Steve Billirakis
Encyclopedia
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. Billirakis won $536,287 and became the then youngest WSOP
bracelet winner in history, having won the event only 11 days after his 21st birthday. The previous record holder was Jeff Madsen
, who had set the record only the year before. Billirakis' record was broken on the 10 September 2007 when Annette Obrestad
won the main event of the World Series of Poker Europe
where the age limit was only 18 years. Prior to signing up for this mixed hold'em event, Billirakis had never played limit hold'em. His friends gave him a crash course in the days leading up to the event.
On one key hand when they were heads up, Mueller had made top pair against Billirakis's trips. When Billirakis raised on the river, Mueller made a feint
of putting chips into the pot to attempt to get a read on whether Billirakis wanted him to call. While not a formal breach of the rules, ESPN
commentator Norman Chad
opined that such plays "ain't kosher" according to poker etiquette. Mueller was then short-stacked and called the big blind with . Billirakis raised Mueller all-in with . The board came down , giving Billirakis the winning hand with two pair queens and deuces.
In November, Billirakis won the 2008 WSOP Circuit Event - Horseshoe Hammond, $5,150 Championship, earning $208,885.
As of 2011, Billirakis's total live tournament winnings exceed $2,400,000. His 8 cashes at the WSOP account for $714,041 of those winnings.
"You have to get lucky at least twice to win a tournament"
-Steve Billirakis
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player.
Billirakis won the first tournament of the 2007 World Series of Poker
2007 World Series of Poker
The 2007 World Series of Poker began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18...
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
Greg Mueller
Greg Mueller is a professional poker player from Vancouver, British ColumbiaMueller, a former professional hockey player, was drawn to poker after one of many long road trips during his hockey career...
heads-up. Billirakis won $536,287 and became the then youngest WSOP
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...
bracelet winner in history, having won the event only 11 days after his 21st birthday. The previous record holder was Jeff Madsen
Jeff Madsen
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....
, who had set the record only the year before. Billirakis' record was broken on the 10 September 2007 when 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...
won the main event of the 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...
where the age limit was only 18 years. Prior to signing up for this mixed hold'em event, Billirakis had never played limit hold'em. His friends gave him a crash course in the days leading up to the event.
On one key hand when they were heads up, Mueller had made top pair against Billirakis's trips. When Billirakis raised on the river, Mueller made a feint
Feint
Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
of putting chips into the pot to attempt to get a read on whether Billirakis wanted him to call. While not a formal breach of the rules, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
commentator Norman Chad
Norman Chad
Norman Chad is an American sportswriter and syndicated columnist who is seen on the sports channel ESPN. He also was an occasional guest host on the ESPN show Pardon the Interruption and has appeared as both host and movie critic on the ESPN Classic series Reel Classics.He writes a weekly...
opined that such plays "ain't kosher" according to poker etiquette. Mueller was then short-stacked and called the big blind with . Billirakis raised Mueller all-in with . The board came down , giving Billirakis the winning hand with two pair queens and deuces.
In November, Billirakis won the 2008 WSOP Circuit Event - Horseshoe Hammond, $5,150 Championship, earning $208,885.
As of 2011, Billirakis's total live tournament winnings exceed $2,400,000. His 8 cashes at the WSOP account for $714,041 of those winnings.
World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Event | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 World Series of Poker The 2007 World Series of Poker began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18... |
$5,000 World Championship Mixed 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... (Limit/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... |
$536,287 |
| 2011 WSOPE 2011 World Series of Poker Europe The fifth World Series of Poker Europe takes place from October 7, 2011 to October 20, 2011. There are seven bracelet events, culminating in the €10,400 WSOPE Championship No-Limit Hold'em event. Events will be held at the Majestic Barrière Cannes and the Le Croisette Casino Barrière in Cannes,... |
€5,300 Pot Limit Omaha (WSOPE) | €238,140 ($328,752) |
"You have to get lucky at least twice to win a tournament"
-Steve Billirakis