Poker Player Pulls $100K Mystery Bounty and Donates it to Charity

Brian 'Smitty' Smith, known for his distinctive purple attire supporting pancreatic cancer awareness, drew one of the top mystery bounties at the $1,000 WSOP Mystery Millions event. Upon revealing the $100,000 prize from a gold chest, Smith declared his intention to donate the entire sum to Purple Pansies, a charity dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer.

Smith's motivation stems from personal connections, including a close family friend who is a stage 3 pancreatic cancer survivor and the recent loss of a friend's father to the disease. He emphasized that pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the US but receives only a small fraction of research funding, making the charity's work vital. Smith frequently donates a significant portion of his poker winnings to various causes.

Despite having just over $270,000 in live tournament earnings prior to this event, the $100,000 bounty, combined with his minimum winnings, represents a substantial score for Smith. He noted that even when operating at a loss during a summer series, he still consistently contributes to charity. Smith typically focuses on Omaha cash games and plays few no-limit tournaments, but the allure of a multi-million-dollar potential prize in the Mystery Millions event was compelling.

Smith also referenced a previous incident at the 2024 WSOP, where he was involved in a pot-shorting controversy in the $300 Gladiators event, humorously suggesting that karma might now be balancing the scales. He highlighted the support shown by fellow poker players, including Chance Kornuth and Shaun Deeb, who expressed interest in donating to Purple Pansies after learning about his commitment.

Smith, a successful sales leader living in Atlanta with his family, has been involved in poker since childhood, learning the game from his father. He encourages those interested in learning more or donating to visit purplepansies.org, where he dispenses wristbands to contributors.