PIE Settlement Examples
Six worked scenarios with real numbers: a basic round, going bust, debt vs forgiveness, debt recovery, the Bettor done right and wrong, and a score-only game.
Setup for the money examples: four players — Ann, Ben, Cara, Dan — each with a $5.00 PIE. A standard winning hand is worth 25¢, paid by each of the other three players. (Your table’s numbers will differ; the mechanics are the same.)
1. A basic round
Cara wins a 25¢ hand. Ann, Ben, and Dan each pay 25¢ out of their purses. Cara collects 75¢.
| Player | PIE before | Paid | PIE after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann | $5.00 | $0.25 | $4.75 |
| Ben | $5.00 | $0.25 | $4.75 |
| Cara (winner) | $5.00 | — | $5.75 |
| Dan | $5.00 | $0.25 | $4.75 |
2. Going bust mid-round
Ben has only $0.10 left in his purse but owes 25¢. He pays the 10¢; the 15¢ shortfall is where tables diverge:
| Option | Ben pays | Shortfall | Ben’s status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forgive | $0.10 | $0.15 forgiven | Busted at $0.00 |
| Debt | $0.10 | $0.15 recorded | Busted at $0.00, owes $0.15 |
3. Debt comes off future winnings first
Continuing the debt scenario: Ben owes $0.15. Later, Ben wins a hand and collects $1.00. The debt is deducted from his own winnings first — it is not transferred to the earlier winner:
- Debt cleared: $0.15
- Ben keeps: $1.00 − $0.15 = $0.85
- Ben’s purse: $0.00 + $0.85 = $0.85 — and with automatic resume, he is paying again.
4. The Bettor gets it right
A fifth participant, the Bettor, picks Cara before the round. Cara wins and collects 75¢ (25¢ × 3). A correct pick earns half of what the winner actually collected, rounded down to the cent:
- Bettor receives: 75¢ ÷ 2 = 37.5¢ → 37¢
- Cara’s net for the round: 75¢ − 37¢ = 38¢
5. The Bettor gets it wrong
This time the Bettor picks Dan, but Cara wins again. Dan paid 25¢ this round. A wrong pick pays the winner whatever the picked player actually paid:
- Bettor pays Cara: 25¢
- Cara’s total for the round: 75¢ from the table + 25¢ from the Bettor = $1.00
- The Bettor sits at −25¢ for the session.
Drawn hands are not tracked for the Bettor.
6. A score-only game
No money on the line? Set the starting PIE to $0. Purses, busts, and debt switch off; the calculator just tracks cumulative nets, which may go negative:
| Player | Rounds won | Net score |
|---|---|---|
| Ann | 2 | +$1.50 |
| Ben | 0 | −$0.75 |
| Cara | 1 | +$0.25 |
| Dan | 0 | −$1.00 |
Try it with your own numbers
The free calculator handles all six scenarios — busts, debt, recovery, the Bettor, and score-only games — with undo and a copyable results summary.
Open the PIE calculator