Inspirational motor neurone disease sufferer wins $250,000

Monday 27th March 2006

38-year-old Tucker Keeling from Oklahoma has won the inaugural $250,000 PartyCasino.com World Blackjack Championship on board the PartyPoker.com Million V in the Caribbean. Tucker won himself $113,000, and stunned reporters when he revealed that in 2001 he had been given between 2 and 5 years to live after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

'I suppose I've beaten the odds in more ways than one,' said Tucker. 'I've been beating the odds for five years and I'm especially delighted to win because my illness meant I had to quit work some time ago. Even going into the last hand I didn't think I was going to win but I hit 20, which proved to be enough. In the semi- finals, I only won by $25 after betting all my chips and catching BlackJack. It was one hell of a ride.'

Tukker qualified for the tournament online through a raffle on PartyPoker.com, and has attributed his luck to a statuette which goes everywhere with him. 'My little Buddha statue brought me great luck. I'd have him sat at the table by my cards. In the first round I nearly went out but I didn't have him with me then. In every other round I had the statue sitting there bringing me good fortune,” he said.

A PartyCasino.com spokesman said, 'Tucker's story is inspirational. There couldn't have been a better winner.'

Source: OnlineCasinoNews