Daniel Negreanu’s story began in 1967 when his parents left their home in Romania, in search of a better life, trying to escape a system which was set to gradually deny its citizens even the most elementary human rights in the years to come.
They moved to Canada with all their belongings and started a new life.
The young Daniel proved to be somewhat of a “problem child” as he decided to drop out of high-school to pursue his passion: poker.
He first played in local casinos and charity games in his native Toronto, where he proved to be very successful. So much so, that he built up a pretty solid bankroll which he thought was enough to allow him a shot at the Las Vegas scene.
Aged 21 he went to Las Vegas, armed with a sizable poker bankroll and the unbreakable will to make a living playing poker. That first outing got the better of him though. With little to no experience on the Strip, he soon found himself in the position of having to go back to Toronto to start everything from zero.
1997 was the year his luck would change for good. That year, everything seemed to click perfectly for the young lad: he won two events at the World Poker Finals, and the coveted title of the tournament’s best payer. All that came accompanied by a significant amount of money, which made sure that the foothold he just earned himself in Vegas, would be a lasting one.
Sure enough, that initial 1997 thrust was followed by a WSOP bracelet in 1998, in the PL Holdem event, a triumph which made him the youngest ever poker player to boast one of these much yearned-after pieces of jewelry.
By then he was already something of a celebrity. Not only was he fast turning into a successful poker millionaire, the crowd loved him as well, and that probably also contributed to his becoming one of the best known poker players in the world today.
As many successful poker players admit, being successful is not nearly enough for becoming a crowd favorite. His relaxed attitude towards the game, his continuous chatter, his laughing and generally positive attitude towards everything, made him a true character of the high-stakes poker scene.
The way he used to guess his opponent’s hole-cards and call them out aloud was truly amazing, especially in light of the fact that most of the time he was right or very close to the truth. Even so, he never passed as annoying or irritating, not even for the opponents against whom he deployed his intimidation tactics.
He maintains a website which used to be an online poker room in the past but nowadays only serves as his blog. Those who read his posts regularly, or the columns that he writes for CardPlayer Magazine, can rightfully feel like they know him as a regular everyday person, because he posts a lot about non-poker matters, too. His down-to-earth attitude and presence has probably earned the appreciation of plenty of online poker fanatics via his website.
In 2007, he signed a contract with Poker Stars, a site for which he plays now, together with a host of other poker celebrities.
His career achievements include 3 WSOP bracelets, 26 money finishes (including his career-high 11th in the WSOP main event in 2001), 2 WPT titles, 7 final tables and 13 money finishes.
He also played in Late Night Poker, High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark, television appearances that have certainly contributed to his popularity.
Daniel Negreanu is playing at Poker Stars!
