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Steve Billirakis (born May 23, 1986 in Hampshire, Illinois) 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4] Mueller was then short-stacked and called the big blind with '5♦ 4♦'. Billirakis raised Mueller all-in with 'K♠ 2♦'. The board came down 'J♦ Q♥ 2♠ 8♥ Q♠', 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.[5][6]
As of 2011, Billirakis's total live tournament winnings exceed $2,400,000.[7] His 8 cashes at the WSOP account for $714,041 of those winnings.[8]
World Series of Poker bracelets
Year Event Prize Money
2007 $5,000 World Championship Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) $536,287
2011 WSOPE €5,300 Pot Limit Omaha (WSOPE) €238,140 ($328,752)
"You have to get lucky at least twice to win a tournament" -Steve Billirakis
Notes
^ Pokerworks.com: A New Youngest WSOP Bracelet Winner: Steve Billirakis Smokes the Final Table
^ Pokerpages.com: Event #1 - WSOP No Limit Hold'em World Championship Mixed Hold'em
^ ESPN's coverage of the 2007 World Series of Poker, Episode 1
^ "Wsop 2007 Bracelet Event 5k$ mixed hold'eim world champ 5/5". Retrieved 2009-06-19.
^ Laukkanen, Owen (2008-11-02). "Billirakis' Superfans: Smokey Takes Chicago". PokerListings.com. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
^ Lucchesi, Ryan (2008-11-03). "WSOP -- Steve Billirakis Wins the Hammond Circuit Event". CardPlayer.com. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
^ Butt, Robert. "Steve Billirakis - Stats". TheHendonMob.com. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
^ World Series of Poker Earnings, worldseriesofpoker.com
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