Lee Watkinson

One of the key skills required by a poker player, along with being able to read opponents and receiving luck every now and then, is the ability to understand and work out the odds and the maths behind the game. There are few players better equipped to do this than Lee Watkinson.

He grew up in Longbranch, Washington, and has graduated in economics. Studying numbers and money has put him great stead for a career in poker.

He played his first major tournament in 1994, aged 28, appearing in the LA Poker Classic playing Limit Hold ‘em. After failing to cash in at the event, Watkinson left the poker circuit.

Nine years later, he came back to fulfil his dream. He immediately started to win money, finishing fourth in the California State Championships Limit Hold ‘em event and third in Limit Omaha during the second season of the World Poker Tour.

In the four years since his re-emergence on the poker scene, Watkinson has played well enough to win cash on eighteen separate occasions and has a career total of over $2,600,000 from tournament play.

He recorded his only major tournament win to date at the 2006 World Series of Poker tournament when he came out on top in the Pot Limit Omaha event. As well as being awarded with the coveted gold bracelet, Watkinson walked away with over $650,000. This was the third time in his career he had collected more than half a million dollars in the prize money; the other two were both won during August 2004 playing No Limit Hold ‘em in the third season of the WPT.

These two second place finishes were preceded earlier in the year by a runner up position in the WSOP Pot Limit Omaha event. His remarkable performances over the year saw him named as Card Player Magazine’s 2004 Player of the Year.

Away from the poker table, Watkinson is a shy and quiet man who has so far avoided much of the media limelight that many other players revel in. His long term girlfriend is currently coaxing him out of his shell; as she believes that the more people know about him, the more they will like him. As well as cards, Watkinson is passionate about surfing (which he regularly practises in his free time) and wrestling (which he has not participated in since his college days).

Watkinson also works alongside the Cortland Brandenburg Foundation, regularly donating money to their cause. The foundation is centred on the well being of chimpanzees and a portion of Watkinson’s WSOP prize money has gone to fund the building of a chimpanzee sanctuary.