Ben Affleck: Poker King

Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 10:15 AM Central

by John Couture

While Ben Affleck and his affinity for gambling has long been documented, the Hollywood hunk finally got something to show for his many toils at casinos around the world. Yesterday, Ben won the 2004 California State Poker Championship, becoming the first celebrity to win a major open tournament.

With ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker and Bravo's show Celebrity Poker Showdown, the game of No Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker has become America's gambling game of choice as poker fever sweeps across the country. By winning the title, Ben outlasted 90 other poker pros and celebrities, including Tobey Maguire who lost on the first day, to take home the top prize of $356,400 and a $25,000 seat in next April's World Poker Tour Championship to be held at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas.

The ultimate irony is that Ben might be living out the fantasy of one of best bud Matt Damon's movie characters. In 1998's Rounders, Matt plays a gifted, but troubled young man who gives up his entire life for a shot at the big boys at the World Series of Poker. The movie introduced a large part of the audience to No Limit Texas Hold 'Em and probably, in some small way, paved the way for Affleck's success this past weekend.