Morecambe poker champion off to Las Vegas

Morecambe’s Gareth Tomlinson, 35, beat off competition from 100 players from across the UK at last year’s event to secure the Redtooth Poker national title and £5,000 in prize money.

Gareth and fellow competitors will travel to America on May 27 for a week-long visit and the chance to win a slice of the £12,000 prize pool. For the first time the winner will also receive a £10,000 sponsorship deal.

This year the Vegas 100 competitors will also take part in a welcome tournament, with the top eight players winning the chance to have a seat in one of the qualifying events for the World Series of Poker, which is taking place in Las Vegas alongside Redtooth’s final.

Vegas 100, organised by Redtooth Poker is the UK’s largest live pub poker league with more than 1,000 venues and 180,000 players registered with the event since it was launched in 2007.

Gareth, who competes in the Redtooth Poker league at the Trimpell Sports and Social Club, on Out Moss Lane, said: “The standard is definitely higher this year. If I can make it to the final then I’ll be than happy, but to win it would be phenomenal.

“Going from playing poker in a pub to competing in Las Vegas is surreal. I think I’m more nervous this time round as I now know what to expect.

“I’d like to thank Redtooth for what they’ve done for me. They provided me with a wonderful opportunity and it will be great to go to Vegas for the second year running.”

Redtooth Poker was recently named Best Poker League in the UK at the British Poker Awards in London.