HOUSTON – Just outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, Houstonian Robbie Beck prepares for another day at the poker table.
The former Rice University football player is currently trying to make the professional tour and has won close to $200,000 in prize money playing cards.
“Winning is fun. Winning never gets old. Being able to do what you love is fun and make money at the same time ... what else could be better?" Beck said.
Beck's road to professional poker started in college. He played poker for fun with some of his football teammates.
Beck was running back for the Owls from 2000 until 2003. He has the third-most rushing touchdowns in school history.
"The on-field accomplishments are important to me,” Beck said. “But my favorite part of playing college football was the brotherhood with all my teammates."
After graduating, he never lost his passion for poker and played a few tournaments a year, but his full-time sales job was most important.
Things changed after a vacation to Thailand in 2018.
"My purpose in Thailand was to reset, unplug and rest,” Beck said. “I got inspired by the people, the culture, they love each other, really inspired me. I was feeling in Thailand: 'What else is there?' And I found I wanted to live a life with no regrets and follow my own passions, which led me to poker.”
Beck competes on the World Series of Poker circuit. Last month, he had his biggest payday, winning $25,000.