This week, the poker world lost one of its stars.
Irishman Noel Furlong, winner of the 1999 World Series of Poker Main Event, passed away this week, causing the poker world to lose one of its most successful stars in the business. At the time, the 1999 WSOP Main Event title netted the Irish $1 million in total, putting him ahead of many poker players at the time, even though he used the game as a recreational approach.
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Noel Furlong not only made a living from poker, he was also a successful businessman from Ireland and made WSOP history in his achievement at the turn of the millennium. According to The Irish Times magazine, the Irish businessman died last Sunday (27), at the age of 83. According to what was revealed, Furlong died "in peace, in his house".
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In his journey, Furlong, in addition to being known in the poker world, was also respected among horse trainers. In a poll, it was indicated that Furlong had had five wins in events held in Ireland, adding up to an amount of $1,145,000 in profit.
The manager's participation in the WSOP in 1999 earned the player a table with big names in the sport, such as: Alan Goehring, Padraig Parkinson, Erik Seidel and Huck Seed. Although the Irishman was facing big poker stars, the manager never felt intimidated in the Main Event and nailed the title earning the million dollar amount. Among his appearances, the Irishman's last achievement was in 2011 when he pocketed the Irish Poker Open Main Event, earning the sum of $13,580.
Star Phil Hellmuth, who had already faced the manager at a few tables, lamented the player's loss. In a statement, Hellmuth stated that the Irishman had been successful in his life, but had greater success outside the sport, in the business world. According to Hellmuth, Furlog was one of Ireland's most successful entrepreneurs.
“As successful as he was in the poker world, he's been even more successful off of the table in the business world! We heard rumors of one of the most successful businessman in Ireland! But that's a tale for someone else to tell. He never bragged to us about his business prowess: i mean, you would never know about those massive business successes from the humble, well-mannered businessman who always seemed to handle himself well, with class, and always with a smile: Rest in peace Noel Furlong."
Contact with poker
Furlong's fundamental contact with poker came in 1984. At the time, the recreational player visited one of the events at the Killiney Castle Hotel. In the episode, event organizer Terry Rogers became one of Furlong's friends who encouraged him in his career. Rogers owned the Eccentric Club and ran the Irish Open tournament, where Furlong then began his journey.During this period, Furlong occupied the podium in several games in his first appearances in the sport. After that, the entrepreneur won the modality three more times.
As early as 1989, the Irishman received an invitation to play in Las Vegas, where he quickly qualified at the final tables of the events in which he participated. That's how Furlong started to participate in the World Series of Poker, until in 1999 the big $1 million pouch went into his pocket.
But Furlong didn't just depend on poker for his income, the Irishman, who had a father who owned billiards, quickly became a major businessman. His father's pool hall became his first carpet store, and served to highlight the entrepreneur within the business, becoming one of the most successful in Ireland.
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