Jeff Madsen

Jeff Madsen is the third-youngest winner of a World Series of Poker event (and the youngest at the time) and the 2006 World Series of Poker player of the year.

Born in 1985 in Santa Monica, California, Madsen went to college at the University of California, Santa Barbara to study film theory. He started playing poker the summer before he went to college when his friend taught him how to play for fun. After going to college, he started playing at a small Indian casino where the minimum age to play is 18, three years before his WSOP victory. He also started playing a little online, playing limit hold’em then moving on to no limit hold’em and tournaments also.

At the 2006 WSOP Madsen borrowed money from his parents to enable himself to play in 6 events. His initial goal was to make the money back and cash in two events. He ended up making 4 final tables, winning 2 bracelets and winning the WSOP Player of the Year. He first finished 3rd in the $2,000 Omaha high-low split event, winning $97,552 after having the late chip lead. He then won the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em event for $660,948. At the age of 21 years and five weeks (barely old enough to legally play), the youngest WSOP winner in history and about six weeks younger than the previous record holder, Eric Froehlich, who won his first bracelet in 2005. This record got broken by Steve Billirakis, who was 21 years 11 days old, the following year. Later in 2007, Annette Obrestad broke that record with her win in the Main Event of the inaugural WSOP Europe on the day before her 19th birthday. Obrestad's record cannot be broken in the Las Vegas WSOP because Nevada's minimum gambling age is 21.

Just six days after his first bracelet, Madsen won his second bracelet, and $643,381, in the $5,000 no limit hold 'em shorthanded event. He came into the final table playing to win, even though he was short-stacked and in last place. He went heads-up against Erick Lindgren, who was trying to win his first bracelet, while the young Madsen was trying to win his second bracelet in a week.

A few days later he finished 3rd in the $1,000 Seven-card stud high low split event, earning $65,971. Madsen had finished in an unprecedented 3 top four finishes, in four different poker variants, in his first year playing at the WSOP.

In 2007 Madsen cashed in his first WPT event, finishing eighth at the Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship, winning $100,000.

On February 5, 2010 Madsen won the $3,500 No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event at the Borgata Winter Open 2010 in Atlantic City, NJ winning $625,006.

After his big 2006 showing, Madsen paid back his parents and planned on playing the tournament circuit and WPT events. He had one year left in college and had planned on going back but said that it’s would to be really tough to do now that he has so many opportunities. His biggest piece of advice to amateurs is to not be intimidated and play aggressively with no fear.

As of 2010, he has 2 WSOP bracelets, 12 WSOP cashes, and tournament winnings exceeding $3,100,000. His is a Full Tilt Poker sponsored pro.

COMMENTS:

Jeff Madsen

HPG ADMIN on February 27, 2013

Jeff Madsen

COMMENTS:

Famous Players

Poker Personalities

Business & Industry

Poker Groups

Online Players

Celebrities

Poker Authors

WPT Amateurs

Fictional Players

Login

Casino & Poker