Swimming With Sharks

If you peruse around the Pavilion Room right now, you will find countless World Series of Poker bracelet winners. If you add up the amount of money these players have earned in their careers, the number would be quite large - Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey have earned over $35 million on their own.

However, if you're really looking for gold and riches, then you should look no further than Black Table 147 Seat 2.

Sitting in the two seat is a very tanned man with darkened, unkempt hair. Judging by the rail around his table, which is empty, you wouldn't assume that the most decorated Olympian in history was playing, but sure enough 22-time medalist Michael Phelps is grinding away.

Phelps, who appeared at the 2013 PCA, is playing in his first ever WSOP event, and is looking to make a big splash. He only has one cash on his Hendon Mob profile, and it's for a measly $5,213. The 18-time gold medal winner is friendly with fellow tablemate and Marylander Christian Harder, and when Noah Schwartz sat down, he greeted him like an old friend.

"Not Schwartzy!" Phelps cried. "Not Schwartzy!"

Before Schwartz sat down, Phelps was sparring with neighbor Corey Burbick. The two were heads up on a flop of , and Phelps led out for 250. Burbick raised to 800, Phelps called, and both players checked when the turned. The completed the board, the pair checked again, and Phelps showed for ace-high.