Lee Watkinson (born October 18, 1966) is an American professional

poker Poker is a family of Card game#Comparing games, comparing card games in which Card player, players betting (poker), wager over which poker hand, hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, with varying rules i ...

player, originally from Longbranch, Washington. At the

2004 World Series of Poker The 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was held at Binion's Horseshoe after Harrah's Entertainment purchased the casino and the rights to the tournament in January. Harrah's announced that future WSOP tournaments will be held in a moving circuit ...

(WSOP), Watkinson finished 2nd in the $5,000

pot limit In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing. Different games are played using different types of bets, ...

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

event. He finished

in the money ''In the Money'' is a 1958 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on February 16, 1958, by Monogram Pictures, Allied Artists Pictures and is the 48th and final film in the series. It ...

of that year's $10,000

no limit No Limit may refer to: Music Record labels *No Limit Records, a record label founded by Master P *No Limit Forever Records, a record label founded by Romeo Miller, son of Master P Albums * ''No Limit'' (Art Pepper album), 1977 * ''No Limit'' ...

Texas hold 'em Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is the most popular variant of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five Community card poker, community cards ...

main event, finishing 113th. Watkinson made back-to-back

World Poker Tour The World Poker Tour (WPT) is an internationally televised gaming and entertainment brand. Since 2002, the World Poker Tour has operated a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting playdown and the ...

(WPT) final tables during its third season. The first time he finished 2nd to

Eli Elezra Eliahu Ilan Elezra (; born 24 November 1960, in Jerusalem) is an Israeli professional poker player and businessman, now living in Las Vegas, Nevada. With five WSOP bracelets and a WPT win in the post Moneymaker era, he is one of the most succes ...

, and the second time he finished 2nd again, this time to

Doyle Brunson Doyle Frank Brunson (August 10, 1933 – May 14, 2023) was an American poker player who played professionally for over 60 years. He was a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) List of World Series of Poker Main Event champions, Main Event champi ...

. Watkinson made back-to-back WSOP main event cashes at the

2005 World Series of Poker The 2005 World Series of Poker opened play on June 2, continuing through the Main Event No Limit World Championship starting on July 7. The conclusion of the Main Event on July 15 marked the close of play, and the largest prize in sports and/or t ...

(WSOP), finishing in 45th place out of 5,619 entrants for a $235,390 prize. He also made the final table of a WSOP circuit event in November 2005, finishing 3rd. At the 2006 WSOP, Watkinson won a

bracelet A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, ...

and the $655,746 first prize in the $10,000 pot limit Omaha event when his defeated Mike Guttman's on a board of . Watkinson made the final table and finished 8th in the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $585,699. In 2008, Watkinson final tabled 2 consecutive tournaments, taking 5th in the WPT Borgata Winter Open and 7th in the WSOP Circuit Main Event at

Harrah's Rincon Harrah's Resort Southern California (formerly Harrah's Rincon) is a Native American gaming casino and integrated resort near Valley Center, California. It is owned by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Ho ...

in San Diego, California. In 2009, Watkinson cashed twice at the World Series of Poker. He took 36th in the $1000 No-Limit Hold'em event and just missed winning his 2nd bracelet when he took 2nd in the $1500 Pot-Limit Omaha High/Low event for $141,873. As of 2010, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,100,000. His 16 cashes at the WSOP account for $2,306,264 of those winnings.

Outside poker

He is an

economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

graduate and quotes

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

and

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

as his main interests outside poker. He wrestled at 142 pounds in college and 187 pounds the last time that he wrestled in 2001. Lee is a humanitarian, working with the Cortland Brandenburg Foundation to rescue retired chimpanzee test subjects. Watkinson attended college at

Eastern Washington University Eastern Washington University (EWU) is a public university in Cheney, Washington, United States. It shares its satellite campus in Spokane, Washington with Washington State University. Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided in ...

References

External links

*
Hendon Mob profile

WPT profileWSOP profile

CardPlayer profile

IPF profile

PokerListings.com interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkinson, Lee American poker players Living people World Series of Poker bracelet winners 1966 births Eastern Washington University alumni People from Cheney, Washington