Dashing for Dollars: Michigan’s Dash Dudley Talks Winning WSOP Bracelet No. 3, Online Poker, & the Importance of Family
It was a big summer at the World Series of Poker for players from regulated online poker states. New Jersey’s Dan Zack won the Player of the Year and Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Kaupp won the Tournament of Champions.
A Michigan player, Dash Dudley, also came up with some nice scores including his third bracelet. In late June, he took down a $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em for $301,396.
It was a nice win after planning a limited schedule. Dudley came close to a win just before that, taking runner-up in the $50,000 High Roller Pot Limit Omaha for $861,442.
“I came in only planning to play five or six tournaments,” he tells USPoker. “I had an amazing run in the $50,000 PLO and I came so close to winning. Although it felt great, I still wanted to win. Finding bracelet number three for my daughter, Dari, is something I can barely describe. I gave it all my heart and it was such a huge blessing to get this win.”
On the road to WSOP glory
Dudley, 36, lives in Lansing and says one key moment sticks out from the Turbo Bounty win. He was all in on Day 2 on a short stack with a less-than-ideal hand. His 6-2 off-suit held up somehow, and he went on to catch fire throughout the event.
“Another big moment was also having another packed rail supporting me at my final table,” he adds. “It was totally unreal. It took so long to win the first one, number three didn’t even seem possible.”
And despite having $2.7 million in WSOP earnings, much of that isn’t in No Limit Hold’em. In 2019, Dudley’s bracelet came in the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Eight-Handed for $1.1 million.
The same year he also won a PLO event in the WSOP Europe for €51,600. PLO seems to be a specialty of his, so it felt good for Dudley to grab a NLHE title.
“It was pretty unexpected,” he says. “I was really only planning to play one NLHE event, that being the Main Event. However, in any tournament I enter, my goal is always to win and collect that hardware.”
God is great 🙏🏽! Did the unthinkable today and shipped #3 in a game we don’t play. Lots of luck, little skill, and lots of love got us there! So blessed! #wsop #poker #pokernews #darianna #bracelet #win #endgame #shortstack4life #blessed #bestrail pic.twitter.com/2XZ9pSnkKK
— Dash Dudley (@DashDudley) July 1, 2022
Poker player and family man
Michigan continues to be one of the growing US online poker markets. The state recently also signed on as part of the country’s interstate compact with Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware. Dudley is an online player himself and happy to see the industry seeing some growth and positive news from his home state.
“I think it’s great,” he says. “Online poker allows people to play from their own home, and you can play a lot of variations of games at lower stakes to learn.
“I play online when I have the opportunity, but my 10-month-old girl keeps my life busy at the moment. I think online poker will continue to grow, I know what it was like before and I think one day it’ll reach that level again.”
Obviously spending time with family is important to Dudley. He enjoys seeing his baby Darianna and wife Racquel. Adding a daughter to the family has been a joy for Dudley.
“Number one on my agenda is spending time with my family and making memories with them,” he says. “We love traveling and visiting friends and family across the country. We really try to prioritize that time when away from the poker table.”
What’s ahead?
Before poker, Dudley worked at his parents’ tree farm in Mason, Michigan, and says he’s always been business oriented. Now with $3.1 million in live tournament winnings and a big run at the tables recently, Dudley is looking for some new investments in the coming months.
With bracelet No. 3 now in hand, more poker is also in the works. However, Dudley makes it clear that family comes first.
He works hard to prioritize those who are most important in his life and they serve as motivation for his time at the tables.
“My major goals are to keep providing a good life for my family, hopefully continue to grow our family, and have continued success in my poker career,” he says. “None of this is ever possible without my faith in God and a strong support system, my wife, my mom, my friends and family. Having people who believe in you through it all is invaluable.”