Full House in World Series of Poker

A New Yorker has won the 33rd event in the World Series of Poker, just beating a 23-year-old poker player from Manchester.

Julian Gardner took second place and won $1.1m in the event - which he carried from the casino in a large suitcase.

The winner was Robert Varkonyi of New York, who emerged victorious on Friday from the 33rd event which boasted a record field of 631 players.

His full house on the 161st hand of the day beat Mr. Gardner.

The World Series, which runs for a month, incorporates many different competitions - but the winner is the one who beats all comers at the final event, the No-Limit Texas Hold-Em.

Mr. Gardner told the Observer newspaper that he was slightly unsettled by the sheer scale of the tournament.

"Playing in the middle of cheering crowds, with loads of cameras and $3m in cash right there on the table, turns everybody into a hero and makes it tougher," he said.