Ross Boatman

Ross Boatman is the younger brother of card player Barny Boatman. Born in London, England, he was ten years old when he played his first hand of poker beating his brother and a group of his friends.

Two years later, “Rocky” would often be found at school betting on the flip of a coin. He quickly progressed past this stage and was soon wagering by pool tables; however, he knew that it was the poker tables that his future lay at.

Over the years he kept his eyes open and learnt from the players with the cards and by the time he had reached 17 he was playing with his friends. Eventually, he won so much money from them that they started to try and avoid him; deciding that friends were more important than money he cleared their debts and starts to visit casinos. He turned professional in 1992.

Before this, Boatman began his career in acting. He completed a course at the world famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London before getting work in the television show Death Of A Son in 1988. He would later go on to appear in programmes such as London’s Burning (starring in over 100 episodes as fire fighter Kevin Medhurst), A Touch of Frost, Dream Team and The Bill.

He has not restricted himself purely to television; Boatman has film credits to his name too. His most noticeable role was in 1997’s Hard Men which led to him being offered a role in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which he turned down in case he became typecast. He has also featured in the comedy Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis and the crime film I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead. Although he finds gambling the more lucrative industry, Boatman has stated that he prefers acting to playing poker.

He played cash games until the mid-90s before deciding to take his talent to the tournament world, reaching finals all across Europe. He qualified for his first World Series of Poker final in 2002 when he finished seventh in the Pot Limit Omaha.

He and Barny made history that year, becoming the first set of brothers to appear in the same WSOP final. Boatman proved his consistency and quality with four successive final appearances in Vienna’s World Series and over $1million in tournament prize money.

Boatman, along with the rest of the Hendon Mob, was invited to the first series of Late Night Poker. He was an ever present in all six series and came close to winning the second where he finished as runner up to Simon Trumper. He still resides in London where he lives with his wife Stephanie and son Buster Joe.