I hate to write about some of the negative things that occur in the poker world. Yes, they happen in all industries, but people often have a more negative view of the poker world and I hate to reinforce that.
However, it is important to out people when the time is right, so here goes. Erick Lindren, a professional poker player, well known from TV owes over $100,000 in fantasy sports bets, which he has not paid in the last 4 months. He has lied throughout the process and doesn’t appear to care about settling his debts.
I don’t understand how people bet thousands of dollars with someone they don’t know in the hopes that they will get paid at some point. They are assuming that he a) has money and b)is trustworthy. The scariest part of this is that people have come out of the woodwork saying that he often takes many months to pay and doesn’t have any concern for settling his debts. The idea that they would continue to bet with despite this is scary.
From a poker playing perspective, you should not lend anyone money that you would not lend to in the real world. There is often a very good reason that someone needs a quick loan—they don’t have the money, and never will. The frustration of feeling like you were ripped off and the hope that you will get paid can stay with you for a long time, dragging down your poker game and life. BE SMART.
Here is a link to the discussion of the debt: