Jeff Madsen
Encyclopedia
Jeff Madsen is the third-youngest winner of a World Series of Poker
event and the 2006 World Series of Poker
Player of the Year.
Madsen was raised in Los Angeles
and lived in the same house until going to college at the University of California, Santa Barbara
to study film theory
. He now lives in Las Vegas
.
Madsen began playing poker at college and won a no limit
Texas hold 'em
event at the 2006 World Series of Poker. At the age of 21 years and five weeks, he was about six weeks younger than the previous record holder, Eric Froehlich
, who won his first WSOP bracelet in 2005. Madsen's victory earned him $660,948. At that time he was the youngest World Series of Poker winner in history until Steve Billirakis
became the youngest at the age of 21 years 11 days the following year. Later in 2007, Annette Obrestad
broke that record with her win in the Main Event of the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe
on the day before her 19th birthday. Obrestad's record cannot be broken in the Las Vegas WSOP because Nevada gaming law mandates a minimum age of 21.
Less than two weeks prior to his victory, Madsen finished third in the $2000 Omaha high-low split
event, winning $97,552. Just six days after his first victory, Madsen won his second WSOP title, and $643,381, in the $5000 no limit hold 'em shorthanded event. A few days later he finished third in the $1000 Seven-card stud high low split
event, earning $65,971, adding up to an unprecedented four top 3 finishes, in four different poker variants, in his first year at the WSOP. His showing prompted Full Tilt Poker
to bring him in as a sponsored pro.
In 2007 Madsen cashed in his first WPT event, finishing eighth at the Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship.
Madsen began playing casino poker three years before his WSOP victory at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California
, where the minimum age to play is 18.
On February 5, 2010 Madsen won the $3,500 buy-in Championship Event at the Borgata Winter Open 2010 in Atlantic City, NJ winning $625,006.
As of 2010, Madsen's tournament winnings exceed $3,200,000. His 16 cashes at the WSOP account for $1,703,022 of those winnings.
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
event and the 2006 World Series of Poker
2006 World Series of Poker
The 2006 World Series of Poker began on June 25, 2006 with "satellite" events, with regular play commencing on June 26 with the annual Casino Employee event, and the Tournament of Champions held on June 28 and 29...
Player of the Year.
Madsen was raised in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and lived in the same house until going to college at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
to study film theory
Film theory
Film theory is an academic discipline that aims to explore the essence of the cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large...
. He now lives in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
.
Madsen began playing poker at college and won a no limit
Betting (poker)
In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing...
Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
event at the 2006 World Series of Poker. At the age of 21 years and five weeks, he was about six weeks younger than the previous record holder, Eric Froehlich
Eric Froehlich
Eric Froehlich is an American professional poker player, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. As of 2009, Froehlich's total live tournament winnings exceed $1,300,000. His 16 cashes at the WSOP account for $867,783 of those winnings....
, who won his first WSOP bracelet in 2005. Madsen's victory earned him $660,948. At that time he was the youngest World Series of Poker winner in history until Steve Billirakis
Steve Billirakis
Steve Billirakis is an American professional poker player.Billirakis won the first tournament of the 2007 World Series of Poker winning the $5,000 World Championship Mixed Hold'em Limit/No-Limit event after beating Canadian poker player and former professional hockey player Greg Mueller heads-up...
became the youngest at the age of 21 years 11 days the following year. Later in 2007, Annette Obrestad
Annette Obrestad
Annette Obrestad is a Norwegian poker player. Obrestad is the youngest person to ever win a World Series of Poker Europe bracelet...
broke that record with her win in the Main Event of the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe
World Series of Poker Europe
The World Series of Poker Europe is the first expansion effort of World Series of Poker-branded poker tournaments outside the United States. Since 1970, participants had to travel to Las Vegas if they wanted to compete in the World Series of Poker...
on the day before her 19th birthday. Obrestad's record cannot be broken in the Las Vegas WSOP because Nevada gaming law mandates a minimum age of 21.
Less than two weeks prior to his victory, Madsen finished third in the $2000 Omaha high-low split
Omaha hold 'em
Omaha hold 'em is a community card poker game similar to Texas hold 'em, where each player is dealt four cards and must make his best hand using exactly two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards...
event, winning $97,552. Just six days after his first victory, Madsen won his second WSOP title, and $643,381, in the $5000 no limit hold 'em shorthanded event. A few days later he finished third in the $1000 Seven-card stud high low split
Seven-card stud
Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant in home games across the United States, and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. Two to eight players is common, though eight may...
event, earning $65,971, adding up to an unprecedented four top 3 finishes, in four different poker variants, in his first year at the WSOP. His showing prompted Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is an online poker card room that opened in June 2004 with the involvement of poker professionals Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Jennifer Harman and Chris Ferguson...
to bring him in as a sponsored pro.
In 2007 Madsen cashed in his first WPT event, finishing eighth at the Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship.
Madsen began playing casino poker three years before his WSOP victory at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California
Santa Ynez, California
Santa Ynez is a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The town of Santa Ynez is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley, and features the Santa Ynez Airport for general aviation with a paved 2804 x 75 foot runway. The population was 4,418...
, where the minimum age to play is 18.
On February 5, 2010 Madsen won the $3,500 buy-in Championship Event at the Borgata Winter Open 2010 in Atlantic City, NJ winning $625,006.
As of 2010, Madsen's tournament winnings exceed $3,200,000. His 16 cashes at the WSOP account for $1,703,022 of those winnings.
WSOP Bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 World Series of Poker The 2006 World Series of Poker began on June 25, 2006 with "satellite" events, with regular play commencing on June 26 with the annual Casino Employee event, and the Tournament of Champions held on June 28 and 29... |
$2,000 No Limit Hold'em | $660,948 |
| 2006 | $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Short Handed 6/Table | $643,381 |