The gutshot straight draw

Does anyone really bet this type of draw? Or is it more likely you hit that gut shot looking for something else or shear happenstance. Or Your hanging with a pair and one of you cards ends up being the gut in the "gut shot".
You only have the 4 outs so the pot odds would have to be nil. You would have to draw another card for free.
Any thoughts on this. I personally never consider this type of hand as a hand I would try to hit only if I was getting free cards.
If it was part of the hand that I am holding and I have pair or something along those lines I would bet my hand accordingly. If I hit the gutshot then its a real bonus and something your opponent may not even suspect and thats a good thing.

waddaya think?

Yeah iif I hit a gutshot it is because I saw the next card free or I had a pair with the gutshot. It also depends on the pair I am holding. I will only bet with a gutshot if it is a continuation bet on the flop. In which I am not betting the gutshot, I am simply trying to take the pot on a steal. The 4 extra outs are a bonus. Basically, it is not a profitable play to draw to a gutshot.

Bet it against weak or tight passive fishes, because most of the time they would have missed and will fold justifying any bet anyway, and as a bonus they'll call if they've got something giving you a chance to hit the card. Not much chance you'll hit of course but when you do you'll get paid loads as fish never fold once they have something.

I don't personally play these unless I can see it for free. As you said, one doesn't often hit with this kind of draw. I might throw out a bit of a raised bet (3X the blinds) to see where you're at and if they call and you don't hit on the next card I wouldn't bet much more. If you do hit it then it's a bonus and you'll hit paydirt.

The amazing thing about this hand is that you will lose to it more then you will ever hit it.
I lost to it tonight and it a F it moment when the asswipe follows all your raises and bets to hit it on the river, Bullshit at it's best.
So I think the poker world should ban this hand as having any value.. Do I call hoyle and tell them ??

Sure, give them a call. I'm sure they'll listen to level headed arguments! Good luck with that.

When you are drawing to gut-shot straights you should almost always fold if there is a risk of someone raising behind you.

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I'd like to say I never play them, except as described above, but just occasionally, on a table full of callers, and with 1 big over card to increase the outs, you can be as near as damn it to pot odds. But that is still fairly rare. Better is 2 big over cards to the flop, you then have potentially 10 outs, unless somebody is slow playing a monster pair, but then you should know if that is likely from watching the play, not multi-tableing.