In poker, a side bet is a wager made separately from the main pot on something happening (or not happening) during the course of the game. Side bets are most commonly agreed between two players, though some formats involve the entire table.
They add a secondary gambling layer to the session, separate from winning pots, and are a long-standing part of poker culture at every level of the game.
What Is a Side Bet in Poker?
A side bet, also called a prop bet (short for proposition bet), is a wager on a specific outcome that is separate from, but often related to, the main game. Side bets can be placed on events within the hand, across a session, or even outside the game entirely.
Common subjects for poker side bets include:
- Which cards a player will be dealt
- What cards will come on the flop (or turn/river)
- Who will have the biggest stack at the end of the day
- Which player will last longer in a tournament
Side bets can also extend beyond the poker table, covering sports outcomes, personal challenges, or any proposition two parties agree to wager on.
Most side bets are chance-based: no skill advantage exists between the parties. Some prop bets, however, involve a physical or personal element making them more about the individual's ability than pure luck.
Why Do Players Make Side Bets?
Side bets serve a clear purpose at the poker table:
- They keep the game fun. Instead of moving hand to hand with nothing else at stake, players have an added way to win or have an extra payday on any given hand.
- They level the playing field. Because most side bets are chance-based, every player has an equal shot, regardless of skill level. A losing night at the tables can be offset by a winning side bet.
- They loosen up the game. Side bets create a more gambling-friendly atmosphere, which often leads to wider hand selection and more action overall.
- They're inclusive. Some formats involve the whole table, giving everyone a stake in the outcome of every hand dealt.
Common Side Bets in Poker
Here are the most widely played side bet formats:
- Last Longer: Two or more players in the same poker tournament bet on who survives the longest. The last one still in the field wins the bet. A staple of live tournament poker, especially among groups of friends playing the same event.
- Most Bracelets (or Cashes) in a Series: Similar in structure to a last longer, but played across an entire tournament series. The player with the most bracelets, cashes, or total prize money by the final day wins.
Flop Colour (Red/Black): Each player picks a colour at the start of the session. Variants include:
- Paying out every hand based on the majority colour of the flop
- Paying out only when all three flop cards are the same colour
- Paying out (at a higher rate) only when all three cards are the same suit
Players can also run a combination of the last two options: one amount for same colour, a higher amount for same suit. Mixed flops typically don't count.
- Pick a Card: Each player selects a specific card or card value (e.g., the 2 of Hearts, or all 2s in the deck) at the start of the session. When that card appears on the flop, they collect from the other participants. Some versions pay double or more for paired flops (2-2-K) or trips (7-7-7), whatever the players agree in advance.
- Last Man Standing: Everyone at the table stands up. Every time you win a hand, you sit down. The last player still standing must pay a predetermined amount to everyone who is now seated.
- 7-2 Game: The Seven-Deuce game involves the entire table. If a player wins a hand with 7-2 offsuit – either at showdown or by making everyone fold – every other player pays them a set amount. It's the most popular full-table side bet in cash games, and it creates interesting dynamics: opponents never quite know if a big raise is aces or 7-2.
- One-of-a-Kind Prop Bets: These go beyond the poker game entirely. A player must complete a specific task (usually a physical or personal challenge) within an agreed time frame. In one episode of High Stakes Poker, Antonio Esfandiari had to complete 35 push-ups in front of the table to win his challenge.
How Many Players Can Be Involved?
The number of participants in a side bet varies by format. Some bets have one winner and multiple losers (the 7-2 Game, Pick a Card). Others have one loser paying multiple winners (Last Man Standing). Most commonly, side bets are made between just two players – one wins, one pays.
The Odds and The Payouts
Most side bets use a flat, predetermined stake. Both parties win or lose the same amount. This is the simplest and most common format.
Some bets involve odds, where the potential win and the potential loss differ between the parties. These are negotiated in advance and reflect the perceived probability of the outcome.
One well-known example: Vanessa Selbst bet Jason Mercier at 180-to-1 that he wouldn't win three bracelets at the 2016 WSOP. If Mercier failed, he owed her $10,000. If he succeeded, she owed him $1,800,000. Mercier won two bracelets but lost a heads-up match in pursuit of the third, paying Selbst $10,000.
The key principle with odds-based bets: aim for odds that are either in your favour or that you consider even-money. If you're simply looking to have fun, negotiate to a point where the risk feels fair to both sides and let chance do the rest.
Real-Life Side Bets Worth Knowing
- High Stakes Poker (Seasons 1–2): Side bets were rampant in the early seasons of the GSN show – players betting on flop colours, specific cards, and other outcomes hand by hand. It got to the point where the network banned them from future seasons, citing viewer confusion.
- Staples Brothers Weight Loss (2018): Bill Perkins bet $150,000 against $3,000 (50-to-1) that Jamie Staples (304 lbs/138 kg) and his brother Matt Staples (135 lbs/61 kg) couldn't reach the same weight within one year. It was a gruelling year for both, but they pulled it off and collected.
Iron Out the Details Before You Bet
Simple bets like the flop colour game or the 7-2 Game are easy to run and settle. More complex prop bets require clear terms agreed in advance by all parties.
Before locking in any side bet, make sure everyone is clear on:
- The exact conditions for winning and losing
- What preparation or actions are permitted in pursuit of the goal
- The stake and how settlement works (end of hand, end of night, or deferred)
- Whether a buyout is on the table – if a player falls well behind and wants out early, both sides need to agree on terms
Key Takeaways
- A side bet (or prop bet) is a wager on a specific outcome separate from the main poker hand or tournament result
- Most side bets are chance-based. No player has a skill edge, making them fair by default
- The most common formats are the 7-2 Game, flop colour bets, last longers, and pick-a-card games
- Payouts can be flat (equal stakes for both sides) or odds-based (different amounts per party)
- When odds are involved, aim for terms that are in your favour or that feel genuinely even-money
- Always agree on the full terms – conditions, permitted actions, stakes, and buyout options – before the bet begins
- Regular poker betting is about gaining equity; side betting is a separate gamble for fun
