Gus Hansen

Name: Gus Hansen

DOB: February 13th 1974

Nationality: Danish

Tournament winnings: $7.5m

Nickname: The Great Dane

Greatest moment: Aussie Millions 2007 winner

Gus made the move from backgammon to poker in the late 90’s but only made a big impression when he won the WPT’s inaugural event in May 2002. In the following 2 years he won a further 2 titles, an invitational title, and final tabled 2 other WPT tournaments.

He’d developed a fearsome loose aggressive style that paid off both in terms of results and recognition. In 2005 he made a decision to concentrate on cash games and reputedly lost millions in the Bellagio’s Big Game. In 2007 he returned to the tournament trail in style by winning the Aussie Millions which also spawned the book Every Hand Revealed in which Gus documents his thoughts on each hand from that event.

Since then he’s worked on his cash game and is more focussed. His results have improved and the queue of players wanting to take him on has diminished. In 2009 Gus fought (and lost) in a boxing match against fellow pro Theo Jorgensen to promote his newest venture Gus Hansen TV, a web-based show streamed directly from his Monte Carlo apartment where he commentates on his own high stakes hands and personal thoughts in his own inimitable, unorthodox and humorous style. When not playing poker Gus can be found on the golf course or playing tennis but states he’s also ‘very good at not doing much. It’s actually one of my favourite things!’