A SPORTING legend known as the Godfather of Poker has died in Las Vegas at 89.

Doyle Brunson's death was confirmed by his family, who shared a statement on social media through his agent, Brian Balsbaugh.

"It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson," the statement read.

"He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather. We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy.

"Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace."

Also known as "Texas Dolly," Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments throughout his career, including the Main Event in 1976 and 1977.

He is credited with influencing a generation of poker players through his book Super System.

He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1988.

Brunson's career wasn't always easy, however.

It once landed him on the receiving end of a death threat from an infamous mobster, Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, he had claimed.

But his connections with Benny Binion, a gambling icon and career criminal, helped him live to tell the tale, Brunson said.

Binion was a mob boss in Texas, where Brunson was from before he started a new life as a casino owner in Las Vegas.

Spilotro was notorious for allegedly being responsible for more than 20 murders and sought out a 25 percent cut of Brunson's poker winnings.

Brunson reportedly wanted to know what made Spilotro believe he was entitled to the money.

"If you don’t like it, I’ll stick twelve ice picks in that big fat gut of yours," Spilotro allegedly told the poker player.

Legend has it, Brunson told the mobster: "You can't kill everyone."

To which Spilotro responded: "I won’t have to kill everyone. Just the first one."

Born in 1933 in Longworth, Texas, Brunson was one of three children and played for the All-State Texas basketball team in his youth.

The then-Minneapolis Lakers showed interest in Brunson playing for the NBA but a knee injury dashed his hopes of a professional career.

Shortly before his injury, Brunson became interested in five-card draw, a variant of poker, and began playing even more to pay for his medical expenses.

After graduating with a master's degree in administrative education, Brunson got a job as a business machine salesman but was invited to play in a seven-card stud game on his first day.

After winning more than a month's salary in the game, Brunson quit his job to become a professional poker player.

He married his wife, Louise, in 1962, and the couple had three children: Doyla, Pamela, and Todd.

Doyla died at age 18 from a heart-valve condition.

Pamela and Todd also played poker professionally with Todd winning a bracelet in the $2,500 Omaha Hi-Lo at the 2005 World Series of Poker, making Brunson and Todd the first father-son combination to win World Series bracelets.

Pamela played in the 2007 and 2009 World Series of Poker Main Events, outlasting her brother and father both times.