There are poker ambassador announcements, and then there are poker ambassador announcements.
Danish poker legend Gus Hansen — who needs no introduction — has joined Team Winamax as their latest sponsored pro in a surprise move from the site that also features Adrian Mateos, Mustapha Kanit and Davidi Kitai.
“It’s the best team around,” said Gus Hansen, of his new teammates.
A Surprise Recruitment
Known for his ultra-aggressive style of play which revolutionized poker in the mid-2000s, Hansen has lost none of his motivation despite a reduced presence on the live circuit in recent years.
“The Great Dane” was a pioneer of modern poker, with legendary cash game sessions on numerous high stakes shows, and impressive tournament victories including his three World Poker Tour (WPT) titles (Five Diamond 2002, LAPT 2003 , WPT PCA 2003) and his World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet obtained at the WSOPE 25K in London in 2010.
After a few years of absence Hansen has returned to poker, most recently at the WPT World Championship Premier Meet-Up Game last winter.
Gus Hansen Logs 652 hours in 70 days at Bobby’s Room
The Latest Ambassador
So just how did Winamax bag Hansen?
The connection comes from Stéphane Matheu (pictured), manager of the Winamax Team Pros, who knew Gus twenty years ago during tennis sessions in Las Vegas.
The poker superstar will make his official debut as part of the Winamax team at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo in the Main Event, then later at the SISMI| festival in Marrakech.
He also plans to play in other tournaments such as the Winamax Poker Open (WPO) and of course, the World Series of Poker this summer in Las Vegas. He will also be present on stages of the Winamax Poker Tour, giving fans the opportunity to meet him in person.
“I’m looking forward to interacting with my teammates,” Hansen said during his official announcement on the Winamax blog. “I also think I can give them something different. I hope to surprise them in the months to come.” The former Monaco resident, with a reputation as a jet-setter, has never lost his aura or his taste for competition, and sees this partnership as an opportunity to once again redefine his legacy.
With more than ten million dollars in winnings in live tournaments, and a reputation that precedes him in cash games, from Bobby’s Room at Bellagio to the private high stakes rooms of Macau, Hansen appears more than ready to take on this new challenge.
Managing Editor
Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019.
He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.