Poker player gives entire bounty to pancreatic cancer charity
Brian “Smitty” Smith made one of the most memorable moments of this year’s World Series of Poker after pulling a $100,000 Mystery Bounty prize and immediately announcing that every dollar would be donated to charity.
The Atlanta poker player is well known for supporting Purple Pansies, an organization that raises awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer research. Wearing the charity’s signature purple throughout the event, Smith said the cause is deeply personal.
He explained that one of his family’s closest friends survived stage 3 pancreatic cancer, while another close friend recently lost his father to the disease. Those experiences motivated him to dedicate the entire bounty to the organization.
Smith said giving back has always been an important part of his poker career and supporting Purple Pansies during this year’s WSOP was an easy decision.
Charity comes before personal winnings
According to The Hendon Mob, Smith has earned just over $270,000 in live tournaments during his career. The $100,000 bounty, along with the guaranteed tournament payout he has already secured, represents one of the biggest cashes of his career.
Despite that, Smith insists helping others always comes first. He revealed that he regularly donates part of his winnings regardless of his overall financial results during a poker series.
Smith mainly plays Pot Limit Omaha cash games and admitted he rarely enters No Limit Hold’em tournaments. He estimated that he competes in only seven or eight tournaments each year, but said the chance to win millions in the $1,000 Mystery Millions event was too good to ignore.
In recent years he has also developed a greater appreciation for tournaments, saying he now values trophies, titles and charitable opportunities more than prize money alone.
Strong results continue after previous WSOP controversy
Smith arrived in Las Vegas in excellent form after reaching eight final tables in his previous 13 tournaments. He believes that momentum encouraged him to enter another major event.
The American also reflected on the 2024 WSOP, when he became widely known because of the pot shorting controversy during the $300 Gladiators tournament. Looking back, he joked that good karma has been on his side ever since.
Away from the poker table, Smith works as a successful sales executive at a large insurance and consulting company. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Stacy, their three year old son Harrison and their dog Birdie.
During tournaments he regularly encourages fellow players to support Purple Pansies by visiting the charity’s website and making donations. Smith said several top professionals, including Chance Kornuth and Shaun Deeb, expressed interest in contributing, something he described as encouraging for the poker community.
