Craziest Poker Stories That Made Our Heads Turn in 2014

December 24th, 2014 | by Greg Shaun

From winning poker pots to dealing medical pot, Phil Ivey’s career evolution is just a little bit crazy. (Image, wsop.com)

2014 poker stories featured no shortage of controversy, cantankerousness, and craziness. But there’s crazy, and then there’s CRAZY.

Let’s take a look at some of the most over-the-top moments from the year that was.

Battle for Online Poker

From Massachusetts to Nevada and California and all the way back to New Jersey, online gambling in the United States has been one long crazy journey.

While the legalization process continues to be debated around the country, the fall midterm elections weren’t a good sign for proponents of Internet gaming.

Of the 22 “Jokers” as labeled by the Poker Players Alliance, 21 were reelected, something billionaire Sheldon Adelson surely relishes.

For all its efforts, the PPA’s election success rate was a measly .045 percent.

Ivey Starts Dealing

After losing his $12.4 million court case for edge sorting against Crockfords, Phil Ivey has turned to another questionable operation by obtaining a medical marijuana license.

Las Vegas City Council approved the application at the end of October, allowing the ten-time WSOP bracelet winner to dispense pot for medicinal purposes.

To be in accordance with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which states pot licensees cannot manage gaming sites, Ivey Poker suspended its operations on October 25.

To the youth of the country, following Ivey’s career path of poker star to marijuana dispenser might not be the right choice for you. In fact, it’s a bit crazy!

Full Tilt Pays Up, Sorta

In the wake of Black Friday, Full Tilt Poker finally made good on account balances in a settlement with the United States government.

The deal was the long-awaited result of the Department of Justice using funds paid by PokerStars to settle its federal criminal case against the poker giant.

The DoJ named Garden City Group as the claims administrator, and while most balances that were active on Black Friday were refunded, employees of Full Tilt and its professional players were excluded.

Like most things surrounding the U.S. legislative process, the drawn out three-year delay in action and payments was just crazy.

Bilzerian’s Blowing Up

Dan Bilzerian’s 2014 was surrounded with crazy stories, and crazy amounts of women. (Image, dailymail.co.uk)

It would be the most shocking and crazy story from poker if it were any other person, but fans have come to expect nothing else from the game’s most infamous player.

Dan Bilzerian, the “King of Instagram,” has refocused his efforts from the cardroom to YouTube where he enjoys shooting and blowing stuff up.

Bilzerian was arrested at LAX in December after law enforcement learned he was in possession of ammonium, aluminum powder, and ammonium nitrate mix, aka TNT.

Released on bail, Dan’s charges come with the possibility of serving one to six years behind bars.

Colman Wins Everything

Two Daniels squared off in the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop finale, but it was Colman over Negreanu in the end, pocketing the $15.3 million prize.

Although he had just took the biggest poker payout on the planet, the quiet pro denied interviews and let Negreanu do the talking.

After winning the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open and bringing his total earnings in 2014 to just under $21 million, Colman said of his interview snub at One Drop, “I don’t owe poker a single thing.”

His miraculous year defying all odds is nothing short of crazy.