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Vince Burgio's mama always said the cards would never do him right. She was wrong - bless her soul.
In just two weeks last year, Burgio pulled down half a million dollars playing against the world's best poker players.
"I'd like to think she's looking down from heaven smiling at me right now," the 55-year-old West Hills man said Thursday, smiling a little himself as he flashed enough gold jewelry to turn even Zsa Zsa Gabor's head.
He's not showing off. He's not that kind of guy. Vince is just proud of these gold watches and rings with kind words inscribed inside that basically say Vince Burgio was the last guy sitting at a poker table with all the money.
Marvelous feeling, Vince says. Sitting there with $300,000 worth of hundred dollar bills stacked a yard wide, a foot tall, in front of you.
Doing it the old-fashioned way. Earning it by beating the other guy's hand - or bluffing like hell.
Beats rebuilding crumbled brick walls, which is what Vince did for a living eight years ago before selling his contracting business and becoming a full-time poker player with the blessings of his wife, Debbie.
Now there's a woman half the guys in America would love to meet. Debbie. A wife who wanted her husband to play more poker.
"In the back of my...
