A real rags to riches story has just developed in Chicago where the latest installment of the WSOPC took place at the Horseshoe Casino Poker Room in Hammond, Indiana.
Dan Livingston, a 22 year-old poker player who had just quit his auto-detailing job, turned in a performance for the ages to win the $291,749 first place prize in this tournament. Making it even more incredible is the fact that Livingston entered the tournament through a draw that he earned by freerolling his way into the tournament. Once he earned his free seat, there was absolutely no looking back as Livingston went heads up against another freeroll winner, Tom Floros.
Floros wound up taking home $180,287 for the second place prize and he was chuffed at the win, both for himself and for Livingston, whose story captured the attention of local poker enthusiasts and local media.
Livingston's biggest ever win, before now, had been a $4,000 victory from an online tournament. He has been known to play $100 buy-in tournaments at the Horseshoe for the past several years.
In a recent interview, Dan Livingston claimed that this win may be the force that pushes him to take up poker professionally. "This win was a big confidence booster," he said. "It's going to make me consider giving poker a shot. I am going to see if I can play for a living."
Livingston won a WSOPC ring for his victory and it looks as though he has his eyes firmly-fixed on next year's World Series of Poker main event.
