Full House

Comedy Central had a popular game show a few years ago called “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” where the contestants actually won a piece of host Ben Stein’s paycheck. Now, if a Yorkshire, England businessman gets his way, we might have…

…”Win Mike Tyson’s House?”

Thirty-two year old Dominic Marrocco, who purchased former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson’s, Las Vegas mansion for $4 million last year, wants to put it up for grabs in a poker game.

His idea is to have a huge poker tournament, with hundreds of competitors playing to earn their spot at the six player final table. Four of the finalists will be the top finishers from the qualifying tournament. The fifth and six will be Marrocco and Tyson themselves, thus giving Tyson the chance to win his house back. The final table would be contested on the basketball court of the former Tyson estate, with the winner taking ownership of the entire property.

Marrocco has spoken with US television executives, but has not decided whether he will sell the show to a network or just produce it himself.

When he bought Tyson’s home, he also purchased a rundown mansion next door, which he has since renovated.

“People might think I'm some kind of crazy English eccentric giving away Tyson's house but contestants pay thousands of dollars each to enter high stakes poker tournaments plus there are the rights to the reality TV show,” Marrocco said. “I have the chance to keep the house if I win the tournament but, if I don't, I will walk to my house next door, shut the door behind me and have still made money.”

So, for Marrocco, if Tyson wins the house back, he will be just as pleased as if he won it himself. After all, he stands to make some money from the potential television show. Plus, he and Tyson get along well. According to Marrocco:

“When I bought the house I gave Mike back quite a lot of his personal items including the grand piano he had been given by Stevie Wonder. Mike said it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.”

Marrocco amassed his fortune at a young age, starting out by simply selling computers. Soon after, he started his own computer games shop and made his first million by the time he turned twenty-one. He founded internet service provider, Firstnet, and sold it for £10 million.

He currently owns the broadband company, 186k, as well as hand-held computer provider, Idesta Solutions.

Originally published December 5, 2005