Phil Ivey confirmed a sneakerhead why he is a legendary gambler in a viral YouTube video.
The 11-time World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner introduced a pair of Kobe Bryant game-worn sneakers to Sneaker Con in Las Vegas final month, hoping to promote them for 1000’s of {dollars}. However he took on some threat, playing on a coinflip with the shoe vendor. Both Ivey would get $0 for the uncommon collector’s merchandise, or he’d win a excessive curler match buy-in.
Poker Legend Negotiates on His Phrases
Bryant, the NBA legend who handed away in 2020, partnered with Nike in 2003 (beforehand with Adidas) to launch a shoe line that produces essentially the most generally worn sneakers amongst NBA athletes. He wore a whole bunch of various sneakers all through his storied 20-year profession.
Ivey introduced a pair of game-worn sneakers from 2005, though the precise recreation wasn’t talked about within the video. We discovered an identical pair of white, yellow, and purple-colored basketball sneakers worn by Kobe throughout a Los Angeles Lakers dwelling recreation in 2005 from Getty Photos.
The Poker Corridor of Famer instantly started negotiating with the sneakerhead, Chase Younger from the Tradition Kicks YouTube channel. His “dealer” supplied a coinflip alternative the place if the coin lands in Ivey’s favor, Chase would pay him $50,000 for the kicks. If it landed the opposite manner, Ivey would get $0 for the precious, uncommon merchandise.
The YouTuber supplied a $0/$40,000 flip, assessing the worth of the pair of sneakers at $20,000 to $25,000. Ivey negotiated the flip to $0/$42,500, giving each gamblers about even anticipated worth.
“For those who win you’re taking it totally free. I am rooting for you,” Ivey mentioned upon agreeing to a deal. “Truthfully, I actually need you to win.”
Chase flipped the coin within the air as Ivey referred to as “tails.” The coin landed on tails, that means the sneakerhead must pay the poker celebrity $42,500 for a pair of Kobe Bryant game-worn sneakers valued at half the worth. Ivey, as Howie Mandel would say, made an excellent deal.
The YouTube brief has over 6 million views. You may watch the total, unedited model of the deal right here.
