Is the New World Champ Nuts?

[Johnny Hughes]

Concerns arose during the final days of the World Series of Poker about whether the grueling marathon was taking a toll on Jamie Gold, the eventual winner.

Gold, 36, won a record $12 million when the smoke cleared early Saturday at the Rio, but WSOP insiders were getting worried about Gold's erratic behavior.

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The former Hollywood agent, who lives in Malibu, showed up on Thursday with two bodyguards and mentioned to organizers that he's "been threatened."

It could have been a combination of the strain, sleep deprivation or concerns about his ailing father, but Gold was uncooperative with his sponsor after the win, and blew off a number of national media interview requests.

"He cracked," said an insider. "Anyone with media savvy and Hollywood savvy knows what it meant to the event to cooperate."

Gold had bodyguards escort him to the men's room every two hours during the final table showdown. This was in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.