Two-time World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring winner Joe Rice went viral on Friday for his shirtless celebration after profitable free beer for a 12 months in a basketball contest.
The competition befell at a school basketball sport between Siena and Saint Peters in New York’s MVP Enviornment. To win a 30-pack of Miller Lite each month for a 12 months, Rice wanted to make a lay-up, free throw, and two three-pointers in beneath 30 seconds. He did it in 11 seconds.
An excited Rice, who has $428,101in Hendon Mob earnings and gained the 2022 WSOP Circuit Turning Stone Main Event for $238,870, ripped off his shirt and smacked his chest in a clip that ESPN SportsCenter picked up for commentator Scott Van Pelt’s “Finest Video Out there” phase.
“I simply sort of blacked out,” Rice advised PokerNews in an interview.
“The Beer Was a Bonus”
The daddy of three was on the MVP Enviornment for his son JJ’s church ball league sport. Afterward, he was watching Siena and Saint Peters heat up when a promoter approached him.
“I used to be sitting on my own watching the fellows heat up, and hey was like ‘Hey, do you wish to be in a contest within the second half?’ “And I mentioned ‘positive, I will do it.”
Rice texted his associates and joked that he can be on ESPN. “And I used to be simply kidding round, clearly, at that time.” He then referred to as his spouse, who advised him he “higher do good and present the boys how good you’ll be able to truly be.”
Rice, who “performed basketball after I was youthful,” did simply that regardless of not having shot a ball in over a 12 months. He first made the lay-up with ease earlier than deliberately banking within the free throw shot. He made the primary three and felt no strain as he banked the ultimate three forward of his viral celebration.
“I feel the truth that I went 4 for 4 I feel is why I sort of blacked out and celebrated and took my shirt off and sort of went loopy for a second,” he mentioned. “Whenever you go 4 for 4, it simply sort of places you excessive. The beer was a bonus.”
Shedding His Marriage ceremony Ring
Rice is an everyday in New York poker circles and is pleasant with prime New York crushers like Shaun Deeb and Jesse Lonis.
“I play regionally as a result of I’ve three youngsters; I’ve a ten, 8-year-old and a 2-year-old proper now,” he mentioned. “Something (at) Turning Stone or Rivers I play, mainly.”
Rice is a two-time Circuit ring winner each of which he gained on the 2022 WSOPC Turning Stone cease. He first gained Occasion #1: $400 NLH for $27,372 earlier than his six-figure Predominant Occasion rating, an occasion that his buddy Deeb would go on to win the following 12 months.
Rice misplaced a special sort of ring throughout his celebration. He observed someday afterward that his wedding ceremony ring was lacking. Fortunately, a cleaner on the area discovered it. “So I’ve obtained to go choose that up on Monday,” Rice mentioned.
*Lead picture courtesy ESPN Sportscenter through Siena Saints
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