Bill Smith - WSOP Winner |
![]() There are a few people who claim to have a better mind when they are under the influence of alcohol rather than when they are sober. Bill Smith, a World Series of Poker champion is one of those people. He had the ability to play his tightest games only when he was at least half intoxicated. Ultimately, alcohol served his downfall as well. He just had no idea of what his halfway limit was. He won just one WSOP bracelet in spite of being staple during the eighties. Many say that he could have won so many more games had he taken his drinking limits into consideration.
But all that he was bothered about was gambling. Bill would turn into the worst player possible once he had breached his halfway mark. There are numerous infamous stories of Bill's backroom poker days. It mostly always involved the police dropping by and arresting him after bringing his game to an end. Once he was playing poker with his friends and they got caught by the police. After the arrest, they were released during the later period of the day, where they immediately settled to another game only to be busted again and consequently put in jail. This process was repeated for a third time as well. Getting arrested thrice in a day for playing illegal poker is also one of Bill's crowns. Bill won just one WSOP poker title in 1985 and pocketed a total of $700,000 of earnings in his poker career. He did place 5th in 1981 and 1986 too. In the end, he died in 1987. |
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Scott comments: He did not die in 1987, I played with Bill Smith when I moved to Las vegas in 1991. |
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Golic comments: I believe he meant 1997. That was the year that Bill Smith died. |
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Jack Green comments: Bill was a great guy.I did a lot of business with him and always trusted him 100%.Just a real prince of a man. |
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vikki comments: I am the daughter of Bill Smith. He died in 1996. He came to see my brother Wayne and I in Albuquerque, New Mexico 2 weeks before he died. He was a hell of a player. I am turning pro this year. Watch out for me...I don't drink. I just play No limit hold-em sober with all heart. Watch for me.He was a awesome player. I am sick and tired of people talking about him just being a drunk. He was a hell of a lot more than just that.Thank you Jack Green for your words. Vikki |


















