Poker and charity are closely linked, with many of the top players in the US, including Mike Sexton, Victor Ramdin and Barry Greenstein often donating generously to good causes.

A big poker tournament is always a great occasion and one which readily lends itself to giving to those less fortunate.

Closer to home poker players travelled to Sheffield from as far away as Edinburgh, London and Liverpool to raise hundreds of pounds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

They gathered at Napoleons Casino Owlerton for the inaugural two-day Lord Mayor’s Appeal Trophy with over 60 kind-hearted players digging deep for the good cause.

Venue general manager Allan Cooper also gave generously and presented a total amount of £2,500 to a thrilled Sheffield Lord Mayor Jackie Drayton.

Allan Cooper said: “Our partner company Owlerton Stadium has long given to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and we were looking at suitable way we could do the same." “Napoleons Casino Owlerton has grown to become the region’s poker capital so we thought we’d stage a tournament specifically designed to raise money for the good cause."

“It has been a great success and I have to say a big thank you to the generosity of the players and the hard work of my staff for making it such a great success."

“The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Trophy is now set to become a permanent fixture on our calendar.”

Napoleons Casino Owlerton was one of the first venues in the region to host poker tournaments and its reputation as the centre for the sport has grown year-on-year.

It currently hosts an impressive 108 tournaments a year, including four European festivals.

The venue also provides free poker lessons for beginners and people that want to improve their game.