Alan Smurfit Wins World Series of Poker Bracelet

Irish storm Las Vegas for biggest poker tournament in the world.

(PRWEB) June 27, 2007 -- Celebrity Irish businessman Alan Smurfit entered the world of poker's elite on Friday by winning the Pot Limit Omaha event at the World Series of Poker, taking home $464,000. Smurfit is the second Irishman to win an event at this year's WSOP after Ciaran O'Leary won the third event in the series.

Alan Smurfit, brother of Dr. Michael Smurfit, is a familiar face on the poker circuit and has impressive record in major tournaments. Last year, he finished 6th in the Dublin leg of the European Poker Masters and, in 2005, he made the final table of a World Poker Tour event in Las Vegas. However, this is by far his biggest tournament win to date and, along with the money, he is now the owner the most prized possession in the poker world - a World Series of Poker bracelet. Gold bracelets are given out to players who win an event at the WSOP and are considered the ultimate awards in poker.

Irish bookmakers Paddy Power are offering nearly 20 different markets on this year's WSOP including the Main Event, which starts on 6th July. Head of Communications, Paddy Power said: "As well as offering odds on all the top professionals, we have odds on a host of Irish players as well as a special 'Top Irish' market. Anyone who wants to keep up to date with the latest news, as well as how the Irish are getting on, will be able follow all the action on our WSOP blog on paddypowerpoker.com."

paddypowerpoker.com will be sending six players who qualified to their site to the WSOP Main Event which has a buy-in of $10,000. The Main Event is the showpiece of the series and last year Jamie Gold beat a field of over 8,000 players for a first place prize of $12,000,000. Alan Smurfit will be looking to repeat the achievement of another successful Irish businessman, carpet manufacturer Noel Furlong, who won the Main Event in 1999. Smurfit is listed 225-1 to make the Main Event final table.

Ciaran O'Leary won the $1,500 No Limit Texas Hold'em event at the start of June. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington but is originally from Carrigaline in County Cork having moved to the States in 1997.

Ireland has enjoyed much success at the World Series since it began in 1971. Former Olympic swimmer Donnacha O'Dea won a bracelet for Omaha in 1998 but it was the following year that Ireland really made its mark. In 1999 the final table of the Main Event saw three Irishmen competing for the then first prize of $1,000,000. George McKeever eventually finished in 7th place, Padraig Parkinson finished 3rd and Furlong went on to win the title and bracelet.

Since then, two Irishmen have come very close to securing a second Irish victory in the Main Event. Scott Gray finished 4th in 2002 ($281,480) and in 2005 Andy Black came 5th out of a field of 5,619 players to win $1,750,000.

Note to Editor:
For a full list of odds visit www.paddypower.com and click on poker.
For further information about the World Series of Poker visit www.paddypowerpoker.com.

For more information please contact: Nic Whelan, Acting Paddy Power Poker Communications Manager, Tel: 00 353 1 488 1723, Mob: 00 353 87 317 5596, nwhelan @ paddypower.com You can also visit www.irishpokeropen.com for additional information.

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