Dewey Tomko

Tomko was born and raised in Glassport, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He began playing poker profitably as a 16-year-old in Pittsburgh pool halls, which allowed him to finance his education.{{Cite web |last=Pajich |first=Bob |date=2010 |title=A Brief Introduction to Dewey Tomko |url=http://www.newyinzer.com/archive/summer10/cityslang_4.html |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=New Yinzer |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030200/http://www.newyinzer.com/archive/summer10/cityslang_4.html |url-status=live }}

Tomko worked as a kindergarten teacher for several years, and often played poker through the night. After Tomko realised that playing poker was more profitable than his job, he left his full-time job, played poker full-time and invested a sum of his winnings into businesses.

Tomko won his first career WSOP bracelet in 1979, in the $1,000 No Limit Hold'em event. He defeated Duanne Hammrich heads-up to win the title and $48,000 cash prize.{{Cite web |title=10th World Series of Poker (WSOP) 1979: No Limit Hold'em |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/253-10th-world-series-of-poker-wsop-1979/3429/results |access-date=April 30, 2023 |website=CardPlayer |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030202/https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tournaments/253-10th-world-series-of-poker-wsop-1979/3429/results |url-status=live }}

At the 1984 WSOP, Dewey won two bracelets. First, he won the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw event for $105,000.{{Cite web |title=15th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1984, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8069 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406192722/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8069 |url-status=live }} The next day, he went back-to-back, winning the $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha with re-buys event for his third bracelet and $135,000.{{Cite web |title=15th World Series of Poker - WSOP 1984, Omaha Pot Limit |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8070 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810001418/http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8070 |url-status=live }}

In addition to his WSOP success, Tomko has made two World Poker Tour (WPT) final tables. He finished runner-up in the 2003 Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $552,853 and in fourth place in the Costa Rica Classic for $14,650.{{Cite web |title=2003 Bellagio Five-Diamond World Poker Classic, WPT No Limit Hold'em Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10245 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407121249/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=10245 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Costa Rica Classic, No Limit Hold'em - WPT |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=5423 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407003357/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=5423 |url-status=live }}

As of 2008, Tomko had played every WSOP Main Event since 1974, the longest streak at the time.{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Wise |date=December 22, 2008 |title=Winning the right way |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=3787211 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030118/https://www.espn.com/espn/poker/columns/story?columnist=wise_gary&id=3787211 |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

Tomko finished in third place in the 2005 WSOP Deuce-To-Seven lowball event, worth $138,160.{{Cite web |title=36th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2005, No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8823 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406132626/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8823 |url-status=live }} He made the final table of the first WSOP $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament in 2006, which featured some of the best tournament and cash game poker players in the world. He finished in seventh place earning $343,200.{{Cite web |title=37th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2006, H.O.R.S.E. |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17236 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob |language=en |archive-date=February 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220114516/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17236 |url-status=live }}

As of 2010, Tomko's total live tournament winnings exceeded $4,960,000.{{Cite web |title=Duane Tomko's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=230 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en |archive-date=November 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105161034/https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=230 |url-status=live }} Just over half of his tournament winnings, $2,641,573, have come at the WSOP.{{Cite web |title=Dewey Tomko |url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=226 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=WSOP.com |archive-date=February 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220221209/https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=226 |url-status=live }} He is a 2008 inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame. He was inducted alongside Henry Orenstein.{{Cite web |last=Pajich |first=Bob |date=October 31, 2008 |title=Dewey Tomko and Henry Orenstein in Poker Hall of Fame |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/5408-dewey-tomko-and-henry-orenstein-in-poker-hall-of-fame |access-date=April 30, 2023 |website=CardPlayer.com |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411171333/https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/5408-dewey-tomko-and-henry-orenstein-in-poker-hall-of-fame |url-status=live }}

Tomko is married with a son, Derek, who encouraged him to return to playing poker tournaments.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Gary |date=February 12, 2006 |title=Is Polk's Poker Master Stil Having Fun? - You Betcha |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/02/13/is-polks-poker-master-stil-having-fun-you-betcha/25831987007/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030119/https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/02/13/is-polks-poker-master-stil-having-fun-you-betcha/25831987007/ |url-status=live }}

Tomko is an excellent golfer, spending much of his time on the golf course when he is not playing poker.{{Cite web |last=Boisineau |first=Jeffrey |date=April 5, 2015 |title=Dewey Tomko: Rambling Gambling Man |url=http://archive.proplayerinsiders.com/nfl-player-team-news-features/dewey-tomko-poker-gambling-man/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Pro Player Insiders |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kaplan |first=Michael |date=2007 |title=The Hold'em Hackers |url=https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/the-holdem-hackers-8999 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Cigar Aficionado |language=en-US |archive-date=May 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519180607/https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/the-holdem-hackers-8999 |url-status=live }} He has played with many of his fellow high-stakes poker players like Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, and many others.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} One of his most frequent golf partners is fellow poker professional Hilbert Shirey, who also lives in Tomko's hometown of Winter Haven, Florida.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Gary |date=February 13, 2006 |title=For Poker Pro, Golf Is a Side Bet |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/02/13/for-poker-pro-golf-is-a-side-bet/25831796007/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US}}

Rick Reilly chronicles a day with Dewey on a golf course in his book Who's Your Caddy.{{Cite web |last=Hudy |first=Stan |date=August 25, 2003 |title=Hudy’s Hardcovers: ‘Who’s Your Caddy’ makes for entertaining round |url=https://www.saratogian.com/news/hudys-hardcovers-whos-your-caddy-makes-for-entertaining-round/article_bd906468-afa7-58c4-af07-c3480f0fc126.html |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=Saratogian |language=en-US |archive-date=May 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501030758/https://www.saratogian.com/2003/08/25/hudys-hardcovers-whos-your-caddy-makes-for-entertaining-round/ |url-status=live }}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/1285-dewey-tomko Card Player profile]
• [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=230 Hendon Mob profile]
• [https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/duane-dewey-tomko/ PokerNews profile]
• [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/dewey-tomko/ WPT profile]
• [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=226 WSOP profile]

{{1970s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}

{{1980s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}

{{Poker Hall of Fame}}

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Category:1946 births

Category:American poker players

Category:Living people

Category:People from Glassport, Pennsylvania

Category:People from Winter Haven, Florida

Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners

Category:Super Bowl of Poker event winners

Category:Poker Hall of Fame inductees