Retired casino manager wins Aussie Millions package

CURACAO, Netherlands Antilles -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- This time, it's the casino manager getting comped instead of the other way around.

The world's best online poker resource, PokerListings.com and Pacific Poker hosted yet another of their renowned high-value freerolls this week and the big winner was Nick Turnock, a 51-year-old retired casino manager from Somerset, U.K.

Turnock walked away with an $11,000 prize package, including buy-in and expenses, for the richest poker tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, the 2008 Aussie Millions.

"Aussie here I come," Turnock said in a post-victory interview with PokerListings.com. "I've made the final table four times in eliminators for a place in a live event, and my philosophy is 'don't even think about winning until you get heads-up.'

"But this time I was the chip leader with five players left and I really felt like this was going to be my time. When I did win it was like stunned disbelief.

"It's what online players dream of."

Turnock, who has been playing poker since his 20s but online for only about four years, was one of only 141 PokerListings players vying for the exclusive Aussie Millions package - all of whom qualified by signing up at Pacific Poker through a PokerListings.com link and then collecting just 25 comp points between Oct. 8 and Nov. 8.

He plays online around four nights a week, he says, and spends most of that time at 888.com's flagship poker site.

"Pacific is now my main site," Turnock says. "Everything is nice and simple. Graphics are good and I've never had connection problems.

"We all need to let off steam sometimes, but it's nice that there's a lot less swearing in the chat box than the site I used to use. Most of the players just want to play poker, not tell everyone else how good they are."

Turnock also said he checks in at PokerListings.com every week, and appreciates the extensive selection of freerolls in particular.

"[It's great, much more information than other sites. There are other companies offering rake-back, and maybe that's a good thing for the professionals, but for most recreational poker players what we want is freerolls."

He's also looking forward to taking a seat at the felt with some of the world's best poker players in Australia.

"It would be fantastic to sit down with one of the greats. Phil Ivey is my number one. My least favorite is Phil Hellmuth and the dream is making a play on him. There's the added bonus of hearing him howl when he loses."

And if everything falls in place at the Aussie Millions and he gets crowned the champ?

"The only thing I (would) splash out on would be a flash car. I wouldn't blow it.

"I'm more interested in living happily ever after. Of course, I'd have to have a go at some more big money live tournaments…"

"Another great, high-value freeroll," adds Camilla Sundell, press secretary at PokerListings.com, "and yet another of our players getting the opportunity of a lifetime on the professional poker circuit. We couldn't be more pleased.

"And there are definitely a lot more freerolls in the works - including a massive $15k cash freeroll coming up Dec. 15 for PokerListings players with just 20 comp points in November.

"We hope all of our valued players can take advantage. And then get to splash out some of their winnings enjoying the holidays!"