Amateur Player Goes For $1 Million Seat To One Drop

Steve Meling, a recreational poker player from Nebraska, has a shot to turn $65 into an entry into Sunday’s $1 million buy-in event — the largest in poker history. More than $18 million will go to first.

At Horseshoe Council Bluffs casino in Iowa, Meling played a $65 tournament to win a seat into a $765 one, which sent one player to the World Series of Poker to compete in Saturday’s $25,000 One Drop mega satellite. The $25,000 satellite drew 96 players and guaranteed a seat, with a possible additional seat going to second (in lieu of $1 million in cash), and the rest of the purse going to third.

During the dinner break at 7:30 p.m. local time, Meling had a stack of about 240,000 — good for the second largest in the room with 61 left.

The 36-year-old, who was making his first trip to Las Vegas, said he was surprised by the field.

“I thought it would be all amateurs, but you get here and see people from the [World Poker Tour]. It’s like ‘holy crap.’”

Meling said he’d like to play the $1 million event, but he would probably take the money instead. By doing so, one of those on the alternate list would get a chance to play. One Drop will have a 48-player starting field.

Meling called a million dollars “life-changing money.” The career electrician has been playing poker for just a few years and would use the money to pay off his mortgage. He said he’d also play some more cards and put some in the bank “to make it last.”

When asked what it has been like to play against pros, Meling said: “It’s been stressful. You just have to play your cards. I made a couple of amateur mistakes — calling someone after not seeing someone else’s raise, things like that. You see seven pros at the table, and you’re like, ‘Oh man, I just put a target on my chest.’ If I’m going to go out, go out with at least a decent hand, not come out of left field trying to get cute.”

Stay tuned to Card Player for more news from Saturday’s satellite, which is a one-day affair.

EDIT Meling finished just outside of the money in sixth place.

Follow Brian Pempus on Twitter — @brianpempus

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