More than a month after being auctioned off on eBay, Peter Eastgate’s 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event bracelet’s buyer has finally been identified.
According to an article on Ekstrabladet.dk, the buyer of Eastgate’s bracelet is a well-known Scottish philanthropist who has a background in poker. The article identifies the buyer as William Haughey, who made his money through ownership of a refrigeration company. Over the past five years, Haughey has donated over $50 million to different charities, according to the article, and has also given money to political campaigns and his favorite football club, the Scottish football powerhouse Celtic FC.
The article comes with a photograph of Haughey and Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of the legendary Manchester United and a close friend of Haughey. Ferguson, who is also a UNICEF Ambassador, and UNICEF representative Joanne Andrews are pictured with Haughey holding a check for £100,000, a rounder figure than the £94,000 ($147,500) that the bracelet finally auctioned for in November.
According to the article, Haughey was moved by the fact that Eastgate wanted to do something positive with the bracelet by auctioning it off with the proceeds going to UNICEF. When it hit the auction block, he vowed to be the highest bidder, according to Eastgate’s attorney Claus Nielsen.
The ten-day auction began with the 2008 bracelet valued at $16,000 for its gold and diamond scrap value. 116 bids came in on it, including ones from poker pro Antanas “Tony G” Guoga, who was looking to turn it into a dog collar for his German Shepherd. Haughey, however, emerged as the highest bidder.
Along with his business acumen, Haughey has demonstrated skill on the green felt over the past few years. The Scottish businessman won a European Poker Tour side event in 2008 and has earned four cashes in the World Series of Poker since that time. According to the Hendon Mob database, Haughey has earned slightly over $275,000 in his casual pursuit of the game.
Eastgate was not in attendance for the check presentation, according to the article, but comments from the former World Champion appeared in another piece on the site. In that article, Eastgate discussed his reasoning for parting with the 2008 WSOP Main Event bracelet: “I wanted the money to go to an organization that is widely recognized throughout the world. UNICEF is a credible organization and I can give them money in good faith.” As to whether he would regret his decision, Eastgate is quoted as saying, “I feel pretty convinced that it was the right decision. I may regret it in the future that I no longer have it, but you can say that about so many things.”
What Haughey will do with the bracelet is unknown at this time. Ekstrabladet states that Haughey is looking at options for the bracelet that will help to raise more money for charity, but does not go into detail.