Caesar's Better Bettor: Gambler extraordinaire Doyle Brunson was poker's 'biggest legend'

He was the master, arguably the most well-known gambler since Wild Bill Hickok.

Doyle Brunson, who got his start decades ago as a roadhouse high-stakes card player in Texas and ultimately became known as the “Godfather of Poker,” died Sunday in Las Vegas at 89.

He twice won the most famous card tournament of them all, the main event of the World Series of Poker — a no-limit Texas Hold ’em tournament that carries a $10,000 entry fee. The World Series also offers other tourneys, and Brunson won 10 bracelets overall. That’s tied for 10th all time, behind Phil Hellmuth’s 16.

“Poker lost its biggest Legend,” Hellmuth tweeted. “He inspired 3 generations of poker players (with) his play, his award winning book ‘Super System’ and his fabulous style and grit. Doyle always played hard: the man absolutely hated losing!! Doyle ruled the high stakes cash games in Las Vegas for 50 years!! Doyle was married to the love of his life, Louise, for 62 years. Goodbye — and rest in peace — to the most beloved poker player in history.”

The emergence of poker as a TV behemoth made Brunson one of the featured faces on the vast amount of air time the game received for more than a decade after Chris Moneymaker came out of nowhere in 2003 to win the main event — worth $2.5 million.

“Rest in Peace to the Biggest Legend of Them All,” the World Series of Poker said on its Twitter page. “Thank you for being the consummate player and gentleman. No one will ever fill your seat.”

Brunson, from being robbed at gunpoint decades in illegal games in Texas to becoming prominently featured on ESPN and other networks while wearing his cowboy hat and raking in the chips in legal games, was iconic. His most notable nickname was "Texas Dolly," which took hold after fellow legendry gambler Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder actually had called him "Texas Doy-lee” but it was misinterpreted.

Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, a 1982 Parkway South High graduate who won the main event in 2004, called Brunson “the greatest poker player ever” in a Twitter post “... His accomplishments dwarf mine, and it is a great honor to share with him the title of World Champion.”

Scotty Nguyen, winner of five World Series of Poker tournaments including the 1998 main event, also saluted Brunson in a tweet.

“Can’t believe this day has come — you will always be held high in our hearts, the man, the myth, the legend & THE GODFATHER of poker baby! Mr Brunson, you made poker what it is baby! thank you for what you give to all of us baby! RIP Mr Doyle Brunson THE GODFATHER OF POKER”

Professional poker player Scott Seiver discussed on social media about once being schooled by Brunson.

“One of the first times playing with him I bluffed $40,000 in a hopeless spot because I had (a 10 and two of different suits) and wanted to show him I could beat him with it. As he raked the pot he just looked at me and smiled and said ‘Do you know how many people have given me their $ trying to do that?’”

Brunson not only was an expert card player, but friends say he was a master at cleaning out those who would challenge him on golf courses near and far. Hellmuth and fellow professional poker player Dewey Tomko reminisced about Brunson in a video

“People don’t realize what a great golfer Doyle was and how much money he made,” Tomko said. “They know how much money he made playing poker, but … Doyle made more money on the golf course than Tiger Woods ever did.”

Woods has more than $157.2 million in prize money from sanctioned golf events.

Tomko said that Brunson was a force on the golf course for more than five decades and often played for “a million dollars a day. ... He made five or 10 million (that way) a year, multiply that times 50.”

He leaves a mammoth gambling legacy.

“Doyle, everyone knows, was the Boss Gambler of all time,” Tomko said. “He created action everywhere. Golf course, poker table, sports betting.”

Tomko got a kick out of that.

“By the way all that money he won on the golf course, he probably lost it betting sports. Couldn’t pick nothing!” he said, chuckling as he and Hellmuth talked about Brunson’s high character level.

“He’s a man’s man,” Tomko said. “He was the most loyal friend you’d ever had. If you called him up in the middle of the night he’d do anything in the world for you — even though he’d try to beat you out of all your money.”

POINT MADE

A big move in the sports betting business took place this week, with sports apparel retail giant Fanatics striking a deal to buy the U.S. operations of Australia-based bookmaker PointsBet.

Sports betting has exploded across the country since a Supreme Court ruling five years ago struck down federal prohibitions against it and allowed states to decide if they would legalize it individually. Illinois has had it up and running for three years, but Missouri legislators last week failed to approve it — again.

PointsBet, which is legal in Illinois and 13 other states, gets $150 million in the transaction. It is one of the smaller operators in the sports betting marketplace that is dominated by four companies — FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM.

A SINKING CITY

City SC, the local expansion entry in Major League Soccer, has turned from a cash cow to a depleting donkey for those who have been betting consistently on the club.

But the good news for those who have wagered $100 on City to win each of its games is that they still would be ahead by $877 if they placed the bet using the most favorable three-way line that was offered among the three local sportsbooks. (That line includes the option of picking the match to end in a tie as well as selecting either team to win).

The high point came after the team’s 5-0-0 start, in which City often was a significant underdog and those $100 bettors would have been ahead by $1,247.

But City SC has gone 1-4-1 since then to eat into that bankroll.

The team returns to action Saturday, when it entertains Kansas City (2-7-4) at 8:55 p.m. The most favorable three-way line on City among the local books as of Friday afternoon was at DraftKings (East St. Louis), which had the club at even money. A successful $100 bet would return a $100 profit.