Dave Cain set the record by playing poker for 72 hours and 12 minutes in September of 2008. He played heads-up deep stack poker at the Library Bar in Lincolnshire, England, and beat the previous record of 72 hours and 2 minutes held by Larry Olmsted. To make the record official, Cain had 1 steward, 1 practicing medical practitioner, and 2 official witnesses in attendance. And funds were raised during the event for two local hospices.

Cain is the manager of the Live Pub Poker League in the U.K.

Poker players around the world who play cash games for a living were said to have responded to the 72 hour session news with something like, “Whoopie.” (Not a direct quote.)