Noted Razz Player & Sports Betting Legend Steve “Fats” Diano Passes Away

On Monday, the poker world received sad news that Steve “Fats” Diano had passed away.

Professional sports bettor Gadoon “Spanky” Kyrollos shared the news on social media:

“Sad to announce that Steven ‘Fats’ Diano has passed,” he wrote. “Fats was fighting cancer for a long time. He is one of the sharpest guys I’ve ever known, and his dry sense of humor was second to none.”

Diano was a familiar face at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for many years. In 2005, he finished sixth in the $5,000 Seven Card Stud Event, and the following year took third in the $1,500 Razz. In 2009 and 2010, he made deep runs in the same Razz tournament, finishing in seventh and 13th place, respectively.

Diano’s last tournament cash came back in June 2018 when he finished fifth in the Golden Nugget’s Grand Poker Series Event #63: $250 Triple Stud. According to the Hendon Mob, Diano amassed $268,016 in lifetime tournament earnings dating back to 2005.

While an avid poker player, Diano was actually a legendary sports bettor. Here’s how he described himself in his “Meet the Board” profile for the Sports Gambling Hall of Fame:

“I lived in Las Vegas for over 30 years. I started as a runner for a group known as the Philly Crew. After 3 months I became in charge of running the crew’s Vegas runners. I left the crew for a year to work for Billy Walters, and then went on my own from the mid 90s til the present day. I’ve worked with many of the sharpest groups along the way as I learned: ‘Success in this business is not about what you know or who you know, it’s all about what who you know knows.’ In June 2021 I moved to Michigan to be close to my Grandkids, but still continue to make my living betting on sports.”

In a piece remembering Diano, Sportsvestment wrote:

He was also, simply, a blast. A jokester who loved having a good time. He’d put on an accent for the Hat and the Coin and have a whole room cracking up (except Mrs. Fats) — the picks were sharp, but the bit was always part of the deal. That was Fats.

His character showed in how he treated people, too. Ask Omar. The two of them went at it for a while — real friction, the kind that usually ends a thing for good. Instead it became deep mutual respect and a genuine friendship, forged out of the rivalry. That was Fats: the guy who could turn an opponent into a brother.

He’s at peace now, and he leaves exactly the way Omar said: a Hall of Famer. They called him “Fats,” and it was never only about his stature — it was about the size of his heart. That’s the part this community will feel the absence of most. Rest easy, Fats. Forty years of honor at the window, a lifetime of real friendships — and a lot of long phone calls — away from it. You’ll be missed more than these words can hold.

PokerNews offers its condolences to the friends and family of Steve Diano.

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, host of both the PokerNews Podcast & MPST Podcast Presented By PokerNews, and 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.