Cloutier WSOP Bracelet Pawning Shows Dangers Of Gambling

Poker is portrayed on television as a game where the professionals travel around the world and live extravagant lifestyles. Sometimes, however, the cameras fail to capture how the game can sometimes lead to tough economic situations for these players.

Cake Poker, an online poker site, has purchased a 2005 World series of Poker bracelet that belonged to poker pro TJ Cloutier. The auction was listed on eBay by a pawn shop in Texas, and Cloutier has confirmed that the bracelet was hit.

The poker pro did not go into detail about why the bracelet ended up in a pawn shop, but he did reportedly say that he was short on cash, and that he had pawned the bracelet. This came as a shock for many poker fans throughout the world.

Cake Poker, meanwhile, purchased the bracelet and has the option to do what they please with the piece of jewelry. While they understand they could use the bracelet to draw players to their site, they have another destiny in mind for the bracelet.

"As much as we would love to have a WSOP bracelet, or even award it to one of our cherished poker players, we can't, in good conscience, keep it from the man who rightfully won it," said the Cake Poker blog, "which is why we've decided to return it to TJ Cloutier."

The poker community knows Cloutier as a Hall of fame player that has won almost $10 million playing cards throughout his career. The WSOP event that he won back in 2005 netted him $657,100, and he also has five other bracelet wins at the WSOP.

January 30, 2010
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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