‘Storage Wars’ star makes deep run in WSOP Main Event

There was a time in Rene Nezhoda’s life when poker, not thrift stores, was his primary source of income.

But after stepping away to build a successful business and raise a family, Nezhoda has returned to the game in recent years.

Nezhoda, one of the stars in the long-running reality show “Storage Wars” on A&E, reached Day 5 of the World Series of Poker Main Event on Thursday at Horseshoe Las Vegas.

He was unofficially in 141st place at the 7 p.m. dinner break. Manuel Machado of Portugal held the unofficial chip lead with 234 players left chasing the $10 million first prize.

“I just have more time,” Nezhoda said before the start of play. “Our business has matured a lot. My daughter’s about to go to college.

“I think the scenery just changed where (I) can practice more. And then the last few years I’ve been starting to come to the World Series again. Most events I play, I end up cashing or doing good, so let’s keep it going.”

The $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship continues Friday with Day 6. All the remaining players are guaranteed to take home at least $50,000.

Nezhoda, who attended Las Vegas High, started gambling professionally once he turned 21. After trying blackjack first, he eventually moved on to poker and spent a portion of the early 2000s as a cash-game grinder at local casinos such as Binion’s Horseshoe and Bellagio.

“I love the game. I slowed down when my daughter was born, and now the last few years I’m slowly starting to get more and more back into it,” he said.

Nezhoda, 47, moved from Las Vegas to San Diego about 15 years ago and owns Bargain Hunters Thrift Store. The business’ YouTube channel has more than 191,000 subscribers.

Since 2014, Nezhoda and his wife, Casey, have been a part of the cast for “Storage Wars.” Season 15 of the show aired in 2023.

“They’re talking about maybe doing a Season 16, but you really never know until it happens,” Nezhoda said. “It’s like always a big secret until all of a sudden they call you for contract negotiations, so I really don’t know. It could be over. We could start in two months. It’s always last minute.”

Nezhoda serves as a brand ambassador for Americas Cardroom, an unregulated online poker site. In 2022, he won the $1,100 buy-in No-limit Hold’em Main Event at the Americas Cardroom Enjoy Poker Tour in Uruguay for more than $70,000.

He also cashed in the WSOP Main Event last year and has $146,505 in career live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database.

Nezhoda was well down the Main Event leaderboard after Day 3 but cracked aces with pocket fours late on Day 4 and started play Thursday in 125th place.

“It’s been good. I’ve been struggling the entire series just below average, half average and just trying to be patient, waiting for the game to come to me,” Nezhoda said. “I got lucky there. And then I started hitting some cards.

“We’re here, let’s see what happens.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.