If you’re a fan of Mandarin or Hollywood films, you’re likely familiar with the series of films that feature games at the gambling table. Did you know that in real life, Indonesia has a world-renowned poker legend?
That figure is John Juanda. Born and raised in Medan, North Sumatra, he is a five-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) champion and is nicknamed the world’s king of gambling.
The eldest of four siblings, he began his career as a professional poker player after completing his master’s degree in America. Since then, he has achieved numerous fantastic wins in his poker career. Here are some interesting facts about John Juanda that you might not know.
- Born to Gambling Parents
Apparently, John Juanda was familiar with playing cards and poker from a young age. He often watched his father gamble.
As reported by goldsea, the thing he remembers most is his father’s habit of always drinking alcohol while gambling. Due to his habit of drinking alcohol while gambling, his father often suffered losses.
John’s father always warned him not to gamble. However, he ignored the warnings. In fact, John is now a respected poker player.
2. Introduced Poker Upon Departure for America
John became acquainted with poker while traveling to America to pursue his undergraduate studies in 1990. On the plane, his seatmate introduced him to the card game. After arriving in America, specifically in Oklahoma City, John didn’t speak English fluently, but he knew how to play poker. After completing his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma State, he continued his master’s degree at Seattle University. After earning his MBA in 1996, Juanda chose poker as his career path.
3. Winning the World Series of Poker 5 Times
According to pokernews, John is a five-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) champion. From the championship, Juanda managed to collect prize money of USD 50 thousand. He participated in his first WSOP in 1999. In the tournament, he finished ninth and was entitled to a prize of USD 1,500. From 1999 to 2014, Juanda has won the WSOP tournament five times. From these tournaments, he has collected USD 2,330,926 or around IDR 28 billion.
4. Becoming a World Billionaire Thanks to Poker
In 2015, John was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. He was inducted as the 50th member. John was chosen for his numerous achievements in the world of poker. In winnings at various global poker tournaments, John has amassed over USD 17 million (approximately IDR 240 billion). This prize pool comes from poker tournaments he has participated in across America, England, Spain, and Australia.
5. Often Plays with Hollywood Stars
Unlike other professional poker players, who choose to reside in Las Vegas, Nevada, John lives in Marina del Rey, Southern California. He is known to own property in Las Vegas. According to pokernewsdaily, John is also known to frequently play poker with Hollywood celebrities in California, including Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire, and The Simpsons creator Sam Simon.