The Asia Pacific Poker Tour at Star City saw 561 poker players including four former world champions pull up a chair but the newest Sydney millionaire and APT winner is a Penrith PE teacher, Grant Levy.

Levy turned a $6000 buy in and three days of poker lasting till dawn into a top prize of $1,000,000. He will now go the Las Vegas for the 2008 WSOP and said that skill, chance and gut instinct made him the last man standing.

Grant Levy said, "It's a mental game, a mathematical game and a people's game. You need to get to know your opponents and you do need a slice of luck."

"Mostly I go by gut instinct," he added.

He had help during those long sessions. His older brother got credit for dutifully being on the rail and helping him stay focuses during what seemed to be a marathon poker tournament. Grant played online for two years and before deciding to buy into this years APT.

Levy teaches at Saint Dominic's College at Kingswood, in Sydney's west and as made no plans to leave his post there.

"I love teaching. It's a passion. I love poker, it's a great hobby," he said. "I get so excited when I sit down to play. People can lose passion for their jobs and I don't want poker to become work."

- 2007-12-17