Mike Scarborough

Total Winnings
$273,664

Season IX’s Hollywood Poker Showdown final table was stacked with some big names. Ali Eslami, William Reynolds, Tom Marchese, and the legendary Erik Seidel all made the top six, but it was the unknown factor at the table who ended on top. Local Cincinnati semi-pro Mike Scarborough defeated Seidel heads-up for the title and after the fact got a compliment worth almost as much as his $273,664: After the event, Seidel said Scarborough played so well, Seidel couldn’t believe he wasn’t a full time pro.

The local grinder, nicknamed The Cincinnati Kid by several people at the Indiana event, may not be a pro, but he is well known in the area for being a force at the tournament tables. During the series of events leading up to the WPT Main Event, Scarborough posted two wins and a runner-up finish. The unofficial Player of the Series showed up on the second day of play for the $10,000 event and decided to put his winnings to use and take a shot against the pros. After taking down the title, Scarborough donated a portion of his winnings to ALS research.

The decision proved to be a life-changing one and ever since his big win at his home casino, Scarborough has been spotted in Las Vegas at both the WPT Championship and the 2011 World Series of Poker.