From jai-alai to poker, Ocala’s Coscarat shines

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Ocala Poker in Florida recently named Roger Coscarat its poker room manger. Ante Up’s Chris Cosenza had a chance to interview him.

Where are you from originally? I was born in California and raised in the Basque area of France. I came back to the U.S. more than 30 years ago to be a professional jai-alai player, which I did for 15 years.

How long have you been in poker? I fell in love with the game about 10 years ago and have been working in the industry for more than seven years.

Do you still play poker, and what’s your favorite game and limit? I play a little bit when time permits and my favorite game is $2-$5 no-limit hold’em. But I enjoy all games and will often get on a list if it can help the room open another table.

Where did you gain your poker experience before landing this position? I was part of the original dealing crew at St. Johns Poker Room and then moved to Orange Park (both rooms are in the Jacksonville area) to be on the floor when that one opened. I was extremely lucky to have a very knowledgeable mentor at Orange Park.

What are some of the challenges you face in taking over Ocala Poker? Our location is certainly the biggest challenge, but we run lots of promotions to attract players to our room. We thrive on offering a friendly atmosphere to our players.

How have the limit changes in Florida made you rethink your approach to attracting players? I don’t think the limit changes should change the fundamental approach to attracting players. We’ll run games by good dealers and good customer service will attract players.

Do you have any plans you can share? I have several ideas in the works but would like to keep them for myself for now.

What can a poker player expect from a poker room run by Roger Coscarat? The player can expect a well-run game by competent dealers. The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance for me.

Ante Up Magazine

Ante Up Magazine