Jeff Madsen

In 2006, an unknown player named Jeff Madsen overshadowed the news that Phil Hellmuth had won his tenth World Series of Poker bracelet when he became the youngest player to win one. Within a week, he proved his talent as he became the youngest player to own two WSOP bracelets!

Before his win, the record for youngest player to win a bracelet was held by Eric Froehlich from his 2005 victory; Madsen was seven weeks younger than Froehlich when he achieved the feat. When he won his second bracelet, Madsen was six weeks younger than Froehlich when he won his first.

These successes – in No Limit Hold ‘em and No Limit Hold ‘em Short Handed – were sandwiched between two other final appearances in the same tournament as he finished third in both the Omaha Hi/Lo and the 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo events. In December, Madsen reached another No Limit Hold ‘em final, again finishing third.

Understandably, he was named 2006 WSOP player of the year. With a whirlwind of media attention, Full Tilt Poker quickly moved in to sponsor Madsen and he can often been found playing online games and speaking in the chat room on their website.

What makes this feat even more remarkable is that Madsen was virtually unheard before the tournament, having played in no other major events. His greatest achievement before attending the WSOP tournament was being part of the Pacific Palisades High Dolphins who won the City Invitational Baseball Championship.

He celebrated his 21st birthday on 7 June that year, meaning he was just a month over Nevada’s legal gambling age. Knowing that he’d just make the cut off age-wise, Madsen persuaded his parents to loan him the money for the buy in which he topped up by taking cash from his college fund his grandfather had set up for him.

Although sceptical at first, his family didn’t take much persuading to give him the cash. He had previously spent three years gambling in California’s casinos, where the age limit is 18, learning the game and practising his play.

After growing up in Santa Monica, California, Madsen made the interstate trip to Santa Barbara to enrol in the University of California where, despite his poker success, he continues to study film theory. With one year remaining after his WSOP exploits, Madsen has the advantage of not having to worry about money problems as he studies. His career plan is to become a feature film director and he says he is tempted to make a movie about his WSOP experience.

In March 2007, Madsen won another $100,000 as he finished 8th in the World Poker Tour Season 5 Championship to bring his career earning’s past $1,600,000 – not bad for less than a year’s work!