Steve Billirakis
• Name: Steve Billirakis
• Nickname: Mr. Smokey
• Current Residence: Chicago, Ill.
• Birth Date: May 23, 1986
• Birth Place: Chicago, Ill.
Only a select few will be able to beat Steve Billirakis’s World Series of Poker record.
At 21 years and 11 days, the young pro from Chicago, Ill., became the youngest gold bracelet winner in the history of the tournament.
The so-called Mr. Smokey waded through a 451-person playing field and a prize pool of $2.1 million to crush the record previously set by Jeff Madsen who picked up his very 1st piece of the WORLD SERIES OF POKER (WSOP) jewelry at the age of 21 years, 1 month, and 9 days.
Steve was raised in Chicago, where he actually resides; Billirakis had already been playing poker for three years before his American baptism by fire on the live tournament circuit.
But the young pro’s resume already featured a $85,000 win at the British Columbia Poker Championships and a cash at the main event of the 2005 PokerStars.com Caribbean adventure, where he earned $13,000.
His biggest payday prior to the 2007 WORLD SERIES OF POKER (WSOP) $536,000 windfall, however, came at the Conquest of Paradise Island tournament in the Bahamas where he took third in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em event for $150,000 in May 2006.
Trivia
• One 2007 WORLD SERIES OF POKER (WSOP) gold bracelet in the $5,000 Mixed Hold’em event
• Holds the record for youngest World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner
