By Donovan Livingston
Our Dealer Spotlight this month shines on Jason Woodward of Minneapolis. Woodward is a dealer at Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, Minn, where you can find live racing, simulcast racing, fine dining and tons of poker.
The poker room is unmatched for comfort, amenities and fast-paced action, offering limit games from $2-$4 to $30-$60. Plus, the room offers spread-limit games such as $2-$100 and $5-$100. Hold’em not your game? You can play stud and Omaha daily, plus a variety of mixed games.
Woodward has been with Running Aces for six years, but how did he break into the casino industry?
“I received training from Running Aces prior to them opening their doors,” he said.
Clearly the staff did a great job. He’s friendly, fast, accurate and well-versed in all of the games he deals. Players feel comfortable at his table and have nothing but nice things to say about him.
It’s rare to find anybody who works in a poker room that doesn’t also play the game and Woodward is no different. When asked about his favorite game to play, he smiles and says, “I love to play the $2-$100 spread game we offer at Running Aces.”
With tons of action and always a full table, Woodward can grind there for hours. When he’s not dealing or stacking chips at his favorite spread game, he loves to stay healthy physically and mentally. He enjoys running, practicing yoga and reading on wide range of subjects. He also has a “beautiful, wonderful girlfriend, and I’m a very lucky man to have her,” he said. Perhaps marriage is not too far in his future.
To be a poker player, you have to inherently be a competitor, so when asked about what he loves most about dealing, he said, “I love watching people compete for money.”
Indeed, even as a spectator, it can be very exciting to watch huge sums of money come down to the fate of that river.
Next time you’re at Running Aces, be sure to stop in and say hello to Jason; you are sure to be greeted with a smile and a handshake.
