This is more applicable to live than online but still comes into use in both. Basically I know betting for protection is usually overrated, but I'm wondering should we ever do it in multiway pots just because of how many hands are out there.

For example, we have JT on a T74 rainbow flop that is multiway, 4+ people. In a pot with this many people our hand is generally not strong enough to bet for value. However, would you ever bet smaller, 1/3-1/2 pot to just try and fold out 2-4 people. Even if those people totally missed folding out several hands will normal equal folding out 20+% equity. Also, assume that we have a decent skill edge in these spots as they will normally come in in a live setting and whoever there are large multiway pots it is generally a pretty good game.

So what do you guys think? Should we be betting these spots because of just how much equity we can clear out by folding out several people? Protecting our checking range is also usually less important in these multiway spots. Or are we just value owning ourselves too much by doing this.