Wednesday, May 04, 2005
BRIT FLUSHED WITH SUCCESS
Brit wins £1m in all-night Las Vegas poker game
By Don Mackay
BUSINESSMAN Paul Maxfield has scooped almost a £1million playing poker in America.
The father-of-two picked up the prize in the World Poker Tour Championship - after an £8,000 win on the internet encouraged him to enter.
Paul, 48, flew to Las Vegas with brother-in-law Steve Elliot and spent a month enjoying his winning streak in the world's gambling capital.
He said: "We lapped it up, sitting by the pool drinking cocktails.
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"Steve was right beside me all the time as I played the cards, jumping up and down with excitement."
Paul won the tournament's $25,000 (£13,000) entry fee during a game at the luxury Bellagio Hotel - where George Clooney filmed heist movie Ocean's Eleven.
The pair did not expect success in the championship and twice booked flights back to Britain.
But Paul reached the final and, after an all-night seven-hour marathon game against Vietnamese-American Tuan Le, collected $1.7million (£900,000) as runner-up.
It is believed to be the biggestWIN: Paul and Bellagio sum won by a Briton playing poker in the United States.
When the pair returned home to Stoke-on-Trent, they were greeted at the airport by Paul's family playing the Elvis Presley hit Viva Las Vegas.
Paul, who runs an engineering firm, said: "I'm going to buy a new car, probably a Mercedes. More than likely, I'm going to retire and take up my hobbies - golf and poker."
Paul started playing the game for pennies when he was 17.
Now he plans to return to Las Vegas for the $5million (£2.6million) World Series.
Poker has taken off since it was launched as an internet game and had tournaments televised. Celebrity players include Ben Affleck and Stephen Fry.
Lipstick size cameras now show players' cards from under the dealer's table, and commentators guide viewers through the players' game plans.
Brit wins £1m in all-night Las Vegas poker game
By Don Mackay
BUSINESSMAN Paul Maxfield has scooped almost a £1million playing poker in America.
The father-of-two picked up the prize in the World Poker Tour Championship - after an £8,000 win on the internet encouraged him to enter.
Paul, 48, flew to Las Vegas with brother-in-law Steve Elliot and spent a month enjoying his winning streak in the world's gambling capital.
He said: "We lapped it up, sitting by the pool drinking cocktails.
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"Steve was right beside me all the time as I played the cards, jumping up and down with excitement."
Paul won the tournament's $25,000 (£13,000) entry fee during a game at the luxury Bellagio Hotel - where George Clooney filmed heist movie Ocean's Eleven.
The pair did not expect success in the championship and twice booked flights back to Britain.
But Paul reached the final and, after an all-night seven-hour marathon game against Vietnamese-American Tuan Le, collected $1.7million (£900,000) as runner-up.
It is believed to be the biggestWIN: Paul and Bellagio sum won by a Briton playing poker in the United States.
When the pair returned home to Stoke-on-Trent, they were greeted at the airport by Paul's family playing the Elvis Presley hit Viva Las Vegas.
Paul, who runs an engineering firm, said: "I'm going to buy a new car, probably a Mercedes. More than likely, I'm going to retire and take up my hobbies - golf and poker."
Paul started playing the game for pennies when he was 17.
Now he plans to return to Las Vegas for the $5million (£2.6million) World Series.
Poker has taken off since it was launched as an internet game and had tournaments televised. Celebrity players include Ben Affleck and Stephen Fry.
Lipstick size cameras now show players' cards from under the dealer's table, and commentators guide viewers through the players' game plans.
