The bet received national attention back in 2010 when it was highlighted in ESPN’s World Series of Poker coverage. Both 2014 nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame, Forrest and Matusow bet $2 million that the then 184 pound Forrest could not drop his weight below 140 pounds.
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“It’s hysterical to watch him walking and running on every break realizing that no matter how much he runs his body won’t go below 161,” Matusow told ESPN. “More power to him, if he wants to try and kill himself. I just made sure that we wrote down in the will that I get paid if he dies.”
But Forrest did not kill himself and he did get down below 140 pounds. So why hasn’t Matusow paid up? In a series of tweets that have since been deleted, Matusow explained that he was “very drunk” when the bet was made and that he later tried to cancel the bet because he could not afford to lose.
Forrest allegedly agreed to cancel the bet if Matusow paid him $500,000, but it seemed even that price was too steep. Matusow went on to explain that he would pay Forrest $5,000 a month from the proceeds of his Full Tilt Poker sponsorship, but apparently he did not follow through on that promise. And, since Full Tilt closed its doors in 2011, Matusow now claims that he has no means or intention to pay the rest of what he owes.
“Sorry ted if you think you’re [sic] getting any more [sic] money sue me,” Matusow tweeted.
“It will be the easiest $2 million I’ll have ever made in my life,” Forrest said back in 2010. That may be so, but it may turn out to be the hardest to collect.
