Amarillo Slim Milestones: Prop Bet Records and Wins
Thomas Austin “Amarillo Slim” Preston Jr. transformed poker from backroom gambling into primetime entertainment, winning the 1972 WSOP Main Event for $80,000 and accumulating millions through audacious prop bets that reportedly included beating Bobby Riggs at ping-pong with frying pans and collecting $300,000 from Willie Nelson playing dominoes. His colorful personality and 11 Tonight Show appearances made him among the first poker players to achieve mainstream celebrity in the U.S., though his legacy remains complicated following legal troubles that overshadowed his contributions to modern Texas Hold’em strategy.
Editor’s Note: Many accounts of Amarillo Slim’s prop bets and winnings come from his own retellings and lack independent verification, as was common in pre-digital poker history. While widely reported in poker media, specific amounts and details should be understood as part of poker’s oral tradition rather than documented fact.
Key Takeaways
- 1972 WSOP Victory: Won Main Event official prize $80,000 (8 entrants); multiple retrospective accounts report Slim may have received about $15,000 after a deal—disputed
- $300,000 Dominoes Win: Reportedly defeated Willie Nelson in televised match on Fremont Street
- $2 Million from Larry Flynt: Reported total winnings from Hustler publisher at poker
- Four WSOP Bracelets: Including two Pot-Limit Omaha championships worth $227,000 combined
- 11 Tonight Show Appearances: First on June 12, 1972; 11 total appearances
- Death April 29, 2012: Died from colon cancer at age 83 in Amarillo, Texas
Legendary Prop Bet Victories
Amarillo Slim’s genius lay in finding angles others missed, transforming impossible wagers into guaranteed wins through meticulous preparation. His most famous victory, as recounted by Slim, came against Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs in ping-pong, where he reportedly won $10,000 by choosing iron skillets as paddles after secretly practicing for months [CardPlayer 2012, Independent 2012, Hendon Mob]. “Bobby was swinging that skillet like a fry cook on speed,” Slim recalled, winning 21-8 at the Bel Air Country Club.
When a Knoxville gambler called “Lefty” arranged a match against Taiwan’s world table tennis champion, Slim recounted that the opponent had prepared by practicing with frying pans. According to Slim’s telling, he switched tactics, arriving with two empty Coca-Cola bottles he’d discovered had only a “sixteenth of an inch” sweet spot for returning balls. The champion “never even hit the ball over the net” on his first serve, securing Slim another substantial payday, as reported by Slim himself.
| Opponent | Wager Type | Reported Amount Won | Secret Edge (per Slim) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Nelson | Dominoes | $300,000 | Superior skill at the game |
| Larry Flynt | Poker (multiple) | $2,000,000 | Poker expertise |
| Bobby Riggs | Ping-pong with skillets | $10,000 | Months of secret practice |
| Taiwan Champion | Ping-pong with Coke bottles | Undisclosed | Discovered tiny sweet spot |
| Minnesota Fats | Pool with broomstick | Undisclosed | Practiced technique |
| Evel Knievel | Golf with hammers | $10,000+ | Snow made course unplayable |
| Rick Barry | Free throws with football | Undisclosed | Switched basketball for football |
| Champion Racehorse | 100-yard dash | Undisclosed | 50-yard turnaround track |
His racehorse proposition, as he recounted it, demonstrated pure ingenuity. Slim wagered he could outrun a champion racehorse in a 100-yard dash, with the stipulation he could choose the track. He reportedly selected a 50-yard course requiring runners to go out and back—by the time the jockey slowed and turned the horse, Slim had nearly reached the finish line. These victories exemplified his philosophy: “I never go looking for a sucker. I look for a champion and make a sucker out of him.”
WSOP Championships and Tournament Success
Preston’s role in creating modern tournament poker extends beyond his famous 1972 victory. He participated in the 1969 Texas Gamblers Reunion in Reno that inspired Benny Binion to create the World Series, and was among the original seven players at the first WSOP in 1970 alongside legends chronicled in our Seven Card Stud championships history.
His 1972 Main Event victory came dramatically. Official prize $80,000 (8 entrants) [Hendon Mob, Wikipedia]; multiple retrospective accounts report Slim may have received about $15,000 after a deal—disputed. Down to just 1,500 chips with four players remaining, Slim doubled through Doyle Brunson’s pocket tens with trip fives, eventually defeating Walter “Puggy” Pearson heads-up when his K-8 made a full house against Pearson’s pocket sixes [CardPlayer 1972 recap].
Preston accumulated four WSOP bracelets total, with his Pot-Limit Omaha victories in 1985 ($85,000) and 1990 ($142,000) demonstrating mastery across multiple formats, similar to modern 8-Game mix specialists. He also founded Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker (1979-1991), which became the second-most prestigious tournament series behind the WSOP.
Celebrity Conquests and Media Pioneer
Preston’s most publicized victory reportedly came against Willie Nelson in a $300,000 dominoes match on Fremont Street, arranged after casino owner Steve Wynn told Nelson that Slim claimed “no guitar picker can beat me doing anything” [Independent 2012, VOA]. The televised match was reportedly roped off in the middle of the casino, with Slim winning decisively.
His poker sessions with Hustler publisher Larry Flynt reportedly yielded $2 million in total winnings, representing one of his largest reported scores. Preston also recounted defeating Minnesota Fats at one-pocket pool using a broomstick, Evel Knievel at golf using carpenter’s hammers, and collecting $31,000 from Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder for surviving Idaho’s dangerous Salmon River in winter.
Preston’s first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson on June 12, 1972, followed by 11 total appearances, transformed poker’s public image [CardPlayer May 30, 2012]. He appeared on 60 Minutes (1980), I’ve Got a Secret, and Robert Altman’s film “California Split” (1974), becoming among the first poker players to achieve mainstream celebrity in the U.S. decades before the events detailed in our historic WSOP Main Event recaps.
Famous Quotes and Gambling Philosophy
Preston’s colorful sayings became gambling folklore. “You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once” reflected his approach to maintaining long-term relationships. His prop betting philosophy emerged in quotes like “If there’s anything I’ll argue about, I’ll either bet on it or shut up” (source).
On poker strategy, relevant to modern preflop strategy guides, he advocated: “Hold’em is a game of calculated aggression. If your cards are good enough for you to call a bet, they are good enough to raise with.” Perhaps his most enduring maxim: “Look around the table. If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.”
The Controversy That Ended His Career
Preston’s public career effectively ended in 2003 when he was indicted on three felony counts of “indecency with a child by contact.” On February 10, 2004, he pleaded no contest to reduced misdemeanor assault charges, receiving a $4,000 fine and two years deferred adjudication [Wikipedia with references, New York Times].
The plea bargain’s impact proved devastating: a planned Hollywood biopic with Nicolas Cage was dropped, poker peers shunned him during the mid-2000s boom, and he missed lucrative opportunities while contemporaries capitalized on poker’s explosion. Additional criminal incidents plagued his final years, including an October 2006 attempted armed robbery and January 2009 beating while collecting a gambling debt.
Death and Complicated Legacy
Preston died on April 29, 2012, from colon cancer at age 83 in Amarillo, Texas. Doyle Brunson announced on Twitter: “It somehow seems fitting that Amarillo Slim died at midnight. That’s the bewitching hour” (source).
He left behind his wife Helen, three children, seven grandchildren, and a small portfolio of pizza and ice-cream shops [VOA]. His 1992 Poker Hall of Fame induction recognized his role in popularizing Texas Hold’em, though his legacy remains complicated by the 2003 scandal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo Slim Preston’s legacy remains poker’s most complex paradox: the charismatic ambassador who brought Texas Hold’em from underground rooms to national television, yet whose final years were overshadowed by scandal. His creative prop bets, as he recounted them, demonstrated that preparation and psychology could overcome any opponent, while his four WSOP bracelets established credentials beyond showmanship. Whether remembered as poker’s pioneering celebrity or a cautionary tale, Amarillo Slim undeniably transformed gambling from vice to entertainment, proving that with enough preparation and audacity, even the impossible becomes profitable.
About the Author
Mixed Game Masters Editorial
Published: September 24, 2025 | Categories: Poker History, Player Profiles
Mixed Game Masters is the premier resource for non-Hold’em poker strategy, tournament coverage, and mixed game education. Our editorial team consists of experienced players and poker historians dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of poker’s most legendary figures and memorable moments.
We provide comprehensive coverage of poker legends, tournament history, and the colorful characters who shaped the game we know today, helping readers understand the evolution of poker from underground rooms to mainstream entertainment.
Leave a Reply