Scottish Online Poker Fan Hits Vegas Jackpot After Losing Job

Richard Sinclair is trying his luck in the casinos of Las Vegas after losing his job.

A poker ace from Scotland hit the jackpot in Las Vegas after he was made redundant back home.

While most people would worry about losing their jobs, Richard Sinclair, from the town of Livingstone, used the tough break as the opportunity to follow his dreams and put the skills he has developed through playing online poker to the test in the world's gambling capital.

And not only did the 34-year-old take home £10,000 from a major Vegas poker tournament, but playing alongside Steve Davis in the European World Series of Poker team has convinced the former industrial machine programmer that he has got what it takes to become a full-time player.

"I went over more in hope than expectation but I knew with a wee bit of luck I could do something," Mr Sinclair told the Scotsman.

"The money is a timely boost at what could have been a tough time. It has given me a bit of breathing space and I have a bankroll now to give professional poker playing a shot."

Davis, who won six snooker World Championships during the 1980s, is also a successful pool player as well as a poker expert, having faced fellow snooker pro Jimmy White in the final of the 2003 Poker Million tournament.