World Poker Tour

Tony Licastro “All In“

Hometown
Long Valley, NJ

Total Winnings
$1,035,000

Anthony Licastro is a lifelong East Coast resident who worked hard throughout his life to make a comfortable living for his family. He learned how to move up the ladder of success and now owns and operates the Rockaway Bedding Centers home furnishings chain of retail stores, a familiar name to residents of the Jersey area. Managing a number of stores requires time, but he found a way to handle the business, spend time at home with his wife and four daughters, and play a little poker when time permitted.

In 2004, Tony decided to take some of the rewards he reaped from his successful business endeavors to the felt. He knew that years of home games and weekends in the casinos of Atlantic City could be put to use. He first entered a small tournament at the 2004 Trump Classic in A.C. and almost doubled his money by cashing in 17th place. The next tournament cash tripled his buy-in, and he was feeling more confident.

Tony had his eye on a big title to add to his life's list of accomplishments. He cashed in a World Series of Poker event, but when the World Poker Tour came to Foxwoods in late 2005, he traveled there to play the satellites. From a $225 qualifying tournament, he was soon playing in the WPT's World Poker Finals main event. After days of grueling play, he finished in second place to take home a little more than $1 million. Spurred on by his success, he has two victories to his name since the WPT finish, and he continues to play as much as possible. As a second career, poker wasn't a bad choice at all.