A Welshman is heading to Las Vegas to participate in a poker competition after teaching himself the rules of the game.

Robert Romanello, from Gorseinon in south Wales, taught himself to play online after injuring himself while playing football.

The 29-year old broke his tibia and femur during the match, although the time he has spent teaching himself to play poker online appears to have been well spent.

Mr Romanello entered a 50 competition, the top prize for which was entry to a 750 tournament.

Having won that competition, in May Mr Romanello will depart for Las Vegas to compete against some of the world's best poker players for the top prize of £1 million.

Mr Romanello told the South Wales Post: "I'd only played the odd tournament online before… But I had never really had time to play on the internet because of work and other commitments.

"But when I was stuck here with my broken leg, there was nothing else to do. It has certainly helped to improve my game 100 per cent."