Sibling Revelry with Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson - Hitting the Jackpot with the Funaro Brothers

Episode Date: September 16, 2024

Lifelong poker enthusiast Oliver is joined by two professional poker players who happen to be brothers. Frank and Nick Funaro reveal what it's REALLY like to bet big and know when it's time to fold.��From how much they've won gambling, to how the poker profession affects their personal lives, the Funaro brothers show us their cards in this episode of Sibling Revelry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. September is a great time to travel, especially because it's my birthday in September, especially internationally. Because in the past, we've stayed in some pretty awesome Airbnbs in Europe. Did we've one in France, we've one in Greece,

we've actually won in Italy a couple of years ago. Anyway, it just made our trip feel extra special. So if you're heading out this month, consider hosting your home on Airbnb. With the co-host feature, you can hire someone local to help manage everything. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash host.

Hi, it's Gemma's Begg, host of the psychology of your 20s. This September at the psychology of your 20s, we're breaking down the very interesting ways psychology applies to real life, like why we crave external validation. I find it so interesting that we are so quick to believe others' judgments of us and not our own judgment of ourselves. So according to this study, not being liked actually creates similar pain levels as real life physical pain.

I'll learn more about the psychology of everyday life, and of course, your 20s, this September, Listen to The Psychology of your 20s on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's important that we just reassure people that they're not alone, and there is help out there. The Good Stuff podcast, season two, takes a deep look into One Tribe Foundation, a non-profit fighting suicide in the veteran community. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so join host Jacob and Ashley Schick as they bring you to the front lines of One Tribe's mission. One Tribe, save my life twice. Welcome to Season 2 of The Good Stuff.

Listen to the Good Stuff podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Jenna Lopez, and in the new season of The Over Comfort Podcast, I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and more real than ever. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time? Join me for conversations about healing and growth, all from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Listen to the new season of the Overcomber podcast on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here.

And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no. We're not doing that this season. Oh. Well, this season, we're leveling up.

Each episode will feature a special Bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here! Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Kate Hudson. And my name is Oliver Hudson. We wanted to do something that highlighted our relationship.

And what it's like to be siblings. We are a sibling. No, no. Sibling reverie. Don't do that with your mouth. Sibling Reveory. That's good.

Summer love ripped at the seams and all those summer summer nights. Oh, summer's over. Oh, gosh. It's a time for reflection.

It's a time for pain. It's a time for nostalgia and for me nostalgia equals pain. thinking back on the summer that I had and reminiscing, trying to keep a smile on my face when really it's a bit of a frown because I wish I was still summering. But it was a good summer, honestly. I try to tell my kids, hey, think positive. My daughter was going to school the other day,

and she's not happy about her class necessarily, you know, who's in it. And she loves all of her friends. But, you know, when you get separated from some of your besties and whatever. And I'm always giving advice that I need to take myself. So with her, it's like, look, there is, you have no choice in the matter. Okay. This is the hand you've been dealt. You can either make, you know, you can make lemonade out of it or you can just eat the sour

lemons. I don't know what to tell you. Like, but being negative is only going to make you feel bad. So you might as well look at the positive parts of these things or try. to make the best of it, because you don't have another fucking choice. And she's the only kid who actually listens to me because I can see her nodding and taking it in.

But I don't practice what I preach, you know, because I'm kind of a glass is half empty guy. Not really. I don't know. I just, I get upset. Like, oh, man. Anyway, but summer was amazing. I'm going to be positive.

a little recap. We started it off in Greece, or in south of France, actually, incredible. Then we were in Greece. We actually got this incredible Airbnb in Greece in Porta Geli. And I think Airbnb's are just better in Europe.

Because I've done Airbnbs across the country, honestly. I actually have my own Airbnb. I rent out my own shit. But this one's in particular, it was so inexpensive. It was like a huge piece of property. It was three amazing little guest house right on the water. The host was honestly like amazing. The guy had just sort of started his Airbnb world.

So he was very attentive. So I started off there. And then we did that. We did grease. It was incredible. And then, you know, Colin. can't be Colorado. Then the Cape. Cape Cod was amazing. Seeing my in-laws, I'm the most unluckiest man alive. I have the greatest in-laws ever. I challenge anyone, anyone to have

better in-laws than I do. And I will have a serious showdown. We'll get Brooks and Ann together, and whatever fucking in-laws you want to get in there will do a death match. Mine will win. And now we're home. And I'm happy. You know what? I'm happy. I'm a happy boy. you know i love being home there's always something nice about getting home you dread it and then you get home and you're like i'm in my house time to start my life again time to get back to work time for structure to sort of reenter and now i'm going to be on my boat and trying to catch big ass bluefin tuna anyway there's my recap uh but right now we've got uh we've got some dudes We got some brothers in the waiting room who can probably relate to a lot of my poker pain.

There's a good chance they saw probably one of the worst beats ever put on television. And these boys can play cards. It's the Fennaro brothers. Bring them on. Okay. Well, first of all, you already are winning. You got a Kobe poster. It's like literally splitting you guys.

You know, I'm a huge, huge Lakers fan, big time Kobe fan. That was my favorite athlete. Oh, God, without a doubt. I mean, I got to meet him, actually. I did Jimmy Kimmel. I was a guest on Kimmel, and Kobe was the other guest. And it was like, just by luck. And it was the most amazing day.

I mean, I got to meet him, and I never met him before. And he actually, I think he passed away not very, you know, far after that. It was devastating day, dude. I woke up and I was like when people like it's like almost like a 9-11 thing or like something. They're like, I woke up and my buddy texted me and they're like Kobe died and I was like, wait, what? Like I didn't even know what was going on. Yeah. And then I was like, it didn't even feel like a real day.

No, no, no, no, no. Same thing. My friend Mitch texted me and I'm like, shut the fuck up, dude. Like I was, it was like, I didn't even believe it, you know. I thought it was just fucking with me. It was this bullshit news. and then when I found out, I mean, I was, I was like, I was like devastated. I was, I still, because my algorithm on my Instagram, like, will always bring me Kobe shit, you know, and, and, and, and, you know, it's scrolling, scrolling and boom, something Kobe comes on and I get all choked up.

I'm like, God damn it. I got to get Kobe off my fucking feed because it makes me sad. I don't really get sad. I just don't feel like it exists. Like, I don't feel like it's, like real. I don't know. I know. It's still weird.

It's still weird. First of how old are you guys? I'm 22. Okay. And I'm not 29 now. Okay. 29, 22. Are you the only two siblings or there are more?

Four brothers. Yeah. And then you're the only two, though. There's no more siblings. Yeah. There's two in the middle. Two more. Oh, there's two in the middle.

Yeah. Oh, so you're oldest and youngest. Yeah, it's oldest and youngest. And the other two boys don't, or siblings don't play cards. A little bit. Our one brother, the second oldest, came to Vegas this summer for like two weeks. Yeah. He was the only one who cashed, like, the mystery millions tournament.

And he cashed it. I don't know if you know too much about poker. Like, I know you played the main event one year. I remember. Yeah, dude, dude, do, do, do. Hold on, hold on. Before we, did you, have you Googled that? Have you Googled the beat that I took?

I remember that hand. 2005. But I didn't know it was you. And then I started looking this up. And I'm like, wait a minute. I remember this name. Yeah, dude. So I started playing poker early,

2000s. And, you know, my old house, I, my back house, I made into a whole poker room. I made it Vegas style. I bought a sick table. I mean, I was obsessed. I played in a bunch of WPT events. I was at commerce. I was at the hustler. I was, I mean, I was an obsessive poker player. I was nutty about it. I read, I read, I read all, I had Helmy's book. I read Brunson's books. I read, and I read everyone's book. And back back then it was the legends were kind of still playing i know they are now but like ivy and then even back even before them and uh i was just fucking obsessed so i i actually satellite my way into the main event um i was working i was doing a movie in calgary and i had to go back to start filming in two days.

So even if I was chip leader, okay, at the end of two days, I would have to leave. You couldn't just tell them like, can we just wait like a day? No, because when you're dealing with a movie schedule, they're not like, hey, guys, look, I'm leading at a big tournament. Do you think you can fucking push the movie? Like, that's, it's not going to work. But I satellite in it. So I'm like, fuck it, I'll go.

And I go to the tables and there's a plaque saying proceed to the featured table because it's all a random draw. But you had Dan Nogranu and Farha, where just ran. randomly at that table. So now I'm playing on ESPN. I was like, holy fuck. And I get there. I got my little baggy for food. My girlfriend, who's now my wife, I was like, look, you don't got to wake up. This is going to be a long-ass day. Just hang out. Do your thing. Come see me when you want. And then boom. National Anthem, shuffle up and deal, dealt pocket tens. And that was the fucking end of it. It wasn't random that you got the first.

feature though by the way it's not random oh no okay okay so i didn't know i thought it was like a random draw and then they pick up the table that has the most sort of recognizable players that's that's it yeah but you were going to be on the feature table with that table like no matter what yeah yeah yeah no for sure that's that's that's that's what i mean the draw is random the drop had nogranu and farha together yeah and they're like oh dude it was crazy i was in i was in the 10th seat pocket 10s against ace 10 you know flop came ace 10 not you know the only thing that could have taken me off the hand was a it turned a queen you know but with farha when you knew how he plays a very aggressive player i probably didn't play the hand perfectly but i think at the end of

the day all my all the money's going in the middle i'm not going to put i'm not going to fold uh you know that kind of a hand so yeah just fucking nuts dude I do remember, I do, to be honest with you, I do remember the hand. I just didn't, I didn't like, you know, look at some stuff and found out you played a little of poker. And then I was like, I remember that hand. I just didn't know if that's who you were. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then, you know, after that, after it aired, every casino I went into is like, dude, are you pocket tens? That's what they called me. I'm like, yeah, pocket tens. And then I was at a WPT event after that. and we were on a break and I saw Sammy in the bathroom and I was like hey dude and he starts laughing gives me a hug he's like pocket thins I'm like yeah and he goes that queen came I was scared I thought

that may you know and it was cool to sort of see him and talk to him just a little bit after that but it was fucking it was it was it was gnarly but I just loved poker you know I loved loved loved love playing poker of course now three kids deep and yeah I can't play that much anymore You know, maybe if they got online over there. Yeah, well, that's what I wanted to ask you about. First of all, let's go back. You know, when did you guys start playing poker? How did it become what it's become for you?

I'm assuming it's your living right now. Yeah, I have a couple other things. Okay. I mean some real estate and some like other like businesses. But my start basically was poker just and then that's still my main focus. Yeah. Was it college? I mean, did that where it's starting college or even before that?

It's probably started before that. but I didn't know it was going to be my full-time thing until maybe my third year, fourth year. I, like, dropped out my second year, and I kind of had no idea what I wanted to do. And it kind of just, like, fell into my lap there. But it was, like, nothing, like, serious until, like, I always tell people I started, like, after I was 21 playing professionally.

And Nicky's probably been playing since he was 18 professional. Right. So it's, like, a little different. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And did you realize, okay, wait, this is what I want to do. I'm actually kind of good at this. I've established a decent bank role now to where this can be a professional of my profession. You know, when did that transition come for you guys where it's like, this is not just fun and some extra side cash, but like I can actually make a living out of doing this. I guess it came like a string together and it was kind of I guess I let it with like I feel like my uncles and my dad they used to play like a home game like when we were like little kids this was before he probably couldn't even remember anything at that point but I used to like run them beers and I like loved like the idea of gambling and like card games and whatever and they like would never let me play so I was like well I want to do this like they're passing money around like people I went in like hundreds of dollars like this is fun and then it's like they let me play a couple times and like I just I loved it and then like college came and I was a finance major like hated it I went to Drexel University in

Philadelphia I just wasn't doing well I was never good at school where I was always like pretty intelligent and then I kind of like fell into my lap we were playing home games in high school and like with friends and stuff I had a knack for it and I seen a bunch of these guys that I did not think were playing that well and I just studied and went with it. Nikki, you know, probably, I mean, he could talk on his experience. Yeah, I mean, he paved the road basically. So when he like already was accomplished, I knew that it was possible, basically. And, you know, the options that I had on the table, it was either go to school, which I didn't

really know what I was doing. I hated school. So it was either go to school or travel. travel around with my brother around the world and play poker, which I already loved the game at the time. So it was like a no-brainer for me. Like just, yeah, I mean, and pretty quickly I was making money. So I ended up working out well. I think like basically I found the formula from scratch.

Like how to study, how to prepare, how to like improve. And like I had a winning strategy that was really good. And I already went through all this. So then I basically like got to like mold him until like, all right, this is how we carry ourselves. This is how we study. This is how we improve. Like, this is how we schedule online.

This is how we, you know, travel around to these events, like budgeting and just how we think about the game, like, all this stuff. And I kind of had like a redo with him. Maybe the mistakes I made, he doesn't have to make. That's great. Yeah. Are you guys similar players? Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, everyone tries to play, you know, like GTO. So everyone's trying to do the same thing, basically. Right now, I guess different from when you started. Yeah. Like the top players all play very similar. They play like variations of like one strategy. And it's like there's some like disagreements on like maybe some adjustments. Yeah.

Like the computers have like solved the game like basically there's a right play in almost every spot and there's frequencies attached to these. Basically there's these computers. There's called solvers like these programs and you could put in the big blinds like the stacks like what position opens into the big blind or wherever. And it'll solve, like, every hand and how it's supposed to play. Like, the percentage of the time is it's a check, the percentage of times it's supposed to bet, what size it's supposed to bet. And then it all, like, mixes frequencies. So our job is to, like, understand, like, what the computer wants to do. And then we can, like, cross it with how we think this guy's making mistakes based on the computer's telling you.

And then we're adjusting, like, based upon, like, that. Wow. It's interesting because when you're playing live, obviously, there's calculates. and there's odds and you can understand, you know, how much to bet, when to bet, how big the pot sizes, you know, how much, all that stuff. And essentially, you've taken that, but put it into the computer world where you're still playing odds, but based on sort of the algorithms of the computer itself. Yes, like these programs, like all that math is ingrained into the, like the program,

let's say, or the output. So what it's doing is spitting. out like okay you have king queen this word comes this you know it wants to say check 30% of the time bet 50% of the pot 20% of the time and then bet 25% of the pot the rest of the time and then it'll solve it for every possible hand you can have and then it'll solve it for like how your opponent is supposed to respond to each one of these actions Jesus Christ how do you is there software that tells you this shit is that kind of how it yeah and it's always It's getting better and better each year, too.

So it used to take, like, say, Plyosolver was, like, the original one, like, I guess now it's eight years ago. Yeah. And it would take, like, 15, 20 minutes to get, like, each one of these, like, individual hands and spots, right? But you would save them in, like, a database and, like, flip through them. But you'd never be able to do all of them. So a lot of it's, like, just guesswork, but understanding why it's doing these certain things and then trying to, like, broaden it and, like, do as many as you can. But now they have this new one, it's like Gtia wizard and they have AI. and it works almost the same but it's like instant like it's you don't have to wait for the

computer it takes a lot of power you just take a lot of like RAM now it's like it almost instant so is it something that you use to put into a database and then study you're not using it real time when you're actually yeah that would be cheating that's what I'm saying right yeah so basically we're say we just save there's five hands we played each night that okay where we were found to be difficult we can the next day wake up and we'll run those hands and look at them and then be like, okay, maybe my assumption on this was wrong. Maybe I was made a mistake here and there. And then you just try to, you know, gain as much information as you can and then balance

ideas. And maybe it's like a lot of it too is interpreting how your opponent's going to respond because no one's a computer. Right. Right. They're all making mistakes in all these areas, right? So it's also like coming out with really good counter strategies to their mistakes. But a lot, it's all like this like computer based stuff.

And there is like still some intuition. Like, there's, there's definitely stuff to, like, being a naturally good poker player and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. But there's, this has made the game just, it's such a higher level now. And it's, the edges are becoming, like, really small at the highest stakes, because everyone's studying and using these things. Right. So it's, you know.

Wow, dude. Yeah. It's getting really complicated. September always feels like the start of something new, whether it's back to school, new projects, or just a fresh. season. It's the perfect time to start dreaming about your next adventure. I love that feeling of possibility, thinking about where to go next, what kind of place we'll stay in, and how to make it feel like home. I'm already imagining the kind of Airbnb that would make the trip unforgettable, somewhere with charm, character, and a little local flavor. If you're planning to be away this

September, why not consider hosting your home on Airbnb while you're gone? Your home could be the highlight of someone else's trip, a cozy place to land, a space that helps them feel like a local. And with Airbnb's co-host feature, you can hire a local co-host to help with everything from managing bookings to making sure your home is guest ready. Find a co-host at Airbnb.ca slash host. It may look different, but native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture. It was a huge honor to become a television writer because it does feel oddly like very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing for hundreds of years. You carry with

you a sense of purpose and confidence. That's Sierra Taylor Ornellis, who with Rutherford Falls became the first native showrunner in television history. On the podcast, Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we explore her story, along with other native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic-Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, Native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sageburn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, it's Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumerro, and this is More Better.

We are jumping right in and ready to hear from you. Your thoughts, your questions, your feelings about socks with sandals. And we're ready to share some possibly questionable advice and hot takes. God, that sucks so hard, though. I'm so sorry. Can you out petty them? Can you match their pettiness for funsies? Yeah.

We had so much fun last season, laughing, crying, talking to some new and old friends. Remember when we were in that scene where you guys were just supposed to hug and I was standing. Oh, yeah. And I was like, can I also hug them? I'm like, this f*** has no fun. And this time around, we are... Say it, Melissa. Should I?

Say it. Getting a little more better. Oh, finally. It's all the dressing room talks you've loved in season one. All the things. Because aren't we all trying to get a little more better? Listen to more better on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, Puzzlers.

Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy truthers who say that you were given all the answers believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists. That's right. Are there Jeopardy truthers? Are there people who say that it was rigged? Yeah, ever since I was first on, people are like, they gave you the answers, right? And then there's the other ones which are like, they gave you the answers and you still blew it.

Don't miss Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings on our special game show week of The Puzzler podcast. The Puzzler is the best place to get your daily word puzzle fix. Listen on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I don't write songs. God write songs. I take dictation. I didn't even know you've been a pastor for over 10 years.

I think culture is any space that you live in that develops you. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. This is like watching Michael Jackson talk about Thurley before it happened. Was there a particular moment where you realized just how instrumental music culture was to shaping all of our global ecosystem? I was eight years old.

the Motown 25 special came on, and all the great Motown artists, Marvin, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Diana Raw. From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture raises us on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here's what could be enlightening to people listening to this when they think of poker players, you know. I mean, obviously, back even when I was playing, and I'm sure there's just still degenerates today, there's no doubt about that. And there's people that are like in this camp

that's still our degenerates. Of course, of course. It's just like smarter now and still more studies. Yeah, but the game now has become math forward. There's technical shit dealing with AI now, especially in online. You know what I'm saying? Like, there is real studying.

So give me, give me like a day. the life of you know because it sounds like you play but then you analyze as well so you're not just playing all all the time yeah so i mean when we're home like we're back so we're probably on the road some other city or something like at least once a month or maybe multiple times a month so we were in Vegas two months for the world series like may to like the end of july now we're where are you guys living by the way we're in new jersey okay got it but we yeah we were yeah that was Vegas now September Brigada had something they just came back

and it's like we're into Florida for the whole month in November December we're in Bahamas basically the whole time and it used to be Bahamas in the win it's like we're kind of just like when we're on the road it's just playing this live circuit and at home it's basically

you know wake up in the morning play golf then maybe I don't golf in the morning but where do you play in New Jersey yeah I'm a member like Ottinger clubs. It's like Ballmore, Scott and Ron, and we get some rounds at Atlantic City Country Club. I'm on the way. Cool. I'm a scratch golfer. I was a plus, plus two is my best. I seen your swing. 10, 11 years ago. Really good. Lefty, though, right? Lefty, that's right. Half my group I play with is lefty. It's weird. Really? Now, there's more of us coming up,

but there's still, it's still, there's still not a lot of us, but there's more. So you play golf, you have your day, you get outside, and then it's time to grind. Yeah, maybe study a little bit freshen up. And then online, we usually play from seven to like three in the morning. And that's like five days a week. Okay. Sunday's the big day and Tuesday is probably the second biggest day. Because it's all regulated in Jersey, so we get three sites to play.

Yeah, so how do you play online? Like, how does that work? Because it's an online poker. Yeah, so we have poker stars. WSOP and Borgata. Borgata is like the New Jersey only site. And WSOP, we have like Michigan. in Nevada.

PA is not with us. Not with us. And so you're allowed to play online in certain states? Is that kind of how it works? It's so weird. I don't know if you ever heard about the full tilt stuff. Yeah, dude, back in the day, I mean, back in the day, it was, that's what we, everything was, it was deregulate.

There's no regulations. We're just fucking playing full tilt. We're playing all kinds of different sites, you know? Yeah. So from my understanding, it was they were running into like some Ponzi scheme type thing and they didn't have money to pay people out and like the whole thing got all apart. So the government, like, really cracked down on online. And then now it's just been like coming back slowly, but like state by state.

Kind of like the sports betting. Yeah, much lower. They care about sports betting a lot more, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I guess it like works like similarly. Are you playing online with people who you know, meaning there's a group that you can learn how they play? Or is it all still pretty random? No, no.

I mean, the same people are on every night almost. They are. We're trying to take their money. Exactly. It's all competition constantly. And there's still like, you know, there's a lot of weaker players that play a lot, too. So it's, you know, we're just trying to get better every day. And what, what game is it just no limit or do you play other games?

It's just no limit. We just play no limit. There is a lot of, like, in the live realm, like the World Series and like live, there's a lot of live like mixed games and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. But you're just strictly, strictly hold them. You're strictly hold them.

I'm going to try to learn. If I win like another bracelet, because they're like really small fields at the series. Yeah. Start racking them up. You've got to play the mix game. So I think if I get another one, I might really start trying to learn. And what are the stakes? Are you playing cash?

Cash game? I play some live if I can get in like a big one. But online, you're relatively small compared to live. And so are you just playing tournament style? Just MTT. So yeah, tournament. Okay, got it. And what are some of the entry points like cash-wise for some of these bigger tournaments that you play?

In person, like I've played all the way up to 50,000. and touring right right so but most my ABI like on average I think I buy in for like 7,000 on average it's like the average tournament buying I play that online online's like 200 something oh so it's just little they're it's way smaller it's way smaller but you get like you play thousands a year yeah so it's like a lot different yes five the stakes are like way higher but like the volumes like way less what do you prefer probably online it's more consistent I don't know it's definitely more consistent because the volume like the swings are less it's just like you're going to hit the long run like there's no luck when you play like tens of thousands of games over a couple year

sample yeah but like live if you play like 150 to 100 tournaments a year like you just could have losing years like all the time it's like very online it's very consistent but on i mean live is where all the money is like if you start running good or like making some stringing some runs together just a lot more you know money on the table and there's a lot more glory with like the bracelets and like for sure titles and stuff you know for sure for sure i mean the other thing is i it's probably would you agree that it's more it's a more of a pure game live you know just because online like you were saying though like you have programs that are feeding you information that you can learn and then use rather than when you're playing live i mean you are really

at a table of 10 people, like, that's it. I mean, it's still, you're still playing, like, effectively the same way. You just have access to different information live. So, like, online, you have thousands of hands of these people. And there's also programs that track how they're playing. It's called, like, a HUD. So you'll know the percentage of the time this guy raises, the percentage of the time that's the guy's the best of the time.

And you could, like, you know, cross-reference that with, like, the theory baseline, right? And then you can really hammer them and punish them for where they're, off. Let's say. Yeah. Live, you know, you could kind of just sit there with this, you know, say it's an older gentleman for five hours. He hasn't played a hand. Like, that's more your information. Like, okay, this guy's probably got it. Yeah. You know, we're trying for. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of the difference. Do you enjoy the camaraderie though? Live? You know, like being at the social parts, being in the, being in the room, like there's a feeling. Yeah. It's a lot of fun. Like, there's nothing like a final table or,

like just traveling like we go to i think we're making paris to stop every year like epities like you go to europe play just play a couple tournaments like bahamas is december like two weeks you go to Vegas like it's just a good time yeah so what are your best finishes live so he yeah for me it's his second year or first year baby i have a a 420k score in borgata damn yeah which was in january so pretty recent he won like one of his first biggest part of these plays besides that it was like that you won it yeah i want it yeah and the first was 420 yeah good number yeah on online he's got like a lot of results but like the number yeah besides that my next best cash is probably like 20 000 yeah so let me ask you a question niki

you're 22 years old you're 21 at the time right right what was your bank account looking like before that 400,000 got put into it. Yeah, it was like, like 60,000, something around there. So I had a decent roll. Yeah, but you're like six-xing your bank account like this. What does that feel like? I mean, it's like, holy fuck, dude. I mean...

I remember I was at the poker table when it hit. Like, I kept looking at my bank. Yeah. So, like, when it hit, I was at the poker table. And I just, honestly, I just couldn't stop smiling. It was his great feel. It was... Well, here's the thing, too.

when he won we had like big family there and a lot of friends hanging out like to walk I thought they're gonna say it's late and when like after we threw a big party and then like 50 of us went to the bar and he was he went to bed

he just fell asleep yeah yeah yeah after he won he just didn't even go out to be fair to be like a big party he wasn't surprised spent dude a little emotionally spent I was I was sick and I was talking from playing like

three or four days straight or whatever yeah so I would have definitely went out I kind of regret not going out, honestly, because I probably could have pushed it. I wasn't feeling, I wasn't doing it. That's all right. And so your head up, what was, do you remember,

what was the hand that took it down? It was, so he was like, he was really short. He was, like, five big blinds or something. Okay. And I had pocket kings. I like limped the, I limped the button. Yeah. And he jammed, like, King Three off or something.

Yeah, yeah. Done. He actually did, he turned an open ender, actually. Oh, geez. Yeah, so there was a chance for him to win. but yeah we held it out oh dude that fucking feels good

holy shit wow and what about you what about you cash what's your big win so I have two bracelets yeah I just won one in July for 615 my biggest score

I got a fifth in the win the first WPT World Championship for like 1.3 something wow dude so yeah a little over 1.3 and I have a smaller bracelet online

I also was the second in an all-in-line high roller, a bracelet. Like, we chopped the money heads up. You did? But maybe I shouldn't say that. It was with Joe McCain. You know, Joe McCain? No. He won the 2015, man.

Yeah, he was a made-of-net winner. Yeah, yeah, okay, okay. Yeah, but we split the, where I got second in that one. It was a lot, too. Yeah, yeah. Damn, dude. We're doing well. Yeah.

We go back to the degenerate side of gambling. You know, you look at these guys, like, the Phil Ivy's who would, you know, make millions playing poker and then just go, you know, give it all back at Baccarat or something. Crapes and Baccarat and all that, right? So he did have those lullsuits with Baccarat at, I don't know if it was Montecarlo and then Salamacresino where he, he's definitely a sharp guy. He just likes to gamble, I think.

I played a lot with the summer. I actually played a full day with him in a 50K. You did? Yeah, he's intense, man. Is he still? He did knock me out. Yeah, dude, he's, he's, he, he's, he. he's there's something about him when I was playing just watching him like dude this guy's

a shark this guy's tough like all around you know he was considered the best yeah you know but do you guys play casino games or no no no not really good we mess around we mess around like you mess around but you know you you're making a living you not just as degenerate poker players but as articulate, you know, smart people who know how to, you know, understand the game and not crack it, but give yourself an advantage and you just don't want to piss it all away, you know? Yeah, we don't. I mean, like, we're like, we were in the Bahamas, like having some drinks, like,

a couple hundred bucks, ultimate hold them or something, like stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know people that are really sick. Really? Oh, yeah. And it's so easy. Like, you're just always around it, too. So they're just like, it's maybe not the best space for them in just.

well it sounds like you guys have a pretty damn good head on your shoulders right like right is this you're so young you know is this your future i mean or is this something you want to do and then move out of or you know what i'm saying especially you nicky like you're 22 and you're 29 right so i had my first fucking kid at 29 you know what i'm saying like where are you at with the longevity of poker moving into your 30s and 40s and beyond. Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm honestly just trying to take it like, like, even year by year, I'm just trying to push it as hard as I can, year by year, basically. And then, I mean, long term, I'm kind of just trying to get to the, you know, the next level,

like that's just my goal right now, just be as best as I can, honestly. year by year so long term i really don't i'm not sure i mean poker definitely will be involved like my whole life i mean yeah i'll play the main probably you know as long as i can i would say yeah because it's fun but yeah i'm i'm just trying to get to the you know like the high roller level basically yeah i guess i'm similar to to that there's other stuff i'm interested in and yeah you got real estate you got some stuff yeah it's like poker's like a kind of a capped like more niche like situation. It's, it's,

you could do well, but there's definitely like, I think more opportunities in some other spaces. You know, I love it though. I still love it. Oh, yeah. Well,

what's great about real estate is you're making that kind of money. It's, there's no better place to invest. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I mean, if you are sort of making millions of dollars as a poker player and using some of that dough to buy houses to rent,

houses to Airbnb shit and then you're building something with that dough. You know what I mean? Yeah, I'm mainly in commercial right now but I'm starting to like, you know, move around. Yeah. We'll see. I'm always excited to try and get into new, let's say

new spaces. September always feels like the start of something new, whether it's back to school, new projects or just a fresh season. It's the perfect time to start dreaming about your next adventure. I love that feeling of possibility, thinking about where to go next, what kind of place will stay in, and how to make it feel like home.

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alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture. It was a huge honor to become a television writer because it does feel oddly like very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing for a kind of years. You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence. That's Sierra Taylor Ornelis, who with Rutherford Falls became the first native showrunner in television history. On the podcast, Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we explore her story, along with other native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic-Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing

our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage Burn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, it's Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero, and this is More Better. We are jumping right in and ready to hear from you. Your thoughts, your questions, your feelings about socks with sandals. And we're ready to share some possibly questionable advice and hopefully questionable advice and hot takes. God, that sucks so hard, though. I'm so sorry. Can you out petty them? Can you match

their pettiness for funzies? Yeah. We had so much fun last season, laughing, crying, talking to some new and old friends. Remember when we were in that scene where you guys were just supposed to hug and I was standing? Oh, yeah. And I was like, can I also hug them? I'm like, this has no friends. This time around, we are. Say it, Molyssache. Should I? Say it. Getting a little more better. Oh, finally.

It's all the dressing room talks you've loved in season one. All the things. Because aren't we all trying to get a little more better? Listen to more better on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, Puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining?

listening experience in podcast land. Jeopardy truthers who say that you were given all the answers believe in... I guess they would be Kenspiracy theorists. That's right. Are there Jeopardy truthers? Are there people who say that it was rigged? Yeah, ever since I was first on, people are like, they gave you the answers, right? And then there's the other ones which are like, they gave you the answers and you still blew it.

Don't miss Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings on our special game show week of the Puzzler podcast. The Puzzler is the best place to get your daily word puzzle fix. Listen on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get

your podcasts. I don't write songs. God writes songs. I take dictation. I didn't even know you've been a pastor for over 10 years. I think culture is any space that you live in that develops you. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us Podcast,

I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. This is like watching Michael Jackson talk about thoroughly before it happened. Was there a particular moment

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we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture raises us on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What about girls? Is this even a focus of yours? Do you even have time?

I have a long-term girlfriend. You do? Yeah. How long? About four years now. Okay. I'm like, we're really serious, and she's very supportive.

too she's a nurse yeah Nikki's still single though yeah I'm not really thinking right now you're a young dude you know I'm going out with my boys like every you know a couple weeks or whatever yeah yeah yeah you don't have to worry about that I kind of don't really want a girlfriend to be honest

yeah because it's just like it's just gonna distract me from you know what I'm trying to do good good oh I also had something to bring up too about that so we're talking about like the family the home games they used to have my mom's side a couple like a couple times over the year we had like a family home tournament we were just like drink and hang out and have fun my girlfriend who's never played actually won the last one had like 50 people in it she beat him heads up that's amazing i have a funny story actually like that as well i was in

we were in Vegas my wife was doing a job at the time she was a model back then but she was doing a job and uh there was just like a little tournament you know it's like a two hundred dollar buy-in or whatever but you know it's like five tables six tables something like that she has an idea how to play poker meaning like knows what beats what but she has no fucking clue really about much of anything and she ends up just you know stacking chips i end up stacking chips we end up at the final table together and she's knocking people out. I knock a couple people out. We end up head up and I'm playing against my, she was my girlfriend at the time. The charity event or like a little no, this is a real. It was just a, I forget what hotel we were up, but this is a real. It was like a 40, 50 person

tournament. It was like a four or five table tournament. It wasn't anything big, you know, but it was like one of those small midday deals, you know. And I said, I'm not going to go easy on you, but you fucking beat me. Yeah, I'll always have that story. It's so funny. Yeah, 100%. But I love it, dude. I still, I worked in Albuquerque for two years.

I was doing a TV show out there, and they have a casino, and I kind of got back into poker there. I got into an online game, which it's like these private online games. Yeah, where you have to be invited, but it's real cash. You got to be careful with those. You really? Yeah. Be careful.

Why? There's not regulated, like, there's a lot of, like, I don't know who's in there. It depends. If you're like, if you're friends with a guy, I know it's, it's, yeah, they seem cool. I don't, I don't know. And it's all, I don't play a ton of big money. Yeah, there's a lot of cheating. How would they cheat?

Like, how does that work? You know, just. Well, you could probably RTA in those games. I mean, it's not as big. If it was a big game. Some of them, you probably can, like, just, it's probably possible to, like, have a security breach and get control of the whole cards. And probably it's also possible to just, you could also. just run the solvers on it too and there's not you know it's probably not that those games it wouldn't

apply as much because it's you're probably playing more fun it's like it's just it's super loosey goosey fun it's literally just like see cards turn over you're like ah yeah yeah it's small it's like who cares yeah yeah yeah yeah and that one's gonna be cheating for a couple hundred blocks yeah okay well maybe I'll stop I don't I still here's the reason why I stop playing poker and I don't stop but if I won 10 grand, I'd be like, that's dope. Awesome. If I lost 10 grand, I'm going to fucking drive off a bridge. You know what I mean? I didn't, and I realized that, I was like, you know what?

I don't have the right mind for it. It's a whole different ballgame, you know, when it comes to that stuff. It's like we're talking about like Kobe, like, you know, competitiveness and whatever. Like poker, that works against you a little bit. Yeah. You got to kind of be like detached. It does. It's an execution thing. You got to just live and die with the results. And it's like, you're going to lose and play good and you're going to like they win sometimes and it's like

yeah yeah yeah it's a total detachment i think you're right i think that's what makes you guys probably successful because if you care too much you know that's going to affect the way you play yeah yeah you know it definitely gets to you sometimes i mean literally in the main event i i busted the main event i got like i got two out of the river and i literally booked a flight home right after because i was just pissed i was just pissed like i just i booked the flight right after You love me Yeah I mean It definitely gets you sometimes

But You know You just got to keep the goal So I told I heard some of your bigger wins What are some of your big losses Do you have one in mind

We're like Oh fuck dude That was a rough day It was a 50,000 dollar tournament And I pieced out half of it probably So like 25,000 There's probably the most ever loss In a day

Okay Notin crazy I don't know tournaments it's tournaments because when you win you win like 70 times 100 times you lose you just lose one or like two of them so it's

and you're selling pieces is that what you're saying yeah the bigger stuff a lot of it's like most people playing the super high stakes like sell pieces because you're supposed to have you know 100 200 buyings like for these events and like most people don't have 5 million 10 million to play poker just cash to like play so you got to piece off

you know it was 50,000 you have like 10 million to play yeah it's like you don't have that it's better to like mitigate some risk and maybe get a couple percent you know juice on the money yeah like a lot of people do do you guys have pieces of each other

I used to now he's too rich I like five days I give them I give them pieces of the bigger stuff oh really yeah yeah but you buy in or do you guys brother brother like fuck it, I'll give you 10, you give me 10%. Like, oh yeah, swap. That happens.

Like, yeah, between 1 and 5% sometimes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That happens. That's good. Yeah. I mean, I refer them no matter what. Yeah. Of course, your brother's at the end of the day.

Oh, that was actually funny too. So I was into that. I got destroyed in that tournament. I got knocked out 18 times. All the money went to him. I didn't have a piece of him. Oh, my God. That's amazing.

And then you took his money, basically. He took 18 buy-ins. My worst tournament-like performance was his, the one he won. That's amazing, dude. Yeah. Well, cool. I appreciate you guys coming on. This is fun for me.

Fun for us. I still got the bug a little bit. I got to figure out how to scratch the itch. It's just hard. I can't go to the casinos anymore. It's just too late. I was there all night, you know. Go play the main event again.

That would be fun. Exactly. That would be fun. Yeah. That's the best one. It is. It is. All right.

Maybe I'll see you guys down the road. I appreciate you, boys. Thank you, Oliver. All right, ma'am. Good luck, okay. All right. Thank you. Poker boys.

It's so interesting. They're young, these young dudes now, it's not just like the degenerate whiskey drinking cigarette smoking, cigar, chomping smoke poker player. I'm sure they're still out there. There's no doubt about that. But there's a smart, you know, that has to happen now. I mean, what they were talking about these systems and these programs and the software and the fucking algorithms and the thing and the percentages about, I mean, that is so far over my head. I'm like, I look at you.

I'm like, I think he's bluffing. And then I lose. Anyway, that was fun. I'm out. Peace. It's important that we just reassure people that they're not alone and there is help out there. The Good Stuff Podcast Season 2 takes a deep look into One Tribe Foundation, a non-profit fighting suicide in the veteran community. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so join host Jacob and Ashley Schick as they bring you to the front lines of One Tribe's mission.

One Tribe, save my life twice. Welcome to Season 2 of the Good Stuff. Listen to the Good Stuff podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex.

No, no, no, we're not doing that this season. Oh, well, this season, we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here! Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, it's Gemma's Bag, host of the Psychology of your 20s.

this September at the psychology of your 20s, we're breaking down the very interesting ways psychology applies to real life, like why we crave external validation. I find it so interesting that we are so quick to believe others' judgments of us and not our own judgment of ourselves. So according to this study, not being liked actually creates similar pain levels as real life physical pain. Learn more about the psychology of everyday life and of course, your 20s.

This September, listen to the psychology of your 20s on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Janica Lopez, and in the new season of The Over Comfort Podcast, I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and more real than ever. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time? Join me for conversations about healing and growth, all from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Listen to the new season of the Overcombered podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, it's your favorite jersey girl, Gia Judice. Welcome to Casual Chaos, where I share my story. This week, I'm sitting down with Vanderpump Rural Star, Sheena Shea. I don't really talk to either of them, if I'm being honest. There will be an occasional text, one way or the other, from me to Ariana, maybe a happy birthday from Ariana to me. I think the last time I talked to Tom, it was like, congrats on America's Got Talent.

This is a combo you don't want to miss. Listen to Casual Chaos on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.