Scott Smile Headed to World Series of Poker
Scott Smile has made the leap from his home computer to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he still cannot believe his good fortune. Smile will be sponsored by the PokerStars Web site that has provided the WSOP champion for the past 3 years, including Chris Moneymaker from Middle Tennessee.
The tournament will take place Friday through Aug. 4th and will involve between 7,000 and 8,000 players, including Hollywood movie stars who are swept up in poker mania. The difference is that they will have to put up their own $10,000 stake to buy into the game.
As a sponsored player, Scott's $10,000, plus hotel and $1,000 travel expense, are paid by PokerStars, where he was one of 7,377 players who played for sponsorship. "Last year they sponsored 1,200 players. I think this year it will be closer to 1,500," Smile said.
The overall winner of the tournament will take home $13 million in what is billed as the richest prize pool in the history of sports, if one can call card playing a sport. What it lacks in athletic challenge it makes up for in rewards. A seat at the final table is worth a minimum of $1 million. The game is no limit Texas Hold 'Em poker.
Smile, who also made the tournament last year, is known as "Pharaoh" in a world where everybody seems to have a handle. In addition to the prize money, for wearing the PokerStars clothing of a sponsored player on ESPN, Smile would win a bonus from the video poker Web site of $100,000 if he makes it to the final table, $250,000 if he makes it to second or third place, or $1 million if he wins the tournament.
Smile has a day job, Smile Floor Service in Bristol. If he wins the tournament, which he says is 70 percent luck and 30 percent skill, he plans to use the millions gained from prize money and endorsements to expand his business rather than becoming a professional poker player.
"It used to be you had to travel around the country to find the best players in a big game," he said. "You then spent hours in a smoke-filled room with people who might be dangerous if you won. Instead I can sit in my shorts in front of the computer screen, play the best in the world, and since nobody can shuffle as fast as a computer, play three times as many games in an hour. You don't have travel expense, and you don't have to tip the dealer."
July 25, 2006
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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