One of the most famous American gamblers is Amarillo Slim which is the professional name for Thomas Auston Preston Jr. He became famed for his proposition bets and his poker skills. Preston was born in Arkansas on the 31st of December 1928, and in 1972 he won the World Series of Poker.

Amarillo Slim was named one of the best 50 poker players in history in June 2019. After he won the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in 1972, he appeared in many talk shows and even played in a film called California Split. This made him famous in a whole different field outside of the poker scene. In total, Amarillo Slim appeared over eleven times on shows such as 60 Minutes, Good Morning America and The Tonight Show. He also appeared on Panorama, AM Los Angeles, Georgia Today and The Tomorrow Show.

At the World Series of Poker Tournament in 2007, he qualifies in the price ranges after he took a five-year break from poker tournaments. Preston is the owner of four poker bracelets at the World Series of Poker. These include the two he won at the Pot Limit Omaha. During his poker playing career, he won $600,000, and in 1992 he was added to the Poker Hall of Fame.

Amarillo Slim Poker Bracelets

In 1972, Amarillo Slim took part in the No-Limit Hold’em Poker main event with a buy-in of 10,000. He plays against eight others, and the prize money he wins is 80,000. In 1974 he took part in the No Limit Hold’Em tournament with a buy-in of 1,000 and participated against 21 other players, he wins 11,000. In 1985, Preston joined in the Pot Limit Omaha that requires a buy-in of 5,000 and competes against 22 others; he wins 85,000. In 1990 he plays against 71 others, the buy-in is 5,000, and he wins prize money worth 142,000.

Amarillo Slim in A World Full of Fat People

Amarillo Slim published his autobiography in May 2003, and his story includes poker games with Richard Nixon, Lyndon Johnson and Larry Flynt. Only month’s later he is charged with three indecencies on his granddaughter only twelve years old at the time. The charges are reduced then, and on the 10th of February 2004, he divorces his wife.

Preston faced an armed robbery on the 4th of October 2006, the robber fired three bullets into the car of Preston as he flees the scene, and he was not injured. He got away from the first robber although the second attack came on the 28th of January 2007 and this time he was robbed at gunpoint. Two years later on the 22nd of January 2009, Amarillo Slim got stolen again and this time also beat, near the Interstate 40 intersection and Soncy Road. His autobiography is under review and could soon be a film in which Nicolas Cage will play Preston. At age 83, Preston died after he lost the fight against colon cancer on the 29th of April 2012.