[Josh W]

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someone please explain the prop bets to me (e.g. 7-8-9)

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The way I play props (and there are most certainly variations), everybody playing picks 3 cards. I always have 234, another player frequently has KQJ. The three don't need to be consecutive, but these are our cards.

If the flop comes with all my cards (just the flop, not turn or river), I win.

If the flop comes with all his cards, he wins.

If the flop contains a pair, you win $x. If it contains three unique cards, you win $2x. If it contains three of a kind, you win $4x. If it contains a flush, you win $8x. Surely you could vary the amounts for whatever you want.

It's up to the person who wins to note when his prop comes...others aren't going to point it out for you.

We used to play that if you hit the flop and the turn was one of your cards, you'd win the same amount twice. If you hit the flop and turn, and the river was one of your cards, you'd win the same amount three times. However, my buddy stopped this because it was hugely in my favor (that is, people are much more likely to 'take one off' on a 223 flop than on a QQJ flop if they have a hand like 87 or 66. Basically I was nearly freerolling on the later streets.

As it turns out, I still have a slight EV edge over him, but his is easier to 'see'. That is, if we're watching TV or mocking floormen or whatever, if all paint is on the board it will be easy to spot out of the corner of his eye. This isn't as true with 234.

Hope that helps.

Josh