It’s the season of prop bets. Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk are busy risking millions online and now, Dan Smith has devised a high-stakes wager that could leave him homeless.
Anyone around in the early of days of online poker will be familiar with the term, “click a mouse, win a house.” Well, it seems that old habits die hard for two of online poker’s original ballers.
Smith offered Blake Stevenson a $500,000 Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) football bet that includes the deed to his condo.
Smith Betting His House
Stevenson, aka EmpireMaker2, hasn’t accepted the prop bet yet. However, Smith is willing to stake $500,000 and give up his condo if Stevenson can beat him a head-to-head DFS football contest.
Kids, we have a very select guest list for @MarketManiaShow.
After coming on the show, one of our recent guests is BETTING THEIR ACTUAL HOME vs. @empiremaker2 whom I guess finally got his account shut down.
GL Dan! https://t.co/ERQyXEIagt
— Bryan Micon (@BryanMicon) December 9, 2020
So serious is Smith that he’s having his place appraised on Friday. If he wins the bet, he’ll add to his long list of charitable efforts and donate $50,000 to charity.
Why would Smith make such a bet? In this instance, he’s getting +110, and he’s already involved in a weekly head-to-head bet with Aaron Jones.
Why would I do this?
1) I'm getting +110 on a win, and save brokerage fees if I lose.
2) It's fucking hilarious and will be a fun sweat.If I win I will donate an extra $50,000 to charity.
I'm getting my condo appraised Friday, just in case. Will keep y'all posted.
— Dan Smith (@DanSmithHolla) December 9, 2020
The unique prop bet has more context to it than just another case of poker-related degeneracy. Firstly, Smith and Stevenson were both big winners during the early days of online poker.
Money flowed freely during that time, and crazy prop bets were almost as common as bad beats. Therefore, the two have long been immersed in a culture where putting up or shutting up is standard practice.
Poker’s Culture of Prop Bets is Alive and Well
Stevenson is also no stranger to unusual and, sometimes, controversial prop bets. He offered to take the “under on 50,000 US COVID-19 deaths” back in March. That tweet has since been deleted, as has Stevenson’s Twitter account. But he’s still in contact with Smith.
Go backwards a few years:
Blake at the club "You owe me $25k, let's flip for it"
Dan: "No ty'
Blake suddenly getting very serious: " Did you go busto? I thought poker tournaments were going well for you?!"— Dan Smith (@DanSmithHolla) December 9, 2020
Smith and Stevenson also have some history when it comes to bankrolls and bragging rights. Both have been successful in poker. However, it left a sour taste when Stevenson questioned Smith’s financial status a few years ago.
Like a true poker player, Smith wants to exploit Stevenson’s penchant for prop bets and get his money in with an advantage. Stevenson is less willing to commit his chips.
Rather than happily bet $500k like I expected, Blake telling me that I should have rented, rather than bought, and real estate is -EV.
This did not go as planned.
— Dan Smith (@DanSmithHolla) December 9, 2020
It will be an interesting sweat for those involved in the bet, and everyone watching from the rail if it happens. Even if the bet doesn’t come off, Smith’s offer is a reminder that poker’s prop betting culture is still alive and well.
