It all started with a series of weird tweets. A few weeks ago, poker pro Tom 'durrr' Dwan started showing signs of uncharacteristic behavior as he began tweeting about the UK government. By the end of this unfortunate saga, it became clear that Dawn wasn't well, and it was reported that he was admitted to the hospital.
Find out more about what happened to one of the greatest poker players of our time in this Everygame poker news report and learn all about the importance of mental health when it comes to playing poker!
What Happened to Tom Dwan?
Tom Dwan was born in 1986, in Edison, New Jersey. Like many poker pros, he attended Boston University until deciding to drop out and pursue playing poker full-time.
He is mostly known for playing online high-stakes No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha. Dwan appeared on multiple seasons of "Poker After Dark", "Million Dollar Cash Game", and "High Stakes Poker". Throughout his career, he won $6,970,776 in live earnings, with his best cash live taking place at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London, 2019, where he landed in 8th place and took home a $793,775 cash prize.
But while he had a rather successful poker career, he also made some reckless decisions and played some high-stakes poker challenges, which landed him in deep debt.
And apparently, the stress must have gotten to Dwan. On April 29, he posted a few cryptic tweets that had the poker community worried about his well-being. One of those tweets read: Can someone tell the uk government to chill the fk out bro… Please stop [poop emoji] on a buncha special relationships.”
Another tweed simply said: "Us embassy pls", followed by another cry for help, as he wrote: "Please pressure the maximum amount possible to save my life @JDVance".
In his tweets, he tagged high-ranking US officials like President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, in addition to popular singer Madison Beer.
Later that day, Dwan revealed he was at the Park Royal Center for Mental Health in West London. From there, he apparently tweeted: " I am so scared. They are trying to kill either me or most of my brain. All the doctors and nurses said ofc I don’t need drugs, yet they try to force them anyway. Please I beg you, anyone who can, help."
While it is impossible to know exactly what happened to the renowned poker pro, it seems as if he experienced severe paranoia while on a plane. Dwan claimed that he was restrained and sustained injuries at the hands of the UK police. He said he was under attack from an intelligence agency, believing someone posing as a flight attendant wiped his phone's browser history and that his water was drugged.
Later on, Dwan posted an apology, saying he got a bit stressed and that he was finally feeling a bit better.
The Importance of Mental Health Practices Amongst Poker Players
It is very easy for poker players to play for hours on end to get more experience and increase their chances of winning. But if they are not careful, their dedication to the game can turn into an unhealthy obsession that might cause them to spend an unproportionate amount of time at the poker tables.
And while poker can be fun and exciting, the pressure that comes with placing real-money bets can put a serious strain on one's psyche. That is why taking care of your mental health and striving for a healthy work-life balance is crucial.
So, when you play poker, please make sure that you do it with a clear mind and a stress-free attitude. If you start noticing you spend too much time at the poker tables, your heart rate spikes whenever you place your bet, or you simply start feeling uncomfortable as you play, take a break from the game and take care of yourself.
We hope Tom Dwan gets well soon, and we wish you all a healthy and balanced poker experience!