(Photo: WSOP.com)
With $1million at stake for the winner, the railing might be expected to get a bit noisy, but for Luke Vrabel it turned into a nightmare – the pro claiming that the floorman called him ‘an asshole’ and refused to prevent those watching the finale of the Colossus III event, including Matt Affleck’s girlfriend, from abusing him.
Vrabel, who is well-known himself for his loud and somewhat difficult behavior, was on the receiving end of what has been described as ‘constant abuse’ – one spectator so disgusted by what he witnessed that he has written an open letter to WSOP Director Jack Effel.
(Photo: Cardplayer.com)
Daniel Dandreo, a Massachusetts businessman and WSOP regular, described the events as the WSOP’s biggest event numbers-wise was down to 10 players, one before the final table would be set.
“There is a group of very loud players on the rail to my left and located directly across from 7 seat (Vrabel). There were 6-10 people and a few were drinking and most of them were making comments to one player at the table. Vrabel in the 7 seat,” wrote Dandreo in his letter, posted openly on the 2+2 forum.
“They were loud, they were rude, and they were obnoxious. They were mere feet away. I couldn’t believe it. These guys were in a high profile final table, and people 4-5 feet away were taunting one of the players.”
In an immensely long series of tweets, Vrabel himself described the events…
…and wrote cliff notes on a similarly lengthy Facebook post which he titled ‘I AM QUITTING THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER, AND HERE IS WHY…’ Vrabel claims:
- floorman jason b. berated me and was combative with me with 10 left playing for 1 million dollars;
- told me to "put my headphones on if it's bothering you," when I complained about being distracted when I have 80 percent hearing loss in my left ear;
- allowed players to heckle me from the rail and called security on me for objecting, even referred to me as "that guy’s an asshole" after I'd been a gentleman to him the entire day;
- MATT AFFLECK and his girlfriend personally tried to angle and tilt me by continuing to talk at me, I ASKED SECURITY to tell her stop speaking to me and they told me to sit down or risk a penalty;
Vrabel’s list continued, and he ended with:
“I will no longer play there because of how I was abused and mistreated.”
Vrabel also tweeted a photo of the security who Dandreo describes as being:
“On each side of him, imposing over him. Intimidating him. Nothing was said to the crowd, their position was one that they were poised to eject 7 seat from the event.”
Dandreo’s open letter asks Effel to make amends to Vrabel, stating:
“WSOP failed to protect this player and this kid was damaged. He was publicly ridiculed, then bullied and intimidated by your staff, and I call on you as an executive to clear this up. It’s not an easy situation, but I’m confident you will do the right thing.”
Vrabel, who made headlines back in 2011 when won $700,000 and a Lamborghini Gallardo in the PokerStars Sunday Million, eventually bust out in 9th place for $79,827, the biggest live cash of his career. The Colossus III was won by Thomas Pomponio who walked off with $1million.
The WSOP have yet to comment on Vrabel and Dandreo’s claims.