Also it is worth noting that now that player 2 is aware of the bet, he can go ahead and call.

If you say so.

I wanted to crush Player 1 for muttering his bet, thinking it was clear that his opponent AND the dealer took his muttering as a check.

Now I want to crush Player 2 for blaming the dealer for not doing what Player 2 was supposed to do.

So let's kill both hands, and chop the pot among all other players at the table, whether they put any money in there or not.

Because Player A bet, then mucked his cards. Is that really that hard to understand?

Terrible ruling. LOL floor.

I guess it is hard to understand, if you don't actually read the OP. There was no Player A mentioned, but whether or not Player 1 bet is in question. Player 1 is the only one at the table saying that he bet, he doesn't make this claim until the pot was being pushed to Player 2, and nobody else has said that they heard his bet.

OP seems to state that Player 1 really did say "$50" (which could be construed as either a statement of a bet amount OR just a repeat of what his opponent said)

It seems to come down to who mucked/folded their cards first.

Scenario 1: Player 2 mucked/folded first and then Player 1 mucked/folded; Money goes to Player 1
If exposing your cards in this situation automatically means they are folded then Player 2 folded his cards and Player 1 mucked his cards after that. Money goes to Player 1.

Scenario 2: Player 1 mucked/folded his cards, Player 2 did not muck/fold his cards; Money goes to Player 2
If exposing your cards in this situation does not automatically mean they are folded then Player 2 showed his cards but did not act, Player 1 saw the cards and mucked his. Money goes to Player 2.

Caveat
The other possibility is if this card room has a muck line. I've heard of this but I've never seen the rule in play. But if the card room has a muck line and Player 2 opened his cards and they crossed the muck line then Player 2 mucked his cards followed by Player 1. Money goes to Player 1.

Pet Peeve
Player 1's cards are irretrievable. The above scenarios can still play out but his cards are irretrievable. Period!

Learn how to write an OP then.

Your OP says "Player 1 says $50". Now you say that nobody heard the bet. Maybe that's something that should be mentioned in OP. Not days later.

Don't know why I thought you were OP, my bad.

I have to echo everyone else by asking, where are you getting this idea?

This is the second time in just a few days that you've accused a forum member of either not reading or not understanding something when you've been the one who looks lost.

Do we know where Player B tabled his cards? Did he throw them forward into the board? Throwing your cards forward when facing a bet is often interpreted as a muck. So that's one reason why the pot may have been awarded to the other player.

It's a very simple concept, people. YOUR CARDS ARE YOUR RECEIPT FOR THE POT. DO NOT RELEASE THEM UNTIL YOU HAVE THE POT.

Both players deserved to lose the pot, and it would be nice if the dealer could be bothered to show up for work.