Long's story on his gambling doesn't jibe with casino's version: Is someone full of....

Yesterday I did a lengthy post on auctioneer Billy Long and his gambling activities.

I quoted a SN-L story in which Long said it was "nothing more to me than a way to relax."

That SN-L story generated a lot of comments yesterday and several more today which allude to stories I have heard on the street.

A commentator with the name "Mambo" said:

The best uncultivated source of information... a bartender, they see so much & are thought to know so little, because to the patrons they are invisible.
10/4/2010 8:56:07 AM

A commentator with the name "AmusedinMO" said:

I have known Billy for years. I never found him likeable. He used to be tolerable, not so much anymore. I have heard the rumors of his gambling habits before, and it doesnt surprise me. I dont care that he gambles, I care that he wants to lie about it, to get a few edorsements. If you are ashamed of what you do, maybe you shouldnt do it. If it was me, I'd say , "yes, I play poker. So what ?" But since he is denying the fact, it makes me even more suspicious. We dont need anymore liars in DC, and we sure don't need another backwoods, uninformed fast talker representing us in DC.
10/4/2010 9:27:33 AM

On January 13 and on January 15, 2009, Republican congressional candidate, auctioneer Billy Long, a registered World Poker Tour professional, paid $20,000 to play poker in a professional tournament at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. (The median household income for the Seventh District of Missouri is a little over $30,000 -- do the math.)

Long had this to say about that event in an email to a supporter:

On a fishing trip to Louisiana a year ago January they were holding a nationally televised poker tournament at a hotel in Mississippi which was on my way to my buddies house. I paid $265 to enter a small tournament and won a $1,000 token (no cash value) to play in another tournament where I won a $10,000 token (no cash value) to play in the main event. I played in that the next day and lost -

A call was placed to the Beau Rivage Casino, (228) 386-7111, and they said there are no $10,000 tokens of “no cash value” given to winners of lesser qualifying tournaments for the Southern Poker Championship. The caller spoke with two different people at the casino, and both of them said they don’t award $10,000 tokens to get into the bigger game. Had you won any of the tournaments, you would have known they would have given an entry form noting that you won the tournament guaranteeing your participation, not a $10,000 token.

Then there is this from longiswrong.com

At the April 2010 Fair Tax Rally in Springfield Long claims he never paid $10,000 to get into the game. He claims he received a $10,000 chip from a friend to get into the game. Of course, this explanation is inconsistent with the facts posted on the Southern Poker Championship.

According to the Southern Poker Championship data, Billy Long played in two games each with $10,000 buy ins. So the amount in question is $20,000. The first game was on January 13 and the second game was on January 15. The World Poker Tour Web site shows two games as well.

I like anonymous' comment on this post.