Why, Brunson wanted to know, was Spilotro entitled to that? Doyle Brunson reportedly received a death threat from mobster Tony “the Ant” Spilotro for 25 percent of his poker winnings. Spilotro, who was the inspiration for Joe Pesci’s Nicky Santoro character in Martin Scorcese’s “Casino,” and was reputed to be responsible for more than 20 murders, reportedly sought a 25 percent cut of Brunson’s poker winnings. The 88-year-old Brunson, who has had a legendary career as a professional poker player for over five decades, was profiled by Joe Levin in Texas Monthly as the World Series of Poker heads toward its main event in July.Īs the story goes, Brunson’s connection to Benny Binion, who along with his son Jack founded the World Series of Poker at their casino in downtown Las Vegas in 1970, helped him ward off the threat.īenny Binion was a mob boss in Brunson’s native Texas before creating a new life as a casino proprietor out in Vegas. Poker player Doyle Brunson spent part of his $75M fortune looking for Noah’s Arkĭoyle Brunson was on the receiving end of a loaded death threat from infamous Vegas mobster Tony “The Ant” Spilotro, and lived to tell the tale. Poker star accused of cheating in $250K buy-in game Nate Silver made brutal all-in call to end run at WSOP: ‘F–king poker’
Poker fraudster lied about having terminal cancer, raised $30K to enter World Series tournament
