Should you watched the World Collection of Poker (WSOP) on ESPN again in 2004, there’s a superb probability you noticed Ted Lawson seize his gold bracelet. It occurred within the $5,000 Pot-Restrict Omaha occasion at a ultimate desk that included Freddy Deeb, Howard Lederer, and Daniel Negreanu (Enjoyable Truth: Chris Moneymaker completed tenth within the match).
Lawson, who’s deep within the 2026 WSOP Europe Major Occasion in Prague, is a consummate grinder with simply over $3 million in lifetime match earnings courting again to 2000, in accordance with The Hendon Mob. That features a career-high $500,00 for successful his bracelet.
What’s attention-grabbing is that he’s not the one bracelet winner in his household. His spouse of over 40 years, Michele Lawson, is a participant herself, and in November 2024, she topped a discipline of 1,293 runners to win the WSOP On-line Bracelet Occasion #27: NLH Maintain’em for $41,567 and her personal piece of gold.
“It meant so much to each her and me, as a result of as a pair, we’re like one among seven {couples} or no matter it’s to each win WSOP gold bracelets,” Ted instructed PokerNews.
Certainly, there aren’t many bracelet-winning poker {couples} within the business – Kristen & Alex Foxen and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov are two that leap to thoughts – however the Lawsons are amongst them in a poker journey 20 years within the making.
“My ultimate desk on ESPN grew to become a traditional, you recognize, as a result of it performed 1000 instances simply straight in the course of the Poker Increase,” mentioned Ted, who shared that after residing in Las Vegas for a decade, the couple has relocated to Virginia. “We’re nonetheless very a lot enjoying poker, the 2 of us on the WSOP.”
The Lawson’s Love Story
Michele was type sufficient to share some particulars on how she and Ted grew to become a poker-playing energy couple, particularly after marrying in 1983.
“We opened our first insurance coverage company shortly after. He needed to verify I bought my insurance coverage license first, or perhaps he would not have married me,” she mentioned with amusing. “We borrowed $10,000 from his sister and opened the doorways. Ted offered used automobiles whereas I ran the company. Because you want insurance coverage to purchase a automobile, he would ship them to our company to buy insurance coverage in the event that they wanted.”
They finally grew that into 40 insurance coverage businesses, and to be able to serve their prospects, they opened an insurance coverage finance firm with a accomplice, who they finally purchased out, to finance the insurance coverage premiums.
“Throughout this time, Ted was driving near our home and was struck broadside by a big dump truck that ran a crimson mild. He went by means of the passenger aspect window that was up and flew into the air, hitting the pavement. I used to be nonetheless pulling glass out of his head a month later. His dad drove by the accident scene, did not acknowledge the automobile, and mentioned that the man was lifeless.”
A buyer of theirs really noticed the accident and mentioned it regarded like a person being shot out of a cannon with rubbish.
“Ted recovered, which was a miracle,” mentioned Michele. We opened one other insurance coverage firm and acquired a tax firm just a few years later. In 1998, we took all these firms public on Nasdaq. After we went public, we made positive each single particular person within the firm, right down to the mail room individuals, bought inventory and inventory choices. We needed to share this with all our workers since they helped deliver this about. We retired many moons in the past. It was a whirlwind journey from begin to end with many twists and turns.”
It was after that retirement that Ted began to play poker extra critically, a sport Michele would later take up herself and discover success. The truth is, a month after successful her bracelet, she and Ted traveled to the Bahamas for the WSOP Paradise, the place she ultimate tabled Occasion #14: Tremendous Saver $1M Invitational, in the end ending in eighth place for $19,400. She additionally had a deep run in Occasion #1: WSOP Mini Major Occasion, putting twenty ninth of two,031 entries for $18,390.
For now, Michele is patiently sitting on the sidelines of the €5,300 buy-in 2026 WSOP Europe Major Occasion, supporting her husband in his quest to win his second gold bracelet.
If he does, she’ll should get one other of her personal to maintain issues equal.
Click on right here to observe stay updates from the 2026 WSOP Europe Major Occasion.
Chad Holloway
PR & Media Supervisor
