WSOP: Which Players Give Some Of Their Earnings To Charity?
As The World Series of Poker wound down Tuesday, there was more than just chips and big checks at stake.
The numbers haven't been added up as there are still big payouts to be had, but Seth Palansky, WSOP communications director, tells the Huffington Post that about half of all players who cash out will donate some of the money to various causes.
The poker tournament held at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas has proven to be a growing way to raise money for charities, poker great Annie Duke tells the Huffington Post.
Duke, who in 2004 beat eight of the worlds' greatest poker legends to win $2 million, says charities are realizing that poker is a new way to create excitement around giving. But she also says it's simply the players' nature to be generous.
"I think poker players, on average, are a very intelligent and thoughtful group. And the more intelligent and thoughtful the person the more likely they are to support charitable giving, in my opinion."
The November Nine, the winners from Tuesday, will go on to compete in the fall with $25 million up for grabs, with the big win totaling $8.7 million.
And apparently, charities can expect big things from the winners as a result.
"There's sort of this karma thing," Palansky says. "A lot of players have this superstition that to get the money, you have to get to the cards, and you have to have good karma to get there."
Whatever their reasons, the players of the WSOP have raised more than $4 million for cancer since 2005, according to Palansky. The series' official charity partner is the Nevada Cancer Institute, and visiting players are asked to donate 1 percent of their earnings to the center's research.
This year's tournament also announced a huge upcoming charity event. A $1 million buy-in, the largest-ever for the competition, will take place at next year's WSOP. Of the buy-in, 11.1 percent will go to ONE DROP, which provides water to impoverished areas. The remaining money will be applied toward the players' prize pool.
Already 15 players have committed, including Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil, and chairman of ONE DROP; Bobby Baldwin, 1978 World Series of Poker Champion and CityCenter CEO; Phil Ruffin, Treasure Island owner; and four-time World Series of Poker champion Daniel Negreanu, among others, according to a WSOP relesase.
"A million dollar buy-in seems crazy, and well, it is," Negreanu said in the release. "But when you factor in a great cause like ONE DROP getting a percentage of the prize pool, all of a sudden it seems like a fantastic idea, and a great way to raise money for charity."
The WSOP has also typically hosted the Ante Up For Africa celebrity tournament, hosted by Don Cheadle and Annie Duke. The event, in which Ben Affleck and Matt Damon regularly participate, dedicates funds raised to combating violence in Africa. This year, Palansky says, the event has been postponed due to participant scheduling conflicts.
Duke wasn't able to participate in the WSOP this year, but she'll take part in an early August poker tournament to benefit Joplin, she says.
"If I can facilitate charitable giving through poker I feel I should step up and do what I can."
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First Posted: 07/19/11 02:19 AM ET Updated: 09/17/11 06:12 AM ET