Jack Zwerner
Encyclopedia
Jack 'Action' Zwerner (born June 12, 1938) is an American
professional poker
player and business entrepreneur. He is most known for founding land based casinos, gaming in international waters, and shaping the casino world as it is today. He is also known for winning the 2006 World Series of Poker
(WSOP) Event 8: Omaha Hi-Lo
(8 or better). T. J. Cloutier
regards hims as the best heads-up Omaha player ever.
and raised in Miami, Florida
. He attended the University of Miami
and, later, Miami Dade College
. He left college to move to Shaker Heights, Ohio
and entered in the world of business and insurance. As an executive of 10 years with the New England Mutual Life Company, Zwerner conducted business with some of the firm’s largest clients and laid strong foundations for his future career. In this regard, Zwerner had clients invest in a variety of corporate policies worth tens of millions of dollars, generating consistent and impressive revenues for the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company.
, to launch his career in casino management and marketing. Operating at the highest ladders of the business, he enjoyed strong and profitable relationships with some of the biggest and most influential casino owners in Las Vegas, including Cliff Perlman
, Morris Shenker
, Ed Torres, Steve Wynn, and Barron Hilton
. During this time, he held roles as Senior Vice President of Casino Operations and Marketing, and Executive positions for such seminal venues as the Dunes Hotel, Sands, Aladdin, the New Frontier Hotel and Casino, the Golden Nugget, and the Las Vegas Hilton. Players Jack brought to the casinos included some of the most successful people in the world: Roger King
(King World–producers and owners of Oprah Winfrey show, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune), Jerry Buss
& Frank Mariani (owners of the LA Lakers), Kamel Nacife of Mexico, Kerry Packer of Australia, Sioma Neiman of Mexico City, and Akio Kashawagi of Japan. His players brought hundreds of millions to the casinos over the years. His brilliance was even played out on the big screen in the movie Casino. He was the founder and owner of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Hotel Casino in San Bernardino, California
and co-founder of Treasure Bay Casino, located in Biloxi, Mississippi
. In 1987, he was licensed as Honorary Deputy Sheriff of Clark County by Sheriff John Moran.
He currently owns a licensed brokerage real estate company in the states of Nevada, Florida, and California.
He was the Senior Vice President of the Dunes Casino & Hotel from 1982 to 1983 and again in 1988 to 1989. In 1983 he left the Dunes and worked as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Casino at the Las Vegas Hilton Casino with Barron Hilton and Dennis Gomes, where he worked until 1990. While working at the Las Vegas Hilton, he was licensed with the Nevada Gaming Commission as a key employee with a Liquor Gaming License.
In 1990, he held Senior Vice President positions at the Sands Hotel Casino, the Frontier Hotel & Casino, and an Executive position at the Golden Nugget with Steve Wynn. In 1992, he co-founded the $200 million Treasure Bay Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and Tunica, Mississippi.
On what turned out to be the last hand of the tournament, Mandap had high hopes for his . Instead, the big pair and low-draw was crushed and counterfeited when the final board showed . Zwerner showed with two hearts to match the three hearts on board. Zwerner's heart flush and better low trounced Mandap's hand, thus ending the event. With the final hand won, he received his first World Series of Poker bracelet
and $341,426.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player and business entrepreneur. He is most known for founding land based casinos, gaming in international waters, and shaping the casino world as it is today. He is also known for winning the 2006 World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
(WSOP) Event 8: Omaha Hi-Lo
High-low split
In traditional poker games, the player with the best traditional hand wins the whole pot. Lowball variations award the pot to the lowest hand, by any of several methods...
(8 or better). T. J. Cloutier
T. J. Cloutier
Thomas James "T.J." Cloutier is a professional poker player from Richardson, Texas. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.-Early years:...
regards hims as the best heads-up Omaha player ever.
Early life
Zwerner was born in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and raised in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. He attended the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and, later, Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade or MDC, is a state college with eight campuses and twenty-one outreach centers located throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. It is part of the Florida College System. Miami Dade College is the largest school in the Florida College...
. He left college to move to Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 28,448. It is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland that abuts the city on its eastern side.-Topography:Shaker Heights is located at...
and entered in the world of business and insurance. As an executive of 10 years with the New England Mutual Life Company, Zwerner conducted business with some of the firm’s largest clients and laid strong foundations for his future career. In this regard, Zwerner had clients invest in a variety of corporate policies worth tens of millions of dollars, generating consistent and impressive revenues for the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Business Life
At the end of his tenure in the insurance industry, Zwerner relocated to Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, to launch his career in casino management and marketing. Operating at the highest ladders of the business, he enjoyed strong and profitable relationships with some of the biggest and most influential casino owners in Las Vegas, including Cliff Perlman
Clifford S. Perlman
Clifford "Cliff" S. Perlman is a Las Vegas, Nevada entrepreneur and former President and CEO of the Caesars Palace casino for over a decade. During his ownership he built thousands of additional rooms to what is the current Caesars Palace. Most notably, Perlman, first introduced live sports and...
, Morris Shenker
Morris Shenker
Morris A. Shenker was an American lawyer best known for his connections to labor leader Jimmy Hoffa and Teamster funding of Las Vegas in the 1960s....
, Ed Torres, Steve Wynn, and Barron Hilton
Barron Hilton
William Barron Hilton I is an American business magnate, socialite, and hotel heir. He is the former co-chairman of the Hilton Hotels chain, and the original owner of the Los Angeles Chargers...
. During this time, he held roles as Senior Vice President of Casino Operations and Marketing, and Executive positions for such seminal venues as the Dunes Hotel, Sands, Aladdin, the New Frontier Hotel and Casino, the Golden Nugget, and the Las Vegas Hilton. Players Jack brought to the casinos included some of the most successful people in the world: Roger King
Roger King (producer)
Roger Monroe King was an American television and media executive for King World Productions and CBS. He was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 1992 and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2004 and is credited with launching the careers of such top...
(King World–producers and owners of Oprah Winfrey show, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune), Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
& Frank Mariani (owners of the LA Lakers), Kamel Nacife of Mexico, Kerry Packer of Australia, Sioma Neiman of Mexico City, and Akio Kashawagi of Japan. His players brought hundreds of millions to the casinos over the years. His brilliance was even played out on the big screen in the movie Casino. He was the founder and owner of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Hotel Casino in San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
and co-founder of Treasure Bay Casino, located in Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
. In 1987, he was licensed as Honorary Deputy Sheriff of Clark County by Sheriff John Moran.
He currently owns a licensed brokerage real estate company in the states of Nevada, Florida, and California.
Casino Executive
In 1979, he was a key executive of the Casino and Marketing Department at the Aladdin Hotel & Casino until 1981 when he founded the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Hotel & Casino which was, at the time, the second largest Indian gaming casino in America.He was the Senior Vice President of the Dunes Casino & Hotel from 1982 to 1983 and again in 1988 to 1989. In 1983 he left the Dunes and worked as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Casino at the Las Vegas Hilton Casino with Barron Hilton and Dennis Gomes, where he worked until 1990. While working at the Las Vegas Hilton, he was licensed with the Nevada Gaming Commission as a key employee with a Liquor Gaming License.
In 1990, he held Senior Vice President positions at the Sands Hotel Casino, the Frontier Hotel & Casino, and an Executive position at the Golden Nugget with Steve Wynn. In 1992, he co-founded the $200 million Treasure Bay Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi and Tunica, Mississippi.
Poker
Until his win at the WSOP, Jack Zwerner was known as a big cash game player. It came as little surprise though that Zwerner would do well in the tournament, though few expected him to win.On what turned out to be the last hand of the tournament, Mandap had high hopes for his . Instead, the big pair and low-draw was crushed and counterfeited when the final board showed . Zwerner showed with two hearts to match the three hearts on board. Zwerner's heart flush and better low trounced Mandap's hand, thus ending the event. With the final hand won, he received his first World Series of Poker bracelet
World Series of Poker bracelet
The World Series of Poker bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win. Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP. Even if the victory occurred before 1976, WSOP championships are now counted as "bracelets". ...
and $341,426.