Gulf Coast Poker Podcast

33: Chad Holloway

On the eve of the 2026 WSOP, who better to offer a preview of the action than Chad Holloway? An industry veteran heading into his 18th straight summer in Las Vegas, Chad's also an accomplished player who won the 2013 Casino Employees Event and a WSOP bracelet. In this episode, Ben and Bill talk with Chad about dropping out of law school, the Harrah's New Orleans cardroom in the mid-aughts, life as Pokernews's PR and Media Manager, interviewing Maurice Hawkins, comic books, live reality games, the future of Texas poker, and more. Hope you enjoy, and best of luck this summer! 1:00: Intro * GCP Tour Mystery Ticket at MGM Grand—June 6–9 * GCP Tour Golden Event at Golden Nugget—June 17–20 4:00: Interview * https://www.pokernews.com/podcast/pokernews-podcast/

32: John Cressend

In this episode, Gene, Ben, and Bill sat down with John Cressend, a Nola native and a regular on the Gulf Coast tournament scene for over twenty years. John told us about how he got into poker, balancing tourneys with his day job as a certified public accountant, the tax implications of the Big Beautiful Bill, and the next time we might see his alter ego—the Butler—immaculately dressed and stacking chips. 1:00: Interview * for more on the tax implications of the BBB: https://www.thinkingpoker.net/2026/01/episode-492-russ-fox/

31: At the Heater (with Adam Nash)

In this in-person interview, Ben and Bill sit down with the Beau Rivage's cardroom manager Adam Nash to discuss how the first weekend of the Heater went—as you might have guessed, the Gulf South's biggest tournament series got off to a blazing start—and what to expect heading into the second weekend. 1:00: Interview * Adam's Tebow speech: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/175M9PwCcM/

30: Eric Geller

Having covered major Los Angeles sports for over 30 years, Eric Geller brings a wealth of experience—and plenty of stories—to the poker world. He currently reports for Gulf Coast Poker and covers tournaments across the Southern U.S. In this episode, Bill, Ben, and Gene have a wide-ranging conversation about Eric's background in both poker and the wide world of sports. 1:00 interview

29: Dan Higginbotham

As the Poker/Sportsbook Manager at Horseshoe Tunica, Dan Higginbotham has over thirty years of experience in the casino industry, working in both commercial and tribal casinos across different jurisdictions. He's seen and done a lot, in other words, and in this episode Dan sits down with Gene, Ben, and Bill to discuss how running tournaments and cardrooms has changed over the years, and what to expect in the future. 1:00: Interview