Published: July 07, 2009 11:33 pm         

WTH man winning in Vegas

Troy Weber taking part in 2009 World Series of Poker

TERRE HAUTE — A West Terre Haute couple took 10 years of marriage to Las Vegas and the World Series of Poker to celebrate, and as of Tuesday night hubby was still beating the odds.

“I know it can go downhill just as quickly as it goes uphill,” Troy Weber said by telephone Tuesday from the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where he had been leading the World Series of Poker at various points in the competition.

As of that afternoon, Weber’s initial $30,000 entry had snowballed to $353,000, but playing the “No Limit, Texas Hold ‘Em” style of poker, any game could be his last.

Playing with him is Ben Kramer of Terre Haute, whom Weber said was up $63,000 as of late Tuesday evening.

The tournament kicked off last week, and depending on how today’s play goes, Weber said, he, his wife and Kramer might stay for more or fly back to Indiana tonight.

“This can go possibly until the end of next week,” the Coldwell Bearings Co. employee said. “As soon as I’m done here, it’s back to the real world.”

But the decision to hit the tournament was initially just a family affair.

“My wife and I’s 10th wedding anniversary is the main reason we’re out here,” Weber, 38, said of his wife, Amber, noting he previously has played the tournament circuit in Tunica, Miss., and at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. “We’re not exactly in the Mecca of the gambling industry,” the West Terre Haute resident said of home.

Celebrities such as Brad Garrett and Ray Romano from the television series, “Everybody Loves Raymond,” also are playing in the tournament, Weber said. But the professional poker player Phil Hellmuth is the star he’d most like to play and beat.

As of Tuesday evening, Weber was relaxing and readying for this morning’s action. So far, so good.

“Yes, so far,” he said.



Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

     

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