{{Short description|American poker player (born 1986)}} {{for|the Irish hurler|Tom Dwan (hurler)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox poker player |name=Tom Dwan |nickname=durrrr |image=Tom Dwan.jpg |caption=Tom Dwan on ''[[High Stakes Poker]]'' in 2008 |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|7|30}} |birth_place=[[Edison, New Jersey]], U.S. |wsop bracelet count=''None'' |wsop final tables=3 |wsop money finishes=11 |wsop main event best finish rank=593rd |wsop main event best finish year=2024 |multi-year wsop winner= |wpt titles=''None'' |wpt final tables=1 |wpt money finishes=2 |ept titles=''None'' |ept final tables=''None'' |ept money finishes=1 }}
'''Thomas Dwan Jr.''' (born July 30, 1986)<ref name="WSOP">{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Nicole |date=September 5, 2008 |title=The PokerNews Profile: Tom Dwan |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2008/09/pokernews-profile-tom-dwan-durrrr.htm |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=PokerNews.com}}</ref> is an American professional [[poker]] player who played [[Online poker|online]] in the highest-stakes No-Limit [[Texas hold 'em]] and Pot-Limit [[Omaha hold 'em|Omaha]] games, primarily on [[Full Tilt Poker]] under the screen name "'''durrrr'''".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Wise |date=September 22, 2011 |title=Tom Dwan breaks his silence |url=https://www.espn.com/poker/story/_/id/7004866/tom-dwan-breaks-silence-speaks-full-tilt-poker-mistakes-made-one-world-largest-online-poker-sites |access-date=January 24, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Dwan has won prize money in live [[poker tournament]]s and has appeared on [[NBC]]'s ''[[National Heads-Up Poker Championship]]'', the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons of ''[[Poker After Dark]]'', the third, fourth, and fifth seasons of Full Tilt Poker's ''Million Dollar Cash Game'', and the fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth seasons of [[Game Show Network|GSN]]'s ''[[High Stakes Poker]]''.
== Early life == Tom Dwan was born on July 30, 1986, in [[Edison, New Jersey]].<ref name="edisoncard">{{Cite news |last=Pajich |first=Bob |date=January 11, 2008 |title=Lee Watkinson Wins Aussie Millions Event No. 7 |work=[[Card Player]] |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/3297-lee-watkinson-wins-aussie-millions-event-no-7 |access-date=December 23, 2020}}</ref> In season 5, week 7 of NBC's ''[[Poker After Dark]]'', Dwan revealed that he worked for [[McDonald's]] prior to playing poker full-time. He attended [[Boston University]] before [[dropping out]] after the first year to pursue playing poker full-time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom 'durrrr' Dwan |url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/tom-dwan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325220036/http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/tom-dwan |archive-date=March 25, 2010 |access-date=March 29, 2010 |publisher=Full Tilt Poker}}</ref>
==Poker career== {{refimprove section|date=May 2025}} {{verify sources|section|date=May 2025}} === Online poker === Dwan began playing online poker with a $50 bankroll. He initially focused on [[Glossary of poker terms#S|sit-and-go]] tournaments, later switching to multiplayer [[cash games]] then to [[Glossary of poker terms#H|heads-up]] cash games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Won'durrrr'ful Life of Tom Dwan - Card Player Poker Magazine - Jan 23, 2009 |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65731-tom-dwan-22-1/articles/18095-the-won-39-durrrr-39-ful-life-of-tom-dwan |access-date=2026-03-21 |website=Card Player |language=en-US|date=Jan 23, 2009|last=Arnett|first=Kristy}}</ref>
According to HighStakesDB.com, a site that tracks high-stakes online poker, Dwan earned $312,800 in 2007 on [[Full Tilt Poker]] and $5.41 million in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Player Profile Durrrr |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/durrrr.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125070719/http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/durrrr.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=April 10, 2009 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> Before the [[2007 World Series of Poker]], Dwan claimed to have lost, at the time, $2 million of his $3 million bankroll, over a four-month period.<ref name="Wondurrrrful">{{Cite magazine |last=Amett |first=Kristy |date=January 22, 2009 |title=The Won'durrrr'ful Life of Tom Dwan |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65739-tom-dwan-6-4/articles/18288-the-won-39-durrrr-39-ful-life-of-tom-dwan |access-date=March 29, 2024 |magazine=[[Card Player]]}}</ref>
He recovered from this loss within a year.{{cn|date=May 2025}} In January 2009, Dwan lost more than $3.5 million, which he recovered after six months.{{cn|date=May 2025}} However, from late October to late December 2009, Dwan suffered his then-largest downswing, losing approximately $2 million to [[Phil Ivey]] and [[Ilari Sahamies|Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies]].{{cn|date=May 2025}}
In late 2009, the online poker player known as “Isildur1” faced Tom Dwan in a series of high-stakes heads-up games, simultaneously playing on six tables with over a million dollars in play. Over the course of the sessions, Isildur1 won several million dollars from Dwan during one of the most notable periods of high-stakes online poker action. The player was later revealed to be the then-19-year-old Swedish professional [[Viktor Blom]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Viktor ‘Isildur1’ Blom - Card Player Poker Magazine - Oct 13, 2011 |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/cardplayer-poker-magazines/65891-viktor-blom-24-11/articles/19753-viktor-isildur1-blom |access-date=2026-01-22 |website=Card Player |language=en-US}}</ref><!--ARTICLE IS NOT ABOUT BLOM; FOLLOWING CONTENT IS UNSOURCED AND OFF-SUBJECT: In mid-November 2009, Blom challenged Dwan to a series of [[Heads up poker|heads-up]] [[Betting in poker#No limit|No Limit]] [[Hold'em]] [[cash game]]s.{{cn}} Blom's foray into online high-stakes cash games began in late October 2009, when he initially lost $1.1 million to [[Patrik Antonius]], [[Brian Townsend (poker player)|Brian Townsend]], and other high-stakes players.{{cn}} By the beginning of November, Blom had recovered his losses;{{cn}}-->
Dwan became involved in bringing this mysterious online-only player into public view,<ref name=WiseIsildur1>{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Wise |date=December 4, 2009 |title=Wise: High-stakes players stepping back |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=4713282 |access-date=December 8, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name = DwanIsildur1unmasking/> via Dwan's issuing an invitation to Blom to participate in the ''[[Full Tilt Poker]] Durrrr Million Dollar Challenge'', live in London, on November 17–19 2009; Finnish Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies, British Sammy "any two" George, and Italian Marcello "Luckexpress" Marigiano were already confirmed for the event.<ref name = DwanIsildur1unmasking>{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2009 |title=Tom Dwan issues live challenge to Isildur1 |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/tom-dwan-issues-live-challenge-to-isildur1-45131 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115120950/http://www.pokerlistings.com/tom-dwan-issues-live-challenge-to-isildur1-45131 |archive-date=November 15, 2009 |website=PokerListings.com}}</ref><!--So what happened? Did he attend? How did the play then go?-->{{update after|2025|5|29}}
At the end of 2009, HighStakesDB.com reported that Dwan had lost $4.35 million in 2009, which lowered his cumulative online poker winnings at Full Tilt since January 2007 at approximately $1.4 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Player Profile Durrrr |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/statistics/2009/durrrr.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115181134/http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/statistics/2009/durrrr.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 15, 2010 |access-date=January 4, 2010 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> HighStakesDB.com also reported that after stepping down in limits following his loss to Blom/Isildur1, Dwan won $2.7 million in December 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 28, 2009 |title=Year-end summary for durrrr |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/1364-year-end-summary-for-durrrr.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231084146/http://www.highstakesdb.com/1364-year-end-summary-for-durrrr.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=December 31, 2009 |access-date=December 30, 2009 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> According to the same site, Dwan had more than recouped his 2009 losses in the first few months of 2010; he was reported to have won $1.6 million in the first two weeks of April 2010,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2010 |title=durrrr and Patrik Antonius making some nice profit in April |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/1531-durrrr-and-patrik-antonius-making-some-nice-profit-in-april.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416022753/http://www.highstakesdb.com/1531-durrrr-and-patrik-antonius-making-some-nice-profit-in-april.aspx |archive-date=April 16, 2010 |access-date=April 14, 2010 |website=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> and after a session in which he won $1.6 million from Sahamies in a little over two hours,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2010 |title=Durrrr wins $1.5 million from Ziigmund in just over two hours |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/1545-durrrr-wins-15m-from-ziigmund-in-just-over-two-hours.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424142645/http://www.highstakesdb.com/1545-durrrr-wins-15m-from-ziigmund-in-just-over-two-hours.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=April 24, 2010 |access-date=April 21, 2010 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> was ahead $7.3 million for the year as of April 21.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2010 |title=Durrrr is unstoppable – reaches $7.3 million in winnings |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/1546-durrrr-is-unstoppable-reaches-73-million-in-winnings.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125061907/http://www.highstakesdb.com/1546-durrrr-is-unstoppable-reaches-73-million-in-winnings.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2010 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref> However, Dwan lost about $4 million in the next three weeks, leaving him ahead about $3.3 million for 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2010 |title=Durrrr keeps plummeting |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/1588-durrrr-keeps-plummeting.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516013958/http://www.highstakesdb.com/1588-durrrr-keeps-plummeting.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |access-date=May 18, 2010 |publisher=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref>
==== Million-dollar challenge ==== In January 2009, Dwan issued a $1,000,000 challenge to play anyone online, "with the exception of [[Phil Galfond]]", heads up for 50,000 hands four-tabling at $200/$400 limits or higher No-Limit hold 'em or Pot-Limit Omaha. If his opponent is ahead after 50,000 hands, Dwan agreed to give them $1,500,000 more, while if Dwan is ahead, he will get $500,000.<ref name="PL-Million">{{Cite web |last=Polson |first=Sarah |date=January 6, 2009 |title=durrrr issues million-dollar challenge |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/durrrr-issues-million-dollar-challenge-34455 |access-date=January 7, 2009 |website=pokerlistings.com}}</ref><ref name="CPM-Million">{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Steve |date=January 6, 2009 |title=Ivey Accepts Durrrr's Poker Challenge |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/5842/ivey-accepts-durrrrs-poker-challenge |access-date=January 7, 2009 |website=CardPlayer.com}}</ref> Regarding his challengers, Dwan has said, "I think all of them actually are better over-all poker players than me – by quite a bit; I happen to think in this one area, I might have a little edge – and we'll see if I do."<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2009 |title=Cardplayer TV interview |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/tv?clip_id=35270 |access-date=January 7, 2009 |website=cardplayer.com}}</ref>
[[Patrik Antonius]] and [[Daniel Cates]] were playing Dwan as part of the challenge, but neither challenge was completed. In October 2013, Cates was ahead about $1.2 million after roughly 20,000 hands.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brian Pempus |date=October 4, 2013 |title=Dan Cates Extends Seven-Figure Lead Over Tom Dwan In Heads-Up Poker Challenge |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/16236-dan-cates-extends-lead-over-tom-dwan-in-heads-up-poker-challenge |magazine=[[Card Player]] |access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref> Since then, however, Cates has publicly claimed that Dwan has stopped playing and is not responding to his queries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthew Showell |date=September 22, 2014 |title=Jungleman: Dwan Won't Play, Pay Penalties in durrrr Challenge |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/jungleman-dwan-avoiding-playing-penalties-in-durrrr-challenge-66484 |access-date=May 12, 2015 |publisher=pokerlistings.com}}</ref> In August 2017, Cates stated that Dwan had paid him approximately $800,000 in penalties for not playing, that Dwan was committed to finishing the game, and they expected it to be completed by the end of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Op de Woerd |first=Frank |date=August 10, 2017 |title=Railbird Report: Tom Dwan Paid Dan Cates $700,000 in Penalties |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2017/08/poker-railbird-report-tom-dwan-paid-dan-cates-penalties-28719.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=May 2026}}
=== Live tournaments === At the age of 19, Dwan cashed in at his first live tournament, finishing 12th in the £3,000 [[betting (poker)|no limit]] Texas Hold 'em Main Event of the [[European Poker Tour]]'s [[European Poker Tour season 2 results|second season]] held in London, earning £7,000 ($12,398). His next cash was not until he was 21 years old, at the [[World Poker Tour]]'s 2007 World Poker Finals $9,700 No Limit Hold 'em Championship Event, where he finished 4th earning $324,244.<ref name="results">{{Cite web |last=Butt, Robert |title=Tom Dwan – results |url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=50670 |access-date=April 23, 2008 |publisher=The Hendon Mob}}</ref> In January 2008, Dwan finished second at the [[Aussie Millions]] A$3,000 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys event, winning A$103,200 ($90,716) and later finished in 62nd place in the A$10,000 No Limit Hold 'em Main Event, good for A$25,000 ($21,976).<ref name="results" /> Dwan finished second to James Michael Sowers at the 2008 WPT Borgata Winter Open in the preliminary $5,000 No Limit Hold 'em event, earning $226,100.<ref name="results" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2008 |title=Mike "SowersUNCC" Sowers Takes Down $5k Borgata Winter Poker Open Event for $399,000 |url=http://www.poker-king.com/poker-king-articles.php?article=361 |access-date=April 23, 2008 |website=Poker-King.com}}</ref>
Dwan cashed twice in the first year that he could to play in a [[World Series of Poker]] (WSOP) event held in the United States. Dwan reached the final table in the $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event at the [[2008 World Series of Poker]] finishing in 8th place, earning $54,144. He nearly made another in a seven-person final table, but finished again in 8th, this time in the $5,000 No Limit 2–7 Draw with Rebuys event, earning $45,110.<ref name="results" />
Dwan participated in the 2008 NBC [[National Heads-Up Poker Championship]] held at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, where in his first match he defeated [[Phil Hellmuth]] in the third hand. Dwan was eliminated in the next round by [[Mike Matusow]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lucchesi |first=Ryan |date=March 1, 2008 |title=NBC National Heads-Up Championship Day 2 |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/article/11001/nbc-national-heads-up-championship-day-2 |access-date=April 23, 2008 |website=CardPlayer.com}}</ref> At the 2008 Five-Star World Poker Classic (the $25,500 WPT Championship), Dwan finished in ninth place, winning $184,670.<ref name="P5live-HAT">{{Cite web |last=Court |date=April 24, 2008 |title=Hat Bet is Over, Durrrr 9th |url=http://www.pocketfiveslive.com/hat-bet-durrrr-9th-71/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131135949/http://www.pocketfiveslive.com/hat-bet-durrrr-9th-71/ |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=April 25, 2008 |website=PocketFivesLIVE.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hands #37–38: Tom "Durrrr" Dwan Eliminated in 9th Place |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/live_updates/14236/18885?page=2 |access-date=April 25, 2008 |website=WPT Enterprises, Inc. |publisher=CardPlayer.com}}</ref>
At the [[2010 World Series of Poker]] in the [[2010 World Series of Poker results#Event 11|$1,500 No Limit Hold 'em event]], Dwan finished in second place for $381,885.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full House gets Simon Watt the win |url=http://www.wsop.com/pdfs/reports/10832-final-report.pdf |website=WSOP.com}}</ref>
In 2011, Dwan cashed three times at the [[2011 World Series of Poker]], including a 5th-place finish in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for $134,480.<ref>{{Cite web |title=42nd World Series of Poker – WSOP 2011, No Limit Hold'em – Heads-Up Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=51863 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=42nd World Series of Poker – WSOP 2011, Pot Limit Omaha – Six Handed |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=51897 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=42nd World Series of Poker – WSOP 2011, H.O.R.S.E. – Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=51899 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en}}</ref>
As of 2024, his total live tournament winnings exceed $6.8 million.<ref name="Hendon">{{Cite web |title=Tom Dwan's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=50670 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}</ref>
In 2016, Dwan went under the radar and was notably absent from that year's WSOP. It was rumored that he was traveling to Montenegro to play in [[Richard Yong]]'s Casino. He was, however, present in two events including the Third Edition of the Triton Super High Roller Series in Manila and was seen in company of Daniel Cates.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2016 |title=The Day That Saw Tom Dwan Return (Manila 2016) |url=http://somuchpoker.com/the-day-that-saw-tom-dwan-return-manila-2016/ |access-date=April 29, 2017 |website=So Much Poker |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2017, Dwan appeared at the Macau Billionaire's Poker 2017 Spring Challenge set at the Babylon Casino in Macau. Running from March 17 to 20, the Super High Roller saw Dwan lose the final against Belarus player [[Mikita Badziakouski]]. For his first live cash tournament since February 2014, Dwan pocketed the runner-up prize of US$275,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pitt |first=Matthew |date=March 20, 2017 |title=Mikita Badziakouski Defeats Tom Dwan Heads Up to Win Super High Roller |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2017/03/mikita-badziakouski-defeats-tom-dwan-27413.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== Live cash-games === Dwan previously held the record for the largest pot won in a televised live game at over $1.1 million, which occurred during the fourth season of Full Tilt Poker's ''Million Dollar Cash Game''. This record broke the previous record of over $919,000 also won by Dwan in the fifth season of ''High Stakes Poker''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ivey, durrrr play largest pot in TV history |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/ivey-durrrr-play-largest-pot-in-tv-history-44072 |access-date=March 21, 2011 |website=Pokerlistings.com|date=September 20, 2009 }}</ref> He regained the record when he won a pot of $3.1 million during the Hustler Casino Live Million Dollar Game at the end of May 2023, with his pair of Queens beating [[Wesley Fei]]’s Ace High.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Owens |first=Jason |date=May 31, 2023 |title=Poker pro Tom Dwan calls down bluff for $3.1M, largest pot in broadcast history |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/poker-pro-tom-dwan-calls-down-bluff-for-31m-largest-pot-in-broadcast-history-202437732.html |access-date=June 26, 2023 |website=Yahoo! Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2016, Dwan has spent much of his time playing high stakes cash games in [[Macau]] and [[Manila]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holloway |first=Chad |date=March 13, 2014 |title=Tom Hall Reveals Intimate Details of Macau's High-Stakes Poker Cash Games |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2014/03/tom-hall-reveals-intimate-details-of-macau-poker-17725.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ivey, Dwan, and Cates Playing HK$20,000/$40,000/$80,000 in Manila |url=https://www.highstakesdb.com/6029-ivey-dwan-and-cates-playing-hk200004000080000-in-manila.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810213348/http://www.highstakesdb.com/6029-ivey-dwan-and-cates-playing-hk200004000080000-in-manila.aspx|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tom Dwan – The Story of Success |url=https://gamblerkey.org/articles/tom-dwan-biography |website=gamblerkey.org |language=en-CA}}</ref>
More recently, he has mostly (though not completely) abandoned standard [[Texas hold 'em]] in favor of [[Six-plus hold 'em|short-deck hold 'em]]. In a 2018 interview with ''Poker News'', he said that he viewed poker as more of a game than a sport, and also tired of what he saw as the constant staredowns many players employed. While he admitted to having popularized staredowns, he objected to players doing so even when they were not in a crucial situation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pill |first=Jon |date=August 3, 2018 |title=Tom Dwan Wants the Stare Downs to End |url=https://www.highstakesdb.com/8972-tom-dwan-wants-the-stare-downs-to-end.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807125523/https://www.highstakesdb.com/8972-tom-dwan-wants-the-stare-downs-to-end.aspx |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 7, 2018 |access-date=August 7, 2018 |website=HighStakesDB.com}}</ref>
==== Full Tilt Poker Durrrr Million Dollar Challenge ==== Dwan's Million Dollar Challenge was expanded to a 500-hand live heads-up format in the [[Full Tilt Poker]] Durrrr Million Dollar Challenge. The event was held November 17 to 19, 2009, at Les Ambassadeurs Club in London and televised by [[Sky Sports]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}
The rules of the Challenge were that each player paid $250,000 for the privilege of playing, blinds were set at $500/$1,000 with each opponent having the choice of playing either [[Texas hold 'em]] or [[Pot Limit Omaha]] (PLO). Neither player could leave the match until at least 500 hands had been completed or one of them lost all of his buy-in and decided not to re-buy. Dwan's opponents were Marcello "luckexpress" Marigliano, [[Ilari Sahamies|Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies]], and Sammy "Any Two" George, respectively.<ref name="cypra">{{Cite web |last=Cypra |first=Dan |date=November 21, 2009 |title=Full Tilt Poker Million Dollar Challenge: Tom Dwan Takes Sammy George for $750,000 |url=https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/full-tilt-poker-million-dollar-challenge-tom-dwan-takes-sammy-george-for-750000-6571/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=Poker News Daily |language=en-US}}</ref>
The first match between Dwan and Marigliano consisted mainly of Texas hold 'em, although the players did agree to play Pot Limit Omaha near the end of the match. Dwan lost $22,500 which was highlighted by two bluffs by Marigliano. In the second match between Dwan and Sahamies the players played only Pot Limit Omaha. Although the match started surprisingly slow considering the history of online competition between Dwan and Sahamies, the match eventually became aggressive as expected. There were several large pots resulting in large swings in both players’ stacks. After 12 hours, the match concluded with Dwan winning $68,000.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}
The final round pitted Dwan against George in an exclusively Texas hold 'em match.<ref name="cypra" /> During the match, the parties agreed to a 7–2 prop bet wherein if a player wins a pot with 7–2 then he earns an additional $10,000. This led to one of the most memorable bluffs in television poker history when Dwan bet $479,500 on the river, all in, into a pot of only $162,000. Dwan was bluffing with 7–2 against George's two pair (aces and sixes). George folded his two pair after much consideration even though Dwan, after making a 6x pre-flop raise, had said he had 7–2 and just wanted the blinds. George went on to lose $750,000.<ref name="cypra" /> Dwan made a final profit of $795,500 after winning two of the three matches.
=== Team Full Tilt === In November 2009, Dwan became a member of [[Full Tilt Poker#Team Full Tilt|Team Full Tilt]] and re-signed as a [[brand ambassador]] for the site on October 15, 2012.<ref name="tft">{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2009 |title=Full Tilt Poker Adds Tom "durrrr" Dwan to Team Full Tilt |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2009/11/full-tilt-poker-signs-tom-durrrr-dwan-to-team-full-tilt-7509.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Rich |date=October 15, 2012 |title=Full Tilt Poker Adds Tom "durrrr" Dwan and Viktor "Isildur1" Blom to Roster |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/10/full-tilt-poker-tom-durrrr-dwan-viktor-isildur1-blom-13601.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref> In December 2013, Full Tilt Poker confirmed that they and Dwan "agreed to part ways following the recent expiration of Dwan’s contract".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthew Showell |date=December 16, 2013 |title=Breaking: Tom "durrrr" Dwan Dropped as Full Tilt Poker Professional |url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/breaking-tom-durrrr-dwan-dropped-as-full-tilt-poker-professional-61268 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |website=Poker Listings}}</ref>
=== High Stakes Duel III === Tom Dwan challenged the undefeated [[Phil Hellmuth]] in round 2 of the [[High Stakes Duel]] III by [[Poker Go]]. Dwan ended Hellmuth's winning streak and took home $200,000.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sofen |first=Jon |date=August 25, 2021 |title=Down Goes the Poker Brat: Dwan Cracks Hellmuth's Aces Again to Win High Stakes Duel III |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2021/08/tom-dwan-beats-phil-hellmuth-high-stakes-duel-39704.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref> The pair have agreed to a third round at double the stakes to take place in Las Vegas at some point during the 2021 [[World Series of Poker]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sofen |first=Jon |date=September 4, 2021 |title=Phil Hellmuth Challenges Tom Dwan to High Stakes Duel III Rematch |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2021/09/phil-hellmuth-tom-dwan-rematch-39776.htm |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Style=== In a [[YouTube]] video commenting on hands played by Dwan at the [[Hustler Casino]] in California 2023, friend and fellow high-stakes poker player [[Phil Galfond]] described Tom Dwan as having the most thoughts per minute of any poker player he knows. Galfond mentioned that Dwan is factoring in bits and pieces of information at a speed and depth of thought that is "ridiculous".<ref>{{cite AV media |date= June 16, 2023 |title= How Tom Dwan Won $4,200,000 With Speech Tells REVEALED |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx0AWBMnPqM |access-date= September 5, 2023 |time= 18:21 |location= |publisher= [[Phil Galfond]] |type=YouTube }}</ref>
===Career earnings and debts=== As of April 2025, Dwan's total live tournament winnings is approximately $7 million.<ref name="Hendon" />
Dwan has been embroiled in a long-running saga involving allegations of unpaid debts. Reports suggest that Dwan owes significant sums of money to various individuals, with some estimates placing his total debt at around $30 million;<ref>{{cite web | title=Doug Polk: Dwan owes a total of $30 million | website=SpadePoker | date=2024-03-21 | url=https://www.spadepoker.com/en/news/doug-polk-dwan-owes-a-total-of-30-million/ | access-date=2026-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.vip-grinders.com/doug-polk-says-tom-dwan-owes-30-million/| title=Doug Polk Says Tom Dwan Owes $30 Million!| date= 2024-03-21| accessdate=2025-08-02}}</ref> this figure includes debts to poker players such as [[Daniel Cates|Daniel "Jungleman" Cates]], [[Peter Jetten]], and [[Haralabos Voulgaris]], as well as rumored connections to high-stakes games in Macau and alleged dealings with the [[Triad (organized crime)|Chinese Triads]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-07 |title=Tom Dwan's Debt Saga in 2024 & Joining the ACR Team {{!}} GipsyTeam.Com |url=https://www.gipsyteam.com/news/15-03-2024/tom-dwan-s-debt-saga-in-2024 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.gipsyteam.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Spade" />
== References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/34441-tom-dwan Card Player profile] *[https://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/tom-dwan-50670/ Global Poker Index profile] *[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=50670 Hendon Mob profile] *[https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/tom-dwan/ PokerNews profile] *[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=1414 WSOP profile] *[https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/tom-dwan/ WPT profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwan, Tom}} [[Category:1986 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American poker players]] [[Category:Poker After Dark tournament winners]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Edison, New Jersey]]