Poker star hospitalized after ATV crash

The poker world was shocked by the news that during a rafting trip in Oregon with some close friends, poker superstar Phil Laak suffered major injuries including broken bones in his wrist and elbow, as well as facial lacerations, when he crashed his ATV on Thursday.  

Laak was treated at a local hospital and is recovering nicely from the injuries. He even found the opportunity to Tweet about the accident, complete with pictures from the hospital bed:

Atv accident, massive arm injury and lacerations to eye in Oregon. Life is good http://twitpic.com/2byjbo

Stitches forthcoming. Could have been worse I’m lucky to be in one piece http://twitpic.com/2bz95e

Laak’s good friend Antonio Esfandiari explained just how bad it could have been to Card Player Magazine: “We were following Dave and Tony on the ATVs and we were keeping up very well… We went over a sand dune, but there was a drop hidden behind it. It could have happened to either of us, honestly. Phil tried to jump off in mid-air, but he ended up landing on his bike. His elbow is broken and his wrist is all jacked up. His eye is also really messed up. Had it been one millimeter off, he’d probably be blind.”

Laak is one of the most popular players in the poker world, not only for his tremendous success at the poker tables, but also because of his quirky behavior, crazy side-bets, and relationship with actress Jennifer Tilly.

He recently made major headlines, in and out of the poker world, when he set the record for the longest poker session in history -playing an astonishing 115 hours straight-putting himself in the Guinness Book of World Records, and crushing the previous record of 78 hours held by UK poker pro Paul Zimbler. Laak, like Zimbler before him, donated all of his winnings during the session to charity, and encouraged those following the game to donate as well. The lucky recipient was Camp Sunshine, a summer camp for terminally ill children and their families.

Laak, who is known as the UnaBomber in poker because of his trademark ‘Hoodie’ and sunglasses is considered to be one of the best poker players in the world, and is a regular participant on High Stakes Poker, and other poker telecasts, Laak also has lent his name to a new online Poker Room on the Cake Poker Network, UnaBomber Poker.

Laak’s popularity is almost unprecedented in the poker world; I say this because even though he has nearly $2 million in career tournament winnings, Laak has never won a major tournament! Very few cash game players have been able to break into the upper ranks of poker personalities without serious tournament success, but it just goes to show a likeable and entertaining Laak is at the poker tables.

Here is hoping for a speedy recovery for the UnaBomber.