Gambler Wins $113k in Blackjack, Uses It to Win $1.1m in Poker

Every gambler's dream is to go on a big run that'll make them rich. And Brian Green recently accomplished this feat after going on an incredible blackjack run, then parlaying his profits into a $1.1 million poker prize. Here's a look at Green's story along with his motivation for risking his winnings on a shot at glory.

Brian Green Wins Big During 5-Day Blackjack Binge

Green's miraculous run began when he borrowed $10,000 from a poker pro to play blackjack with at Vegas' Golden Nugget casino. The session lasted for five days because he continued to win money. But the Texan really heated up over the last day as he pushed his blackjack profits to epic proportions.

"I ran the money up to $113,000, and my mom was worried about me carrying around that much cash," Green explained, "so I deposited it and then sent a wire (to the Rio casino)."

Interestingly enough, Green never thought about pocketing the small fortune like many people would have done. Instead, his goal was to raise money for a $111,111 buy-in in the 2016 WSOP One Drop High Roller. He admitted that luck played a huge role in him reaching this goal, but it's nothing new because he's always been a "big money gambler."

Green Enters the $111k One Drop High Roller

The One Drop High Roller, which is one of the most-expensive poker tournaments in the world, drew 183 entrants. Green was one of these players, although he was probably the least-prepared for the event after staying up for five straight days without sleep. he explained that he went "without ever being horizontal for five days" since he was "beating the shit out of blackjack and couldn't stop."

After making it past the first day, Green finally got some sleep. He would survive until the final day, when he competed against some of the world's toughest poker players.

Green's magical gambling run finally ended when he busted out in fifth place, which was good enough for a $1,117,923 payout. The champion was Germany's Fedor Holz ($4,981,775), while other notable pros like Dan Smith (2nd, $3,078,974), Austria's Koray Aldemir (3rd, $2,154,265), the UK's Jack Salter (4th, $1,536,666), and 2015 WSOP Main Event champ Joe McKeehen (6th, $829,792) also fared well.

What's good for Green is that, unlike other pros who cashed, he didn't have anybody backing his action, allowing him to keep the full $1.12 million payout.

Chasing Doyle Brunson

Brian Green isn't a poker player first, something that he discussed after the tournament ended.

"I'm not really a pro, I'm in the used car business," said Green. "I come out for any World Poker Tour event that I think is going to have $1 million for first."

He added that high rollers are what really get his competitive fire going. But Green admitted that this particular tournament had him nervous.

"One Drop was the first tournament in 17 years that I had butterflies before I came in," he said.

Despite being in the car business, Green sets his sights high. His ultimate goal is to use high rollers to catch Doyle Brunson, who's the biggest poker winner in Texas history with $6,131,775.

"To be able to show my kids that I am third all-time in Texas would have been nice," said Green. "I wanted the recognition, the recognition from your peers that you aren't a chump."

With $2,316,823 in career tournament winnings and a huge score in the One Drop tournament, Green certainly won't be considered a poker chump any time soon.

Sites Where You can Play Online Blackjack

You won't have any chances to earn a huge WSOP score until next summer. But you can at least try to emulate Green's blackjack run through online and mobile blackjack sites.

If you're a US player, some of the best blackjack sites include Bovada, Café Casino, Drake Casino, Gossip Slots, and Lincoln Casino. What's great about all of these sites is that they not only accept Americans, but also offer multiple variations of blackjack.

Considering that online and mobile blackjack feature a lower house edge than land-based casinos, you'll have an even better chance than Green at running your bankroll up to a large amount.