Neil Channing added £50,000 to the €801,400 he took home for winning the paddypowerpoker.com Irish Open over the Easter weekend by putting a bet on himself with the Irish bookmakers.

Channing, a professional poker player and former bookie from London, had put £500 on himself to win the tournament at 100/1 with paddypower.com who offered up to date odds throughout the Irish Open including betting in running on the final table.

He placed the bet at the start of Day 2 when he was in 64th position from the 257 remaining players. At the time he had 34k chips compared to the leader’s 99k.

“I think it is great what Paddy Power have done for the Irish Open,” said a delighted Channing. “They ran a great event, added €200,000 to the prizepool and offered a really good book on the tournament. They went a lot further than many other bookmakers would go.”

This is the second time in 3 years that the Irish Open Champion has added to their windfall by punting on themselves. The 2006 champion Vincent Melinn added €47,000 to his €350,000 winner’s cheque by backing himself with Paddy Power before the event.

paddypower.com, who offer poker betting on all major tournaments throughout the year, are already looking forward to next year’s event and have today launched their outright winner market for the Irish Open 2009.

Sorel Mizzi, at 125/1, is currently joint favourite after cashing back to back in Dublin, but Channing is close behind, quoted at 150/1. Doyle Brunson, who made a huge impression on the Irish Open this year, is also quoted at 150/1 to lift the Terry Rogers Memorial Trophy next Easter.

Irish Open 2009 – Outright Winner
125/1 Sorel Mizzi
125/1 Roland De Wolfe
150/1 Neil Channing
150/1 Donal Norton
150/1 Ciaran O’Leary
150/1 Doyle Brunson
200/1 Padraig Parkinson
300/1 Teddy Sheringham

Markets for the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo, the World Series of Poker and the paddypowerpoker.com Irish Winter Festival will be available soon.