Duane "Dewey" Tomko

Duane "Dewey" Tomko was born December 31, 1946 in Glassport, Pennsylvania and at age 16 he was already making money playing poker at some Pittsburgh pool halls. He was able to see himself through four years of schooling at Salem College with the help of his earnings. He then went on to work as a kindergarten teacher, but Tomko realised that poker was more profitable than his teaching job, making more money in one night of poker than in one entire year of teaching.

Dewey is best remembered as the runner-up to Jack Straus in the 1982 World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event, and the runner-up to Carlos Mortensen in the 2001 WSOP. Opponents wisely do not underestimate his more than 35 years of poker experience.

Dewey Tomko has also finished runner-up in the 2003 Five Diamond World Poker Classic and placed fourth in the Costa Rica Classic, which were both part of the World Poker Tour. In the 2005 WSOP he took third place in the Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball event worth $138,160. He now has three gold bracelets to his name, as well as a total of over $2.7 million in tournament winnings.

Dewey Tomko currently resides in Winterhaven, Florida with his wife and their three children - Derek, David and Drew. Derek was the one who had encouraged his father to go back to playing poker a few years back. Tomko says his son is a better poker player than he was at Derek's age. His new long-term goal in the poker scene is to one day face Derek at a final table.

Fun Facts:

• Holds the record for most World Series of Poker appearances.
• Twice went out on the bubble in the WSOP Main Event.
• Former pro golfer.