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Casino owner takes down fellow billionaires

2008-02-18 11:59:53

Casino tycoon Phil Ruffin has won a poker tournament against four of the other richest people in the US, it has been reported.

The businessman, who sold the New Frontier Hotel and Casino for a record $1.2 billion last year, defeated Timothy Blixseth, John Catsimatidis, Stewart Rahr and Ron Burkle at a charity no-limit hold'em event in New York, according to Poker Player.

Forbes magazine, which includes all five men in its rich list, revealed the game was taking place in October. The buy-in was $25,000, with the $125,000 pot going to a charity of the winner's choosing.

Ruffin, who defeated supermarket mogul Burkle in the heads-up, gave the money to the American Diabetes Association.

With such high stakes, the game unsurprisingly finished quite quickly. Ruffin took the lead after the first few plays and never looked back, eventually winning on the 37th hand of the tournament.

The Kansas resident is involved in several markets as well as gambling, owning Harper Trucks and a chain of convenience stores, among others.

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