Charity and Poker Tournaments

by Mike Sexton | Published: Jul 04, 2003

A heartwarming experience took place at this year's World Series of Poker. Nearly 70 participants in the $10,000 buy-in championship event (including winner Chris Moneymaker) volunteered to donate 1 percent of any prize money won to the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation (CRPF). Members of the WSOP staff also contributed. The idea was, "Put a Bad Beat on Cancer."

Credit for signing up players to donate 1 percent of their winnings (more, in some cases) to the CRPF fund goes to Phil Gordon and Rafe Furst. They are on the "Ultimate Sports Adventure," a 35,000-mile road trip to every major sporting event in the country. (Being poker players, they of course consider the WSOP a major sporting event.) You may follow their tour by going to www.ultimatesportsadventure.com.

Their mission is to raise money for the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation (www.preventcancer.org). They selected CRPF as their charity of choice for several reasons. First, nearly everyone has been affected by someone who has died of cancer. (Phil's great-aunt, Lib Lucas, the lady who taught Phil how to play poker, died of cancer, as did Rafe's grandmother.) Second, the target demographics of the trip are the 20- to 40-year-old male – the audience that CRPF has a hard time reaching. And third, CRPF uses 82 cents of every dollar for research and prevention.

The fact sheet handed out at the WSOP read: "The CRPF is one of the nation's leading health organizations and has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Because of the Foundation's support, the science of cancer prevention and early detection is thriving. By its vigilant dedication to education and outreach, Americans are learning to live healthier lives."

Gordon said, "The generosity of the players at the World Series of Poker and the response to helping fund this charity was overwhelming." Becky Behnen and Binion's Horseshoe were also very co-operative in assisting with this volunteer charity fund. They allowed Phil and Rafe to post a sign-up board outside the tournament area, to provide literature and a fact sheet about the charity, to collect money on the premises, and to make announcements during the tournament. In addition, Behnen donated $1,000 to the fund on behalf of the WSOP.

Hats off to Phil and Rafe for their efforts, and to the players who volunteered to contribute. These guys, however, aren't the first to use poker tournaments as a venue for charitable contributions. To the best of my knowledge, Terry Rogers' Irish Open (held at Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker) was the first tournament to contribute a portion of its prize pool (10 percent) to charity. Johnny Hale's Seniors tournaments have been doing it for years, as have other poker events hosted by people such as Linda Johnson and Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss and partner Frank Mariani.

At this year's World Poker Tour Invitational, part of the $200,000 prize pool (put up entirely by the WPT) went to charity. The WPT awarded $5,000 to the charity of choice of the highest-finishing Hollywood celebrity. That award went to Mickey Rooney and his favorite charity, the Mickey Rooney Educational Foundation. Rooney's foundation is dedicated to funding programs for inner-city youth and the elderly.

I hope this can be a continuing trend in the poker world. Helping others is good. I believe that by contributing regularly to charities, the poker world could achieve the same positive impact that the PGA Tour enjoys with the generous contributions it makes to charity.

I spoke to World Poker Tour personnel about incorporating a charity program in their tournaments. They agree that combining poker and charity can only enhance the image of the poker world. Who knows, maybe there will be something coming down the road to unite poker and charity on a regular basis.

With the support of tournament sites and players willing to donate a share of their winnings to charity, the poker world could make a significant difference to those in need.

Take care.