Greg Raymer
Greg Raymer | |
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Greg Raymer at the 2008 World Series of Poker |
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Nickname(s) | Fossilman |
Hometown | Raleigh, North Carolina |
Born | June 25, 1964 |
World Series of Poker | |
Bracelet(s) | 1 |
Money finish(es) | 14 |
Highest ITM Main Event finish |
Winner, 2004 |
World Poker Tour | |
Title(s) | None |
Final table(s) | None |
Money finish(es) | 2 |
Information accurate as of 2010-08-01. |
Gregory Raymer (born June 25, 1964, in Minot, North Dakota) nicknamed "Fossilman," is a professional poker player. He is best known for winning the 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Early life
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011) |
Raymer's family moved numerous times during his childhood, from his birthplace to Lansing, MI, where he lived until age 10. He then moved to Clearwater, Florida, attending Dunedin Middle School, and then to St. Louis, Missouri.
After Raymer graduated from Parkway South High School in St. Louis, he enrolled at the University of Missouri–Rolla, where he majored in chemistry and became a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Masters Degree in Biochemistry in 1989, and then again from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1992. He then practiced law as a patent attorney for more than a decade, spending the last six years of his legal career at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
Raymer is nicknamed "Fossilman" because of his hobby of collecting fossils. He uses a small fossil as a card protector while he plays poker.
[edit] Poker
Raymer first finished in the money of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event during 2001 in the $1,500 Omaha hi-lo split 8 or better event won by Chris Ferguson. At the 2004 World Series, Raymer defeated David Williams to win the $5,000,000 first prize in the $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em WSOP main event.[2]
The following year, as defending champion, Raymer finished 25th (out of 5,619 entrants) in the 2005 WSOP Main Event, earning him $304,680. Arguably, this two-year accomplishment ranks as one of most impressive performances in the main event in recent history, along with Dan Harrington. Both players posted deep-runs in consecutive years (Harrington finished 3rd and 4th in 2003/2004), and both looked to repeat as world champion within a ten-year span (Harrington won the Main Event in 1995).[3]
In 2005 Raymer also entered the inaugural British Poker Open which was filmed in London and was the UK's biggest live poker event in history. As a firm favourite Raymer made the final table to come third in a live final and collect around £20,000.
On September 17th, 2007, Raymer won his first World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) bracelet by winning Event #6 of the 2007 WCOOP, a $320 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys event. The victory netted Raymer $168,362.[4]
At the 2009 WSOP $40k No Limit hold 'em event, Raymer placed third out of 201 entrants and won $774,927.[5]
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $6,900,000.[6] Most of his winnings ($6,487,512) have come from his places in the money at WSOP tournament events.[7]
Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
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2004 | $10,000 No Limit Texas Hold'em World Championship | $5,000,000 |
[edit] Other activities
- Raymer was one of the original members of Team PokerStars Pro, a group of professional poker players who represent and endorse PokerStars.com, the world's largest online poker site. As of early 2011, he is no longer a Team PokerStars Pro.
- Raymer has lobbied extensively to have poker regulated and classified as a game of skill, after the passage of the UIGEA in 2006.[8] As part of this effort, he is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Poker Players Alliance.
- In a December 2006 interview Raymer said that he was considering running for Vice-President of the United States in 2008 as a candidate of the Libertarian Party.[9] However, Raymer did not end up running.
- On December 20, 2004, two men attempted to rob Raymer at gunpoint as he returned to his Bellagio hotel room after playing in a cash game. Raymer held them off until police arrived and was unharmed.[10]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Pokerlistings.com: About Greg Raymer
- ^ Pokerlistings.com: Greg Raymer 2004 Main Event Champion
- ^ Greg Raymer Poker player profile
- ^ Wehner, Matt (September 18, 2007). "WCOOP – Event #6, $320 PLO: Greg 'FossilMan' Raymer Wins First WCOOP Title". PokerNews.com. http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/09/wcoop-event-6-fossilman-wins.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ Wsop.com: 40th Annual No-Limit Holdem
- ^ .Hendon Mob tournament results: Greg Raymer
- ^ World Series of Poker Earnings, worldseriesofpoker.com
- ^ Greg Raymer Poker player profile
- ^ Pokernews.com: Poker Champ and Vice Presidential Candidate?
- ^ Las Vegas Review Journal: Suspects identified in robbery attempt
[edit] External links
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- 1964 births
- American poker players
- Living people
- Patent attorneys
- Poker commentators
- World Series of Poker bracelet winners
- World Series of Poker Main Event winners
- Missouri University of Science and Technology alumni
- People from Raleigh, North Carolina
- People from Minot, North Dakota
- People from St. Louis, Missouri
- American libertarians
- University of Minnesota alumni
- University of Minnesota Law School alumni