If poker is to retain recreational players and attract new ones, something needs to change. There seems to be little debate regarding that, and numerous online sites have already begun to implement such changes. However, live cash game poker has seen little innovation outside of bad beat jackpots, high-hand bonuses, and room-specific promotions.
A couple months back, I had the opportunity to attend the CGA2015 convention in Lake Tahoe, which is where I was first introduced to Hot Poker Spot, an optional side bet wager for live Texas hold'em and Omaha games. Now I know what you're thinking (because I thought it too) – a side bet has no place in poker.