[samtheman]

It is widely believed that the creation of Scientology was the result of a bar bet between L. Ron Hubbard and Robert A. Heinlein. The story says L. Ron Hubbard dared that he could create a religion all by himself. According to Scientology critic Lindsay[4] this is "definitely not true", no such bet was ever made, it would have been "uncharacteristic of Heinlein" to make such a bet, and "there's no supporting evidence". However, several of Heinlein's autobiographical pieces, as well as biographical pieces written by his wife, claim repeatedly that the bet did indeed occur.

--Bar Bet

[Captain Peter Blood]

Robert Heinlein was a lot smarter and a much better writer than Hubbard. he was also very prescient about predicting the future of society as we now know it and see it.
I enjoy reading his work.
Hollywood took his novel “Starship Troopers” and destroyed the original storyline. Terrible movie for that reason alone.

[magslinger]

...no such bet was ever made, it would have been "uncharacteristic of Heinlein"

Probably true most of the time but note the critical "bar bet". I have been known to do things in bars that are uncharacteristic of me.

[skeptoid]

This article about Elron's 1940 "expedition" to Alaska< cites the (local) Ketchikan Chronicle's September 1, 1940 edition:

"Capt. L. Ron Hubbard, author and world traveler, arrived in Ketchikan
 in company with his wife aboard the vest pocket yacht, Magician. His
 purpose in coming to Alaska was two-fold, one to win a bet and another
 to gather material for a novel of Alaska salmon fishing.

"According to Captain Hubbard, several associates maintained it would be
 impossible for him to sail a vessel as small as the Magician, which is a 27-foot
 auxiliary sloop, to Alaska. Knowing the smallness of the boats which take
 this route, Captain Hubbard covered their bets and now that he has arrived,
 will have the satisfaction of collecting.

He charmed a local bank for a loan that he apparently never repaid.

The link has an old photo of Captain Hubbard