Playing his cards right! Cricket ace Shane Warne shows off his poker skills – and gets close with a brunette during the game’s world tour
- The first World Poker Tour Australian event held on the Gold Coast this week
- Among celebrities showing up for the event was cricket legend Shane Warne
- Warne made it to the final 15 players but was knocked out on the final day’s play
Cricket legend Shane Warne joined a star packed room for the first annual Australian World Poker Tour event on the Gold Coast this week.
Warne put his poker skills on show and was a standout player – making it to the final handful of players before bowing out on the last day of play.
Beloved star of The Footy Show, Beau Ryan co-hosted the event alongside Lynn Gil Martin, an Australian poker champion who now commentates on the tour – and who seemed to be quite close with Warne.
They joined footy stars Scott Prince along with Australian professional poker stars Alex Lynsky and Joseph Hachem.
Cricket legend Shane Warne joined a star packed room for the first annual Australian World Poker Tour event on the Gold Coast this week
Warne hugs Australian poker champion Lynn Gil Martin who now is a commentator and host on the World Poker Tour
Beau Ryan (from left to right), Joseph Hachem, Lynn Gil Martin, Scott Prince, and Alex Lynsky at the celebrity poker tournament
Warne finished 12th in the tournament pocketing $22.000 out of the $1.48 million prize pool.
Former Gold Coast Titans NRL captain Prince was named as the event ambassador and played alongside popular DJ Havana Brown.
Warne seemed to enjoy a very close friendship with professional poker player Joseph Hachem – even hugging him at one point.
Hachem was the first Australian to win the World Series of Poker main event in 2005 which earned him a record breaking $7.5 million.
Brisbane based Alex Lynsky won the celebrity tournament and donated $10,000 of his winnings to Surf Lifesaving Queensland.
First prize in the main tournament went to Australian Hari Varma who scored $275,000.
Warne (right) was in a hugging mood, also grabbing one from Australian World Series of Poker winner Joseph Hachem (left) who pocketed $7.5million when he won the world series in 2005
Warne made it to the final 15 players in the event but bowed out on the final day of play
Warne talking to event host and Australian poker champion Lynn Gil Martin (left)
Warne (left) looks on anxiously as the cards are dealt while Joseph Hachem (right) takes the oppourtunity to get a massage
The event was the first to be held in Star City Gold Coast’s new luxury poker room.
An update from play posted on Monday to the Star Poker Gold Coast Facebook page made special mention of Warne who had made it into the final group of 15 players.
‘We’re pumped for the Final Day of World Poker Tour Australia Main Event today. Hari Varma is the chip leader with 3,455,000 followed by Joshua Bell with 3,325,000 and Shane Warne is still in with 410,000. Cards in the air from 12:15pm.’ the post read.
Unfortunately by the end of Monday, Warne had been knocked out of the competition.
‘Thankyou to everyone @thestargoldcoast for an amazing stay at your hotel and to all your staff who made the last few days memorable.’ Warne posted to Instagram on Monday night.
‘Thankyou to @adam.pliska @lynngilmartin & all of your team at the @worldpokertour for making the last few days a terrific experience – I made a lot of new friends & had a lot of fun too.’
‘Disappointed to be knocked out of the main event, but happy with the way I played. Danny you did a great job and ran a 1st class tournament so well done to you and all your team as well ! Lastly, Thankyou to all the amazing support & messages, meant a lot. Back to beautiful Melbourne.’
All proceeds from the opening night of the tournament went to Surf Lifesaving Queensland.
The celebrity table and host Beau Ryan and Lynn Gil Martin at the World Poker Series event on the Gold Coast
Warne was a standout at the tournament but was knocked out on the final days play
Shane Warne the first Australian World Poker Tour tournament at The Star Casino Gold Coast on October 7 2019
Warne made plenty of poker fans after showing off his poker skills at the tournament