$100K WSOP Mystery Bounty: The Story of a Fantastic Charity Donation

The WSOP Mystery Bounty format always brings huge surprises, but this year, it brought tears of joy. We are talking about a massive $100k poker bounty and an incredible player who decided to give it all away.

Dressed head-to-toe in bright purple, Brian ‘Smitty’ Smith jokes that he looks like a walking billboard. But behind that colorful outfit is a deeply personal mission and the ultimate poker charity donation.

How the WSOP Mystery Bounty Works

In a standard tournament, you win money simply by outlasting other players and making it to the final tables.

In a WSOP Mystery Bounty event, the rules have a fun twist. Whenever you eliminate another player, you get to pull a sealed envelope from a treasure chest. These random prizes can range from a few thousand dollars to massive, life-changing jackpots.

When Smith entered the $1,000 buy-in event, he was guaranteed at least a small cash prize of $2,350. However, he shocked the entire room when he opened his envelope to reveal a staggering $100k poker bounty!

Huge Mystery Bounty Pull for a Great Cause

Brian Smith (SmittyPoker) is playing for something bigger today.

He’s chasing Mystery Bounties for a great cause, can he pull a big one? pic.twitter.com/eA4hMUTswW

- WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 28, 2026

Turning a $100k Poker Bounty Into Hope

Instead of keeping the money for himself, Smith immediately announced a massive poker charity donation. He decided to give the entire six-figure sum to Purple Pansies, an incredible charity dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer.

This was not just a random act of kindness. For Smith, supporting Purple Pansies is a mission driven by a deep personal connection.

A History of Giving Back

This incredible poker charity donation is just a core part of who Smith is as a person. He considers himself incredibly blessed and loves giving back to the community whenever he gets the chance.

“I donate a significant portion of anything that I win, even if I’m down on the summer. If I’m down $150,000 but I win $100,000, I’d still donate $10,000 to the charity. It’s just the way that I operate.”

Why this specific cause is so vital:

• It is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
• Despite its high mortality rate, it receives only about 6% of cancer research funding.
• Organizations like Purple Pansies rely heavily on private donations to fund crucial research and support grieving families.

The Man Behind the Brian Smith Poker Story

When he is not making headlines for a WSOP Mystery Bounty, Smith leads a very successful life off the felt. He works as a top sales leader for a major insurance and human capital consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

He shares his happy life with his loving family. Poker actually runs very deep in his family’s bloodline.

His father was a skilled Seven-Card Stud player who actually paid for Smith’s college education by grinding the tables in Atlantic City! Thanks to his dad, Smith has been deeply involved in the game since he was just 16 years old.

From Cash Games to Tournament Trophies

Historically, the Brian Smith poker strategy has always focused on Omaha cash games. Cash games allow players to leave and cash out at any time, unlike tournaments, which require hours or days of continuous play.

He admits he usually only plays about seven or eight tournaments a year. However, before heading to this event, he went on an unbelievable “sun run” (a massive winning streak), making eight final tables in his last 13 tournaments!

While he already has over $270,000 in live tournament earnings, he admits his mindset has changed. He now cares much more about trophies, titles, and giving back than the actual prize money. He also notes that he used to be known in the poker world for the wrong reasons – referencing a minor pot-shorting controversy in 2024 – but feels that karma is fully on his side now.

Trying to get this out there. #poker #wsop 27 left in Gladiator. I’m UTG with 4.525 @ 1m BB. I ship with J5ss.!The button raises to 10m, Men Nguyen raises all in from bb after SB folds. The button calls. They both have AK and I end up winning the main pot with pair of 5s.

- Smitty (@MithPoker) June 11, 2024

Spreading the Word at the Tables

Smith does not just wear purple; he actively recruits other players to join his cause. When players at his table ask about his bright outfits or his charity work, he points them directly to the charity’s website.

If they click the donate button, he personally hands them a purple wristband right there at the table. He has even rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s best players during the early days of the $10,000 PLO Championship.

He made sure to give a special shoutout to poker pros Chance Kornuth and Shaun Deeb . Both superstars showed genuine interest in donating, proving that the poker community truly has a massive heart!