Cha-ching!
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 9 months AGO
Post Falls' Mike Allis, 64, shows off his 2022 World Series of Poker famous gold bracelet he won at the tournament in Vegas July 13. He also took home more than $535K.
Courtesy photo
The coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet is a symbol of a champion. Mike Allis won his first gold bracelet July 13, along with more than $535K.
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | July 22, 2022 1:00 AM
A six and a three make a terrible poker hand.
It's promising when a five and a four are added.
It's straight gold when a two or seven complete the hand, which is what happened when Mike Allis won $535,610 and a coveted gold bracelet in the $1,111 One More for One Drop event at the 2022 World Series of Poker July 13 in Las Vegas.
"It is exciting. I can’t believe I won it," Allis, 64, of Post Falls, said Thursday. "I never thought I’d win a gold bracelet."
Most professional players consider the gold bracelet to be more important than the money, Allis said.
It's a symbol of a champion.
"The last card to come was a deuce and that gave me a straight," Allis said, laughing. "We couldn't believe it! It was a fluke!"
Allis, who has played poker since he was in his 20s, defeated world-champion poker player Ryan Riess. Allis said he jumped in the air when he won and hugged Riess when he walked over to congratulate him.
"I was so far the underdog," Allis said. "I couldn't believe when I won it, it was just a fluke, I think I got really fortunate."
Allis said he thought he played fairly well against the other players. The game went on for almost three hours when it got down to Allis and Riess.
"I was very aggressive," Allis said. "I bluffed like crazy."
Allis has participated in the WSOP for 20 years. The biggest prize he won prior to the recent bonanza was nearly $33,000.
"That was a long time ago," he said.
Allis is a retired house painter with multiple sclerosis and five stents in his heart. He has been going all in on tournaments as of late, for fear his multiple sclerosis will prevent him from being able to play poker in the future.
"I said, 'I’m going to play every tournament,' and this was the last tournament to play," he said.
Allis has big plans for the prize money.
"I’m going to try to take care of my grandchildren, make sure they have plenty of money for their education," he said. "I never went to school, so I want to make sure my grandkids go to school."
He and his longtime girlfriend, Michele Ross, are also planning to travel to places like Costa Rica and Panama.
"It was very exciting, fun," Allis said. "I couldn't believe when I won, especially with that lousy hand."
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