Poker ace Samuel Searancke feels "ripped off".

Seven months ago he won $6000 in the $20,000 New Zealand Series of Poker final at the Hamilton Cosmopolitan Club and he still has not been paid in full.

He said the organiser led him to believe the total amount would be transferred almost immediately.

Instead it came in dribs and drabs - a situation the promoter claimed was the best he could do.

"The folks at NZ Series of Poker didn't have the prizemoney they were offering," Mr Searancke said.

"I was led to believe all was well and my prizemoney would be loaded into my bank within seven days after the tournament but that is not what happened."

Mr Searancke also won a $1600 entry ticket to the $300,000 New Zealand Poker Championships in Christchurch to be held on Saturday.

Yesterday, Mr Searancke said he was still owed $1100, however the poker series' manager, Ryan Holden, said the figure was actually $950.

Nor had the $1600 entry fee been paid but Mr Holden said he would pay off the prizemoney as well as the entry fee before the deadline on Thursday.

Mr Holden, who is based in Cambridge and is also general manager of the NZ Series of Pool, said he and Mr Searancke had a deal where Mr Holden would pay whenever he could afford to.

He said Mr Searancke's ticket for the NZ Poker Championships had not been paid yet because it was not required until the day of the tournament.

"NZ Series of Poker has assured Sam on numerous occasions that his entry will be fully paid and still stands by this 100 per cent."

Mr Holden said the prizemoney problem was "regrettable" but 2011 had been a "difficult year".

- © Fairfax NZ News

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