Kim Kardashian, Phil Hellmuth and Bitcoin Steal the Show at Charity Poker Event

August 2nd, 2018 | by Kaycee James

Kim Kardashian, Phil Hellmuth and Bitcoin formed an unlikely alliance recently as they all featured in the first annual If Only charity poker tournament.

Kim Kardashian and crypto entrepreneur Matthew Roszak pose with a custom Bitcoin token during the If Only charity event. (Image: Twitter/@MatthewRoszak)

Taking place inside the Forum in LA, the event was designed to raise money for City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment center in Southern California. As part of the proceedings, Hellmuth was drafted in to MC the action and provide some snippets of advice to the celebrities in attendance.

Kardashians Ante-up

In typical Kardashian fashion, Kim, Khloe, Kris and Kendall stole the show as players tried to steal their bounties. But as well as the allure of playing alongside the Kardashians, the organizers put together a treasure-trove of prizes to ensure Hollywood’s rich and famous parted with their money.

For the eventual winner, an all-access pass to an upcoming Eagles concert at the forum was on offer, while the runners-up received custom golf clubs and diamond encrusted bracelets. According to the event’s invite, the tournament will also be on TV later in the year, which means we’ll see Hellmuth making an appearance in Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Beyond the interest in Kim playing poker for charity, Bitcoin also made it onto the tables and into the headlines. Midway through the evening, Kim posted a picture of a custom chip with the caption “we moved onto Bitcoin.”

Kim Uses Bitcoin Token as Poker Chip

Although it’s unlikely the social media star has too much interest in cryptocurrencies, the image was a nice representation of its potential as a useable commodity. Although Bitcoin and other digital currencies aren’t tangible like US dollars, companies have started to give them a physical form.

Matthew Roszak is one such entrepreneur and took his opportunity to give Kim her own Bitcoin during the charity event. At today’s market price, the coin is worth around $8,000, but with a reported fortune of $350 million, it’s unlikely the Kardashian will value it too highly.

As for City of Hope, the charity event proved to be a huge success with Hellmuth, the Kardashians and all in attendance helping to raise more than $500,000 for cancer research.