Eating a Spam musubi at a World Series of Poker table in Las Vegas? That's the sign of a Hawai'i native.

You might be able to spot Derek Kadota doing just that when he plays in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. tournament (Event 31) that runs from Sunday to Tuesday at the Rio Hotel and Casino.

Kadota, who has gone from Hilo to Hollywood and the high-rolling tables of Hawai'i's favorite vacation spot, is hoping to beat the odds and walk away with a coveted winner's bracelet when he enters his second of the 57 events at this year's 40th annual World Series of Poker.

The University of Hawai'i graduate, who now lives in California, completed the Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 3) tournament at the end of May, placing 51st out of 918 people and taking home $4,295 in winnings.

Three years ago Kadota, 33, got a chance to check out the World Series of Poker games and was hooked. He promised himself that he would be playing in those tournaments two years later.

"And that is what I did," he says. "I practiced, studied the game and improved my skills to a more competitive level."

His most high-profile finish so far was at last year's World Series of Poker in the Pot-Limit Omaha High-Low Split 8 or Better event, ending up in 11th place out of 720 people and winning $12,285.

"The World Series of Poker is the creme de la creme of tournament playing, so placing 11th was an incredible feat for my first time," says Kadota, who just celebrated his birthday on June 11 — and whose favorite number happens to be 11.

Kadota says he prefers the Omaha games to the more popular Texas Hold 'Em because he has to rely more on skill than luck.

"Aggressive poker players can't bluff you out of the pot because they don't know which side (high or low pot) you're playing," says Kadota, who got the nickname "Ghost" for making "players' chips disappear."

Kadota says he also has the patience for the Omaha game, traditionally favored by senior citizens. At one tournament he didn't play a hand for six hours. He just kept folding his cards and maintained a comfortable chip lead.

While poker has always been a hobby for the Waiakea grad, Kadota also dabbled in acting when he moved to Los Angeles in 2002. He had a small role in CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" in Season 4, as well as in the World War II film "Only the Brave" as part of the Hero 6 crew assigned to Jason Scott Lee's squadron.

One of Kadota's dreams if he becomes a pro poker player would be to come back to Hawai'i and educate people on how to "become a force in these competitions — how to go from the worst hand ever but still win a pot."

Kadota is also playing in one final WSOP tournament later this month. He's excited that his parents will be flying in to watch him. "Making the money is just icing on the cake," he says.