Over the
a long time, the nice recreation of poker has made many poor folks into millionaires
whereas concurrently costing others a giant chunk of their wealth.
Whereas most
tales are both these of success or failure, there are additionally those that made
huge bucks in poker solely to lose all of it once more and find yourself fully broke.
Whether or not it was happening tilt, taking part in too excessive stakes, or just getting fortunate to make the cash within the first place, these are the tales of 10 poker gamers who misplaced all their fortune after profitable it.
10. Archie Karas
A residing legend of the playing world, Archie Karas made and misplaced extra money taking part in poker and different playing video games than most individuals see of their lifetime.
After
a number of unsuccessful playing stints in his youth, Karas got here to Las Vegas in
1992 with nothing however $50 in his pocket.
Having
rapidly misplaced the $50 he had, Karas took a mortgage for $10,000 from a good friend who
was additionally a gambler and simply as rapidly managed to show it into $30,000.
And from
there, he simply saved going.
Between
1992 and 1995, Karas performed poker for the best stakes towards anybody who
would take him on, doing extraordinarily properly at completely different poker video games and crushing
his opponents.
By 1995, he
was a legend in Vegas, having amassed round $40 million in winnings from his
preliminary $10,000 stake.
Nevertheless,
issues would begin going unhealthy for “The Greek,” whose fortunes began
to show, largely as a result of he was now not getting a lot motion on the poker
tables.
As an motion junkie he wanted to play one thing, so he would hit the craps and baccarat tables and play for large stakes.
That is
precisely the place “The Run” completed, as he skilled two monumental losses at
these video games, giving again round $30 million of his whole bankroll in simply two
nights.
The large
downswing ended very quickly for him, and he was reported to be fully broke
after having been one of many greatest winners town had seen as much as that time
in time.
To this
day, Archie Karas stays a fabled title within the playing circles but in addition a
cautionary story of what playing video games can do to wonderful poker gamers.
9. Stu Ungar
Referred by most in his period as “The Child,” Stu Unger is probably going one of many biggest poker gamers who ever lived.
Arising
within the playing world as a profitable gin rummy participant, Unger graduated to
poker when all of the rummy video games had dried up for him.
Unger had a
photographic reminiscence, which made him exceptionally good at card video games and gave
him a large edge over gamers within the 80s and 90s, who have been removed from being as
proficient at poker as they’re lately.
He grew to become
well-known when he received the WSOP Major Occasion in 1980 and was rumored to have received over
$30 million taking part in money video games in his lifetime.
But, as
feared as he was by his opponents on the tables, many took pity on him, as his
cocaine dependancy and compulsive playing conduct prevented him changing into the
true poker champion he was destined to be.
Unger managed
to return again to the WSOP in 1997 and as soon as once more proved his expertise, however his
vices ultimately obtained the higher of him.
Regardless of his
enormous wins on the poker tables, Unger was discovered useless in an inexpensive motel room in
1998, apparently having overdosed on medicine and with none cash or property to
his title.
8. Brad Sales space
A much less
well-known title than the likes of Karas or Unger, Sales space is a considerably extra fashionable
poker participant a few of you will have seen taking part in towards the likes of Phil Ivey
on exhibits like Excessive Stakes Poker.
Regardless of not
being as well-known as many different gamers of his era, Sales space was really one
of the most effective money recreation gamers of the time and had received some huge cash taking part in
poker.
It’s estimated that he received anyplace between $5-10 million within the early 2000s, solely to lose all of it throughout the Final Guess Scandal.
Sales space is
believed to have misplaced hundreds of thousands within the scandal itself and dropped the remainder of
his bankroll in high-stakes money video games he couldn’t afford to play, after which
he was rumoured to be fully broke.
The rumors
are doubtless true provided that he hasn’t been seen taking part in a lot poker ever since.
7. Erick Lindgren
Part of the favored “Full Tilt Execs” crew that based and maintained one of the profitable poker websites of all time, “E-Canine” was very younger when poker was booming.
Lindgren was
doing greater than properly for himself on the time, incomes hundreds of thousands a yr from his
sponsorship and much more cash from his poker wins.
He was
nice at tournaments and money video games alike, profitable WSOP and different titles and
making a respectful title within the poker group.
By 2012
although, issues have been now not going so properly for Lindgren, who was apparently
getting means too combined up with sports activities betting and fantasy sports activities leagues.
His sports activities
bets have been within the a whole lot of hundreds, and his money owed lastly got here to the sunshine
of day when he was accused of owing $100,000 for a high-stakes fantasy sports activities
league.
Since he
couldn’t pay this or different money owed, Lindgren ended up submitting for chapter.
On the
time, he formally owed $12 million and probably different debt that was off the
books.
He’d additionally
misplaced all the earnings and earnings he made as a Full Tilt Professional, which means he was
in for properly over $20 million.
6. Gavin Griffin
I am going again from a giant poker persona in Erick Lindgren to a extra obscure title in Gavin Griffin, who was arguably among the finest event poker gamers of the early 2010s.
Griffin
burst into the poker scene in 2004 when he received a Pot Restrict Texas Maintain’em
event on the WSOP, changing into the youngest bracelet holder on the time.
In 2011, he
received the Triple Crown, changing into the primary ever to take action and incomes a reputation in poker
historical past books.
Griffin had
a really brilliant future in poker forward of him, with sponsorship offers and far
extra on the desk.
As a substitute, he
fell prey to the risks of playing, changing into an addict and losing hundreds of thousands
he had received from poker to video games of probability.
As we speak, Griffin speaks overtly about his playing dependancy and the way harmful playing video games may be.
His story
serves as a cautionary story to all younger poker gamers who earn a fortune on
what to not do with their hard-earned money.
5. David “Chino” Rheem
A winner of a number of WPT titles, the inaugural Epic Poker League occasion, and quite a few different event accolades, David Rheem is among the most proficient event gamers round.
But,
regardless of profitable over $11 million in event poker alone and nonetheless being an
lively poker participant, “Chino” had points with debt and was broke at a number of
factors in his profession.
It’s exhausting
to say when precisely Rheem’s issues started, however it might seem they have been all
attributable to an dependancy to video games of probability and different vices akin to medicine.
By his personal
admission, Rheem was a gambler and an addict who had little regard for cash
and was more than pleased to take loans anyplace he may.
This all
caught up with him at one level, when the poker group referred to as him out on
lots of his money owed.
When issues
began to floor, it grew to become clear that not even the $1 million prize he received
in an Epic Poker League event could be sufficient to get “Chino” out of the
gap he had dug for himself.
Whereas he’s
nonetheless in motion lately, it’s unclear if he’s being staked and doubtlessly
working off a debt he amassed for himself over time of residing life to the
fullest.
4. Scotty Nguyen
Scotty Nguyen is among the most colourful characters the poker world has ever seen. The WSOP champion and poker grasp has had a profitable profession and fairly a couple of slumps alongside the best way.
Again in
2014, Nguyen admitted in an interview that the majority of his poker winnings have been
dropped on playing, ladies, and medicines.
As he
testified, being well-known means being launched to many luxurious issues that
include a really excessive price ticket.
By no means one
to shrink back from luxurious, the self-proclaimed Prince of the poker world went
broke greater than as soon as in his profession, reportedly having to borrow $5 to tip his
valet at some factors.
All that
stated, Nguyen stays a profitable man right this moment, and his days of going broke within the
on line casino pits are behind him.
In accordance
to the champion, he has no regrets about any of it!
3. Tom Dwan
Tom Dwan is a real legend of the poker group.
When he was simply a teen, Dwan beat just about everybody on the on-line poker tables and amassed hundreds of thousands in winnings rapidly at Full Tilt Poker.
His run
went on for fairly some time, and regardless of shedding some pretty important quantities
in on-line money video games at occasions, his screennames at all times remained within the inexperienced.
That stated, Dwan
was reported as being broke on a number of events all through the years,
though these experiences have been by no means totally confirmed.
As we speak, Tom
Dwan is much from broke, as he frequently performs in among the highest stakes
money video games on this planet and thrives there.
He has
just lately made new appearances on televised poker exhibits, taking part in a brand new and
developed fashion of poker and proving to the poker group that he nonetheless very
a lot has what it takes to compete.
2. Gus Hansen
“The Nice Dane” is among the most infamous losers within the on-line poker world.
A reside event poker champion, Gus Hansen has amassed extra event titles than most gamers of his era.
Much more
importantly, the Danish champion stays one of the profitable gamers in
reside money video games, frequently taking part in in Bobby’s Room and reportedly doing very
properly.
Nevertheless,
on-line poker noticed Gus Hansen fully waste away his fortunes.
General, he
has misplaced greater than $20 million in on-line poker, making him one of many greatest
losers within the recreation’s historical past.
All that
stated, Hansen’s detrimental stability on the on-line poker felt is now lengthy behind
him, and the actual fact he went broke taking part in on-line poker as soon as doesn’t imply he’s a
unhealthy participant.
In actual fact,
even to at the present time, “The Nice Dane” stays one of the feared high-stakes
money recreation gamers globally, particularly relating to combined video games.
1. Viktor Blom
Going below the username of “Isildur1,” Swedish poker participant Viktor Blom shocked the world in 2009 when he got here out of nowhere and began taking part in the most effective gamers on this planet for large stakes.
Fully
nameless on the time, “Isildur1” constructed up his bankroll from scratch at Full
Tilt Poker and made a whole lot of hundreds taking part in decrease stakes.
He then
challenged residing legends of the sport akin to Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and
Tom Dwan to move up NLH and PLO video games.
He’d usually
play six or extra heads-up video games on the similar time towards these gamers, and the
stakes have been extraordinarily excessive.
On December
8, 2009, Blom was up greater than $2 million on his FTP account, and issues have been
trying superb for him.
Simply 5
hours later, although, he’d misplaced $4.2 million to poker professional Brian Hastings, who had
reportedly picked his recreation aside with some fellow execs and discovered the best way to play
almost good towards him.
In
retrospect, Blom was most likely simply working very popular for days and hit a tough
patch towards Hastings, who was additionally well-prepared for the match.
Regardless of
going broke on that event, he continued his poker profession with loads of
success, profitable cash each reside and on-line for years to return.
But, the
story of “Isildur1” warns younger gamers who do properly to not get too cocky and
play past their bankroll – and towards gamers of excessive caliber – with out
warning.
Lead picture: World Poker Tour/Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
Elliyot