( CNN ) -- A Las Vegas cabbie had no second thoughts when he found $ 300,000 in cash in a brown paper bag in his cab this week . He made sure it was returned to the forgetful owner . `` I do n't care from $ 10 to higher . My dignity is not for sale , and that 's the way I am . That 's the way our parents taught us when I was a kid , '' cabbie Gerardo Gamboa told CNN affiliate KVVU . `` All I wanted to do was just call my dispatcher and return it , and this is the only chance I have to show cab drivers in Las Vegas are not bad people . '' The loser of the money -- at least temporarily , thanks to Gamboa 's good deed -- was a famous 28-year-old professional poker player , whom officials were n't publicly identifying , according to another CNN affiliate , KLAS . The gambler was so devastated at his loss Monday that `` he wanted to shoot himself in the head , '' a cab company official told KLAS . `` He was grateful . He was very understanding ; he was n't irritated . To a point he was irritated , but he was n't mad or aggressive or anything . Maybe a little more embarrassed than anything . I mean , he left $ 300,000 in a cab , but he was an awesome guy , '' Yellow Checker Star field operations manager Joel Willden told KVVU . The chief operating officer of the cab company described the sum as the most found in a cab in his 32 years in the business . `` We had to be as a company extremely cautious that the right person got the money , '' cab firm CEO Bill Shranko told KLAS . `` It 's the Christmas season and we think it 's the best story that I 've seen in 32 years , and cab drivers worldwide are going to be very proud . '' It all began when Gamboa drove a man about two miles between casino-hotels , from the Cosmopolitan on the Las Vegas Strip to Palms Place , KLAS reported . The man gave him a $ 5 tip . Gamboa then went back to the Strip -- the Bellagio casino-hotel . `` When the doorman at the Bellagio opened up the door for the next passenger , he said , 'There 's a bag in here . It 's full of chocolate , ' '' Gamboa told KLAS . When he opened the bag , Gamboa was stunned at the six bundles of $ 100 bills inside . His next fare was already in the cab , and Gamboa told the passenger , `` Look sir , you are my witness . I did n't touch anything here , '' Gamboa told KLAS . Meanwhile , the poker player went to the cab company looking for his lost money . Gamboa took the small fortune to the office of his Nevada cab company , which contacted authorities . After a four-hour police investigation , officials confirmed the gambler was the rightful owner of the money , KLAS reported . Yellow Check Star gave Gamboa a $ 1,000 reward , made him driver of the year , and gave him a steak dinner for two , the affiliates reported . `` I did the right thing , that 's it , '' Gamboa told KLAS . `` They call us sin city . But it 's not . It 's angel city . '' Rabbi returns $ 98,000 he found in desk he bought on Craigslist .
NEW : Unidentified gambler who left $ 300,000 in Palms Place is a famous professional , the Christmas season . NEW : `` I did the right thing , that 's it , '' cabbie tell Rabbi . NEW : Joel Willden was devastated at his absentmindedness , cab firm official says . NEW : `` They call us sin city . But it 's not . It 's angel city , '' cab driver says .