A WHEATLEY poker ace hit the jackpot in Las Vegas as he was crowned the UK’s best pub player last month.

Timothy Osborn, 63, took home £13,000 after winning the Redtooth Poker Vegas100, which he reached by triumphing in a regional competition last year.

Mr Osborn defended his regional title just 10 days after returning from Sin City but admits he cannot explain his recent victory streak.

He said: “I don’t really know why, it’s just all coming together.

“I’ve been playing for a long time but for some reason I’m winning everything now.

“I’m classed as an aggressive and nasty player: I tend to be quite chatty and annoying at the table so I think it puts the other players off.”

The lifelong Oxfordshire resident has come a long way since he first tried Texas hold ‘em online 12 years ago.

After realising he had a knack for the game he and his wife, Marjorie, started using it to entertain guests when they hosted dinner parties.

He discovered pub poker league Redtooth Poker while playing at Headington’s White Horse pub eight years ago and soon began holding tournaments at The New Club in Wheatley.

Mr and Mrs Osborn now act as competition directors for Redtooth tournaments at The New Club, although he represents the Queens Head in Oxford when competing.

The games are played weekly, with the top four in each region battling it out for a place at the Vegas final each year.

Mr Osborn won the ‘London Two’ region to book his place at the Vegas final and an all-expenses paid holiday.

He said: “They pay for hotel, flights, transfers, even your breakfast - it’s just gambling and drinking money you have to worry about.”

The Wheatley man won the two-day tournament at the Orleans Hotel & Casino to claim the £13,000 prize.

Of that, he pocketed £8,000 himself, while the rest is used as sponsorship to play events across the country.

Mr Osborn is also the first southerner to claim the national title in Vegas, but within days of touching down more success was around the corner.

He had been back in the country a week-and-a-half when he competed in the regional final for next year’s tournament – and triumphed for the second year running.

As defending champion, Mr Osborn was already guaranteed a place in Vegas so is giving his all-expenses paid ticket for next year to his wife.

With another free trip across the pond on the horizon next May, Mr Osborn can hardly believe his luck.

He said: “When I went last time I had to pay for her so we are both quite pleased – we’re quite stunned by it all to be honest.”