The Main Event third place finisher in the feelgood staking story poker needs, as he pledged 1% of his winnings to a couple last year.

Alex Livingston

If this week's news about a major staking dispute at the WSOP Main Event final table has left a sour taste in your mouth, consider this a palate cleanser.

A much more wholesome staking story has emerged from that final table, as it was revealed 3rd place finisher Alex Livingston had gifted 1% of his Main Event score to a newlywed couple.

Livingston gave Rob and Tonya Taylor a card at their wedding last year where he gifted them 1% of anything he won in the Main Event the following year. That ended up being 1% of $4 million, meaning the couple got a delayed wedding gift of $40,000.

Tonya Taylor told CBC News her husband was a poker player who was very excited about the gift, persuading her not to redeem it for $100 cash instead (which Livingston offered to do). She completely forgot about the pledge when Livingston made the deep run, but Livingston reminded her on Instagram.

The story has shades of another feelgood moment in 2017 when Scott Blumstein was able to win $40,000 each for a bunch of his friends during his Main Event win.

Livingston has really raised his profile following his third place finish and is coming across as one of the good guys in poker. He even publicly defended Nick Marchington after his own staking dispute issues.

Have you ever won money for a friend? Let us know in the comments: