Just like the World Series of Poker we see on TV, they came in Adidas track suits and Hawaiian print shirts, the 117 players -- 39 more than last year! -- who went all in for Youth Home's Casino Night and Texas Hold 'em Tournament.
They rolled their small chips over their knuckles and picked up vapor pipes. Some went big and out early, while others burned low through each successive doubling of the blinds. In the end, the top three finishers were, in order, Rusty Gosvener, Matt Odom and Mark Ellis.
Youth Home's fourth annual summer event at Next Level Events was the biggest one yet. Last year, 78 Hold 'em players vied for the top spot ultimately won by Odom. This year, the poker pool was "at capacity," Larry Betz, grand pooh-bah of poker and spokesman for the charity, said, and Odom had a bounty on his head.
No, really, he and four others -- Wally Hall from the Democrat-Gazette, Justin Lewis and Chris Kane from KATV, and Matty T from The Buzz -- had bounties. The players who knocked them out got a special playing chip and gift certificates.
"You know, I've known about [the bounty] for a week now. I've come to accept it," Kane said.
"I've had a bounty on my head my whole life," Hall said.
There were casino games -- craps, blackjack, roulette, slots -- due west of the dozen or more poker tables. Admission was $35, and all the money went to charity. Instead of his winnings or a cash award, the top three got substantial (four-figure) gift certificates to Family Leisure (Gosvener and Ellis) or Natural Stone Concepts (Odom).
Food was provided by Bar Louie, and it and drinks were complimentary with the price of admission.
The event netted a little less than $10,000.
High Profile on 07/27/2014