Alan Smurfit Wins WSOP Bracelet to the Delight of Irish Poker

June 25 2007, Paul Sandells

Irish businessman Alan Smurfit joined the elite of world poker last Friday by winning the Pot Limit Omaha WSOP event, at The Rio, in Las Vegas. Smurfit, a familiar face in Europe, bagged $464,000 for his efforts.

Smurfit has an impressive record on European soil. His 6th in the Dublin leg of the European Poker Masters and final table of a WPT event in 2005 has now been eclipsed by a dramatic World Series of Poker victory.

The Irish are having a great run in Las Vegas this year. Smurfit is the second Irishman to win a bracelet at the WSOP 2007. Early on in the festival Ciaran O'Leary ran out the impressive winner of a $1500 No Limit Hold'em event.

The two victories bode well for the Irish and British players heading out for the $10,000 buy-in main event. Bookmakers Paddy Power have created a betting market for the event. The in-form Alan Smurfit is a tempting prospect at 225-1 to claim the biggest title in world poker and become a double bracelet winner this year.

Let's not forget the Irish have enjoyed remarkable success in the WSOP main event previously. Noel Furlong won the main event in 1999 and legends Donnacha O'Dea and Padraig Parkinson have also made an impact at the showpiece. More recently Andy Black and Scott Grey have gone close for Ireland. Could it be their year again in 2007?

Stay tuned to UK PokerNews as we bring you LIVE updates from EVERY event at the 2007 World Series of Poker. Visit our Live Reporting pages to keep up to speed on all the developments from Las Vegas.

Ed note: Enjoy the luck of the Irish when you join Paddy Power Poker

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