

Total winnings = $144.20

Final tables = 5

Wins = 1

ITM = 11.3%

ROI = -41.3%

Nothing to write home about in those stats but I do have another 190 days to go.

Finally, I have been selected to play in a freeroll on Betfair on Saturday night where the winner gets a seat into the $550 WSOPE qualifier and finishing 2-30th means I get a share of $500. According to the woman on the phone, 150 were entered last week but only 60 showed, currently there are 160 entered so hopefully I can take this baby down and have a chance at the WSOPE for free!

As always, thanks for reading and best of luck at the tables.

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LuckyStraights | 27 June 2008

Good luck on your prop bet. I'll be rooting for ya, imaginge taking down a bracelet at the WSOPE without investing more then your train fare, now that would be something to blog about :-)
Jaklang | 28 June 2008

Hey, gl on the Betfair freeroll. Do you play exclusively for Betfair ? Is that why you get to write here... Their live support sounds very Indian though..lol
Pud's Poker | 29 June 2008

Hi Jacklang, thanks for stopping by.

Believe it or not I actually forgot about the freeroll! I just checked and I came 123rd from 270! LOL!

I don't play exclusively on or for Betfair though I do like the direction they are heading in and what they are trying to do for the site and its players.

I've always found their support very good, especially if you ring them as their call centre is based in the UK. I usually call rather than email and get sorted right away.
Low stakes grinder | 03 July 2008

LOL at forgetting to play. By the sounds of it the 123rd place finish was better than you could have expected with your recent run of results!