Michael Binger
Fan site for poker pro Michael Binger
Fan site for poker pro Michael Binger
Poker has become a second career to many in this world with the popularity of the World Series of Poker still going strong. Each and every year thousands of people converge on Las Vegas to try for a chance at the top honors, including a pile of money and the prestigious bracelet signifying a champion.
Michael Binger has never managed
to win the bracelet but he is as much a champion as anyone has ever seen. For
a non-full time player, Binger has made so much money that he could easily retire
and live a very comfortable life. But that is not for Michael Binger.
Prior to starting his poker star climb Michael Binger was a student. Studying physics at North Carolina University and Stanford Binger was on a fast track to a certain destiny. In 2006 he earned his PHD from Stanford in Physics but shortly after he was bitten by the poker bug and he has been hooked ever since.
Binger entered the 2006 World Series of Poker main event and withstood more than 8000 other players to make it to the final table. During this epic battle, Binger managed to finish third after the super-lucky Jamie Gold and Paul Wasicka, and take home a nice $4 million payday. This only added to his mystique as he had literally come out of nowhere and was a calm and collected player at the tables.
Outside of the main event of
that year
Binger also played in the standard World Series of Poker. He outlasted
once again and finished a very respectable sixth place. This again added to
his bank roll as he continued to add more notches to his belt and he brought
more fear to the tables when he sat down.
Most attribute his impressive play to his abilities in physics. Using his analytical mind he is able to calculate odds and read players with efficiency that is rarely seen on less seasoned players.
During the 2007 World Series of Poker Binger tied Phil Hellmuth and Humberto Brenes for the most cashes in a single event with eight total, but by the time the 2009 World Series of Poker came along, this record was no more! However, this does put him in the top of the class with the some of the best players in the world of poker.
Still Binger considers the poker world to be a total sideline to his true passion of physics. He is working on several things and still maintains an office at the university.
Some consider it hardly worth it considering he has won more than $6 million in the short time that he has played poker. However, he has yet to win the coveted World Series of Poker bracelet, a milestone that he is sure to reach in a short period of time. Battling against the titans of poker is something that Binger seems to excel at despite his desire to play only part time.
Binger currently resides in Atherton, California.
