5 Poker Prop Bets that ended Badly

Prop bets are a fun way for poker players to enjoy some side entertainment away from the tables. Unfortunately, many times these bets force poker players to push themselves to uncomfortable limits that have disastrous consequences. This being said, let's look at five poker prop bets that ended very badly — win or lose — for those involved.

1. Antonio Esfandiari kicked out of 2016 PCA for peeing in Bottle

Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari made an interesting prop bet with hedge fund manager/poker enthusiast Bill Perkins, whereby Esfandiari needed to lunge everywhere he went during the 2016 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. The bet lasted 48 hours, and Esfandiari knew he was in trouble early on after his legs got so sore that he could barely make it to the bathroom. So he decided to take a shortcut and pee in a bottle during the PCA Main Event. While this seemed like a good idea at the time, it actually got Esfandiari kicked out of the Main Event and left him having to explain his actions to disgusted Twitter fans. He did, however, win the bet.

2. Ted Forrest's Feet burned during Red-Hot Marathon

A star athlete in high school, Ted Forrest was once bet that he couldn't finish a marathon in 115-degree heat. Despite the extreme heat, Forrest took up the wager and decided to complete it on the University of Nevada Las Vegas track. The good news is that Forrest finished the marathon and won $7k; the bad news is that the hot track partially melted his shoes and caused burns on his feet. He went to the hospital to get treated for his feet and severe dehydration.

3. Johnny Moss winds up in Hospital after Bar Fight

There are few better examples of a poker prop bet ending badly than the time Johnny Moss wound up in a Vegas-area hospital. The bet started when Moss and his buddies went to a local bar, where one of the patrons had never lost a fight in his life. Moss' friends offered him 15/1 odds that he couldn't beat the man, with the one stipulation being that Moss got the first punch. The 9-time WSOP champion took up the bet and sucker-punched the bar brawler from behind. What ensued next was a beatdown that resulted in Moss having several broken bones and a large hospital bill.

4. Forrest stiffed out of $1.9m in Weight Loss Bet

Yet another crazy prop bet that Forrest participated in involved two parts: 1) he needed to lose 48 pounds in 10 weeks to win $2 million, 2) he could still win $1 million if he lost 48 pounds within four months. Forrest pulled out all the stops to lose 48 pounds within 10 weeks, even fasting the last 12 days, practically living in the Jacuzzi and choosing constant motion over sleep. After going through hell to win the wager in 2010, Forrest has only been paid $70k up to this point. Mike Matusow, who had 90% of the action, said he hasn't been anted up the money because he lost his Full Tilt sponsorship in 2011.

5. Ashton Griffin runs 3 Marathons in 24 Hours

Like Forrest, Ashton Griffin also engaged in a marathon bet...only this one involved him running three marathons within a 24-hour span. One stipulation is that, while Griffin was allowed to take breaks any time he wanted to, he also had to maintain a running speed whenever he was on the treadmill. This bet got ugly when Haseeb "INTERNETPOKERS" Qureshi, who put $285,000 against Griffin's $855,000, started worrying about his prop-bet opponent's physical health. Griffin's parents also drove to Orlando to try and stop the prop wager. Griffin eventually completed the 72 miles with 45 minutes to spare, but his condition was not so great at the end. And his story sparked a debate in the poker community about when prop betting goes too far.