Phil Laak Injured in ATV Accident
.jpg "Phil Laak Injured in ATV Accident
© Phil Laak")
Phil Laak – known also by his nickname, “The Unibomber” – was hospitalized Thursday after an accident involving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Laak was reportedly on a camping trip with several friends, including poker pros such as Antonio Esfandiari, when he lost control of his ATV and sustained major injuries, including lacerations to his right eye and several broken bones.
According to Laak’s Twitter account, the broken bones were part of a “massive arm injury.” However, he did seem to be in good spirits; recent tweets included messages from Laak including “Stitches forthcoming. Could have been worse I’m lucky to be in one piece.”
In an interview with Card Player Magazine, Esfandiari said that Laak broke seven bones. He described the injuries as serious, saying that “His elbow is broken and his wrist is all jacked up. His eye is also really messed up.”
Laak is reportedly in stable condition, and is planning to return home as soon as possible.
According to reports by ATVSafety.com, an estimated 135,000 to 150,000 emergency-room treated injuries are caused each year by ATV-related accidents. These include about 800-900 deaths per year. The numbers vary from year to year, but have increased in recent years as ATV use has become much more popular.
A long-time professional poker player, Laak has made nearly two million dollars in recorded tournament winnings according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database. His biggest wins include a WPT title at the 2004 WPT Invitational, and a second place finish in the 2005 World Series of Poker’s $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em event. Laak currently dates actress Jennifer Tilly, who is also an accomplished poker player.
But Laak is perhaps best known for his poker endurance record, set this June at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. From June 2nd to June 7th, Laak set a record for the longest poker session, playing for 115 hours, with only five hours of break time allowed each hour. This record broke the previous mark of 72 hours and 2 minutes, set my Larry Olmsted at Foxwoods in 2004.