'I Don't Make Prop Bets on a Whim' - Interview with Barry Greenstein Part 2

In part 2 of our exclusive interview with Barry Greenstein, we discuss the crazy world of prop bets between poker players, including wagers he has made with Ted Forrest and Tom Dwan.

Barry Greenstein

Check out part 1 of our interview, where Barry discusses Black Friday.

PokerStrategy.com: We associate you with making a lot of prop bets, are they a big part of your poker career?

Barry Greenstein: I like to make a lot of side bets, mostly things to do with playing poker like cross booking and last longers.

Two people, friends of mine, who perhaps make the most peculiar prop bets are Huck Seed & Ted Forrest. Those guys have been involved in a lot of weight and calisthenic type bets outside of poker.

PokerStrategy.com: How about the $500k Guitar Hero bet you are said to have made?

Barry Greenstein: It was a really funny thing. My nephew is pretty well known in the forum community and is pretty mischievous. He was staying at my condo in Vegas and saw that I was still logged into my 2+2 account, so he posted on it twice as me.

The first time was a prop bet that I would give a local service at my synagogue. The second time, he wrote that I bet could get a perfect score on the hardest level of guitar hero, for $500k.

PokerStrategy.com: So you are not a Guitar Hero legend then?

Barry Greenstein: I have never played Guitar Hero, it was totally fake, but believe it or not, last year someone from the IRS contacted me to ask if I won or loss, because if I had, I didn't declare it as taxable income. I told them my nephew won the bet and they would have to speak to him.

PokerStrategy.com: You mentioned Ted Forrest and Huck Seed, do you ever worry they might seriously hurt themselves with some of the wagers they make?

Barry Greenstein: Ted has hurt himself really badly several times. One time he bet he could bench 235lbs ten times and injured his arm, and five years on he still hasn't recovered.

He also nearly killed himself one time. He bet he could run a marathon on the hottest day of the year in Vegas, under a certain time. It wasn't that he chose 110 degree day in Vegas, the track he chose was a red rubber track, which was probably 125 degrees in the sun.

Believe it or not, Huck ran it with him, which a lot of people don't know. Huck was like the rabbit for Ted as he is a much better distance runner. Huck did it to get out of a bet, he was in the middle of a different prop bet where he had to do some tennis thing every day for a certain amount of time, and he got a month off if he ran the marathon with Ted.

Huck was ok, but Ted really thought he would kill himself, he was delirious for the last few miles.

"One time he bet me that he and Larry Flynt's bouncer could beat Mike Tyson in a fight"

PokerStrategy.com: Some of these bets are outrageous, what do you think drives Huck and Ted to make them?

Barry Greenstein: They always think they have an edge, its always something that sounds impossible, but they know they can do it. Ted used to make a bunch of weight loss or weight gain bets because he knew he could do it. Obviously its not very healthy, but its about the money.

If Ted makes a proposition he can do something, even if sounds ridiculous, I'm not gonna bet with him. He probably knows more about it than I do.

PokerStrategy.com: What are the sort of ridiculous bets he has offered you?

Barry Greenstein: Ted is more ridiculous than anyone I know in poker. sometimes he comes up with stuff nobody can prove. One time he bet me that he and Larry Flynt's bouncer could beat Mike Tyson in a fight. Another time, he bet he could beat a professional woman golfer in a decathlon style event.

Things where unless you get that specific person to go along with it, there was no way you can ever judge.

There was one bet he offered, which if I still may take if it's still available. Ted was very good at gymnastics, a good all round athlete, but he wanted to bet me he would make the US Olympic team in some sport.

He wouldn't say what it was, maybe he thought poker would be a sport, he was doing a lot of weight lifting so maybe something to do with that. I was willing to bet that one, but he wanted bigger odds than in was willing to give.

Ted Forrest after an infamous  weight loss bet

PokerStrategy.com: What tournament side bets do you currently have going yourself?

Barry Greenstein: Every year Jeff Lisandro and I try and bet we will get more POY points than Daniel and Erick Lindgren. Phil Ivey and I also will bet anyone that we can get more points than any other two players but nobody takes it.

I am an old man now, how can they not beat me? But people respect and fear Phil's game so much, that many poker prop bets include 'no Phil Ivey' stipulations.

"Most people would rate the internet players as better than me, but in 9 handed live games, maybe not"

PokerStrategy.com: Do you always think you have an edge when you make these bets?

Barry Greenstein: I am at the end of my career, I have a family, 3 kids in college. I don't make bets on a whim. It's not that I always have the best of it, because I will give up the best of it, maybe, if in return in the future I will have the best of it.

Sometimes there is a sporting element, if I make a bet, I will either have he best of it or trying my hardest to win. Like POY bets, maybe they are better, but I have to up my game, and I plan on winning once I make the bet.

One guy who is known for making reckless bets, but is getting better, is Tom Dwan. Tom & I usually crossbook, I usually to lay odds to Tom. They come into poker playing lots of 6 max, most people would rate the internet players as better than me, but in 9 handed live games, maybe not.

I played 7 card stud with tom a week ago, he played better than I have ever seen him play limit poker, and now I have to inform him he has lost his spot, we'll have to play even. I tease him saying the internet says he is the best in the world but he won't give me evens. No Limit and PLO we play evens, he is better at those, but he will have to start laying me odds.

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