Collecting on Bets

osgolfer · May 2, 2009

I will start with some back story. I play in a regular group that I have played with for 8 years. We play a skins game for a dollar per skin with no rollovers. Rarely does any real money exchange hands but if someone gets hot and you have a bad day you can lose 15-20 dollars. When I started with the group they were all far better players and I had to pay my dues. But recently I keep pace and often collect.

Within the last year or so another new guy has joined us and he in much the same position as I was early on and is not really on the same level as the rest of us. Today, I played decent and he ended up owing me 10 dollars. After the round he said he had to run to the ATM to get cash. I ended up waiting in the parking lot to collect, but the other two guys who he also owed (but only 2 and 3 dollars respectively) just took off.

After I left I started to wonder if I was just being childish to wait for someone to pay rather than just saying forget about it. It wasn't really about the money, ten dollars isn't gonna make or break me by any means. I have always and will always believe that if you ask to get in a game you should make it a point to pay if you lose. Otherwise, whats the point?

I would think most people with agree with me, but apparently my other two playing partners didn't seem to care. I was wondering what the golfwrx opinion was on the matter and hoping for some validation. Would you wait for someone to pay you even if it was for a trivial amount of money?

Cal · May 2, 2009

I'd get it next time. He should pay the other guys too.

fua1 · May 2, 2009

I would wait until hext time. However, unless he didn't know you would be betting he should have had enough cash with him to cover any losses.

luxman · May 2, 2009

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt once (maybe his wife called on his way to the ATM and needed him to come home). If it were me I would have told the guy to bring it next week instead of going to the ATM and coming back, espeically for that amount of money.

If he shows up next week and doesn't immediately hand you your money, but expects to play I'd remind him that he owed you from last week. Assuming that he pays then it's all good, unless, of course, he pulls the same thing after the next round.