1. Jeff Madsen Los Angeles, CA $660,948 2. Paul Sheng San Francisco, CA $330,485 3. Julian Gardner Manchester, UK $172,427 4. Troy Parkins Leesburg, VA $132,194 5. Robert Dylan Cohen New York, NY $112,077 6. Robert Bright Las Vegas, NV $94,835 7. Michael Chow Honolulu, HI $83,340 8. Billy Duarte Berthold, CO $71,845 9. John Shipley Solihull, UK $60,349 10. Efrain Lopez Miami, FL $48,854 11. Mats Gavatin Sweden $45,980 12. Anthony Tamborello Seffner, FL $43,107 13. Greg Gossard San Diego, CA $40,233 14. Michael Odeh Metairie, LA $37,359 15. Steve Crockett Costa Mesa, CA $34,485 16. Steve Malezentes Santa Maria, CA $31,612 17. Anthony Toscano Huntington Beach, CA $28,738 18. Ben Armstrong Tulsa, OK $25,864 19. Jason Strasser New York, NY $22,990 20. Reza Zand Henderson, NV $22,990 21. Shane Littlefield Manchester, MD $22,990 22. Stuart Moody Cary, NC $20,116 23. David Byer Las Vegas, NV $20,116 24. Thomas H. Ostrander Tampa, FL $20,116 25. Thomas Dykema Holland, MI $17,243 26. Cory Ward Titusville, CA $17,243 27. Alex Brenes Costa Rica $17,243 28. Francois Scapula Bastia, France $14,369 29. Chang Huang Fort Myers, FL $14,369 30. Michael R. Scuza San Diego, CA $14,369 31. Jonathan S. Mann Portland, OR $11,495 32. Eugene Todd Brooklyn, NY $11,495 33. Philip S. Mazen Syosset, NY $11,495 34. Gabriel Nassif Paris, France $10,058 35. Tyrone Bayne Paris, France $10,058 36. Reza Payvar Tarzana, CA $10,058 37. Jonathan Little Pensacola, FL $8,621 38. Darryl Dauenhauer Laughlin, NV $8,621 39. Brian Kelley Ft. Myers, Fl $8,621 40. Edward Lundon Edinburgh, UK $8,621 41. Thomas L. Franklin Gulfport, MS $8,621 42. Kevin D. Whitaker, III San Francisco, CA $8,621 43. Daniel MacLean Highland Ranch, CO $8,621 44. Parris Holmes, Jr. Palm Desert, CA $8,621 45. Douglas Gladstone San Francisco, CA $8,621 46. Walter Chambers Baton Rouge, LA $7,184 47. Andy Davenport Horsham, PA $7,184 48. Samir Khoueis Sydney, Australia $7,184 49. Delainey Blakeney Brandon, MS $7,184 50. Philip Carver Chandler, AZ $7,184 51. Ben Staufeneger Anderson, SC $7,184 52. Douglas Carli Alliance, OH $7,184 53. Jason Stern San Jose, CA $7,184 54. Paul Tschernia Henderson, NV $7,184 55. Miguel Mateo San Juan, Puerto Rico $5,748 56. Marc Schneiderman Rockaway Park, NY $5,748 57. Ayad Hussein Tinley Park, IL $5,748 58. Richard Sharpe Henderson, NV $5,748 59. Rich Pasquini Newbury Park, CA $5,748 60. Peter Verey Victoria, Australia $5,748 61. Nathan Doodney Dallas, TX $5,748 62. Thomas Bradford, JR Douglasville, GA $5,748 63. Ronald Weems Overland Park, KS $5,748 64. Srivatsa Shankam Las Vegas, NV $5,748 65. Jeffrey Shulman Las Vegas, NV $5,748 66. Carl Sciandri Napa, CA $5,748 67. Robert Mastrosimone Islip, NY $5,748 68. Michael Guadano San Diego, CA $5,748 69. Brian Mogelefsky Huntington, NY $5,748 70. Courtney Harrington Morresville, NC $5,748 71. Jeremy Scharf Valley Village, CA $5,748 72. Shannon Shorr Birmingham, AL $5,748 73. Robert Spicuzza Lexington, KY $4,311 74. Asher Derei Sherman Oaks, CA $4,311 75. Dante Pugliese North Hollywood, CA $4,311 76. Peter Lee Northridge, CA $4,311 77. Adam Daniels Ottawa, Canada $4,311 78. Hung Van La Manhattan Beach, CA $4,311 79. Vincent Sokalski Allentown, PA $4,311 80. Ernie Scherer $4,311 81. Baris Yazici Las Vegas, NV $4,311 82. Jamin Styers Ocala, FL $4,311 83. Bert Boutin Henderson, NV $4,311 84. Stephen Well Milford, NH $4,311 85. David Brannen Plymouth, UK $4,311 86. Douglas Hartman Dallas, TX $4,311 87. David Barbet Royersford, PA $4,311 88. Jon Karmar Chorley, UK $4,311 89. Adam Zinn Henderson, NV $4,311 90. Simon Ford Calbary, Alberta, Canada $4,311 91. Mark Migdal Woodland Hills, CA $4,311 92. Dave Colclough Birmingham, UK $4,311 93. Mark Lillge Kensington, CA $4,311 94. Steven Friedlander Reno, NV $4,311 95. Samuel Mallard Tampa, FL $4,311 96. David Hiben, JR Bloomington, MN $4,311 97. Steven Rassi Morton, IL $4,311 98. Michael Landers Las Vegas, NV $4,311 99. Feming Chan Cranbury, NJ $4,311 100. Donnie Sitic Las Vegas, NV $4,311 101. Christopher Rizzo Portland, ME $4,311 102. Young Phan Garden Grove, CA $4,311 103. Johan Storakers Sweden $4,311 104. Jeffrey Gottesman Huntingdon Valley, PA $4,311 105. Tony Fasulo Ontario, Canada $4,311 106. Mark Tarich North Miami Beach, FL $4,311 107. Gioi Luong Westminster, CA $4,311 108. Yeang Kuy Fresno, CA $4,311 109. Gregory Fleming Alberta, Canada $2,874 110. Ari Konyalian Glendale, CA $2,874 111. Joshua Schlein $2,874 112. Robert Loucks Redford Township, MI $2,874 113. Stephen Wilsdon $2,874 114. Howard Hu San Diego, CA $2,874 115. David Shotwell $2,874 116. Jeremy Burron $2,874 117. Peter Gould England $2,874 118. Jeffrey Rosenblatt $2,874 119. Brandon Greulich Del Mar, CA $2,874 120. Marc McCormick North Las Vegas, NV $2,874 121. Dennis Mattingly Las Vegas, NV $2,874 122. Robert S $2,874 123. Michael Ta Portland, OR $2,874 124. Gerald DeNicholas Tampa, FL $2,874 125. David McGrath Hermosa Beach, CA $2,874 126. Joseph Demarco Seattle, WA $2,874 127. David Stamm Granite Bay, CA $2,874 128. Erik Seidel $2,874 129. Eddie Gravalese Revere, MA $2,874 130. Yan Chen Las Vegas, NV $2,874 131. Dao Bac Garden Grove, CA $2,874 132. Andre Ridges Columbia, SC $2,874 133. Charles Ambrogi Dublin, OH $2,874 134. Paul Hughes Brownsville, MN $2,874 135. Mitchell Smith Winnsboro, SC $2,874 136. Louis Asmo Dublin, OH $2,874 137. Steve Fetterman Apollo, PA $2,874 138. Peter Hedlund Sweden $2,874 139. Jing Xia Las Vegas, NV $2,874 140. Peter Nam Los Angeles, CA $2,874 141. Noel Martinez Gilbert, AZ $2,874 142. Men "The Master" Nguyen Bell Gardens, CA $2,874 143. Nam Le $2,874 144. Michael Labarbera San Jose, CA $2,874 145. George Williams Concord, CA $2,874 146. Jason Urchek Ravenna, OH $2,874 147. Tony Bloom London, England $2,874 148. Shawn Lusher Kansas City, KS $2,874 149. Lawrence Lossia Southfield, MI $2,874 150. James Godfrey Killington, VT $2,874 151. Khenh Chanthamala East Lyme, CT $1,437 152. Daniel Gati New York, NY $1,437 153. Bradley Berman Minnetonka, MN $1,437 154. Matthew Keikoan Richmond, CA $1,437 155. Richard Weisman Las Vegas, NV $1,437 156. Jean Gaspard Evanston, IL $1,437

A Summer Job that Pays $20,000 an Hour

Jeff Madsen Becomes the Youngest Winner in WSOP History

21-year-old UC-Santa Barbara college student wins $660,948

Las Vegas, NV – For the third consecutive year, the record for youngest World Series of Poker winner has been broken. Back in 2004, Gavin Griffin became the youngest player in history to win a gold bracelet. Even then, with so many young people turned on to poker, it seemed just a matter of time before a younger star would emerge and eclipse the record. Next came 2005, when Eric Froehlich won the $1,500 buy in Limit Hold'em championship. At 21 years, three months, and three days of age, Froehlich established a new benchmark for the youngest poker champion. Now in 2006, the record has been shattered again.

Jeff Madsen, aged 21 years, one month, and nine days, has likely set a record that will not be broken for quite some time. Madsen defeated a whopping 1,578 players, who each put up $2,000 to enter Event #22 on this year’s World Series of Poker schedule. First place paid $660,948. Not bad for a young college student preparing to return to school next month for his senior year.

It took two long days to eliminate most of the huge field. On Day Three, the nine finalists took the stage at the Rio Las Vegas to play for the championship. The final table included several well-established tournament veterans. However, this was the first open event in 2006 not to include at least one former gold bracelet winner.

Name - Chip Count - Seat #

Troy Parkins $451,000 1
Bob Bright $365,000 2
Billy Duarte $102,000 3
Jeff Madson $413,000 4
Julian Gardner $628,000 5
Michael Chow $125,000 6
Robert Dylon Cohen $419,000 7
John Shipley $166,000 8
Paul Sheng $569,000 9

John Shipley was the first player out. The British pro was low on chips and was forced to play a sub-par hand in the end, resulting in elimination. Shipley, who won the European Poker Tour championship in London two years ago and also made the final table of the WSOP main event in 2002 (one of two players at this table to do so), received $60,349 for ninth place.

Billy Duarte, who has been playing poker for 60 years and made several final tables at major tournaments in recent years, was the next player to exit. Duarte arrived as the low stack and went out on the tenth hand of play holding ace-eight suited. His opponent had king-jack suited and flopped a jack. Duarte locked up eighth place, which paid $71,845.

Michael Chow followed next with pocket nines, which lost to pocket jacks. Chow, 230th in the main event last year (out of 5,619 entries), took seventh place. The Hawaiian said “aloha” and pocketed $83,340.

Robert Bright went out in sixth place with pocket fours, which were steamrolled by a straight. Bright, the CEO of a stock trading firm, cashed out for $94,835 in prize money.

Robert Dylan Cohen was the next player to exit. The New York actor and comedian turned poker player was low on chips and lost his final hand with jack-ten versus pocket queens. Cohen had to settle for fifth place, which paid $112,077.

A few hands later, Troy Parkins made a very bold move with an all-in bet on a straight draw. Jeff Madsen made a tough call holding top pair. When Parkins missed his draw, it meant a fourth-place finish. Parkins, an information technology specialist from Leesburg, Virginia collected $132,194.

Julian Gardner hoped to become the third main event runner-up to win a gold bracelet this year. So far, Sammy Farha (2003) and David Williams (2004) have won events. Gardner finished second in 2002 to world champion Robert Varkonyi (earning $1.1 million). This time he could do no better than third place. On his final hand, Gardner had top pair but lost to Jeff Madsen’s spade flush. Gardner, one of England’s top poker players, received $172,427 in prize money.

When heads-up play began, Jeff Madsen enjoyed a slightly better than 2 to 1 chip lead versus Paul Sheng. It didn’t take long for the final hand of the tournament to come. Madsen had jack-seven versus Sheng’s ace-seven. Madsen’s hand was completely dominated, normally a bad situation. But all the chips went into the pot on the turn when the board showed 10-9-8-6. Both players had a seven, good for a straight. However, Madsen also had a jack, which meant a higher straight. It was a brutal way for Sheng to lose, but there was not much defense against a higher straight.

As the runner up, Paul Sheng received $330,485. The Taiwanese-born software executive, who now lives in San Francisco, had his best showing ever at the WSOP. This is Sheng’s third year to play on poker’s biggest stage and certainly won’t be his last.

Following his win, Jeff Madsen demonstrated why he has been so successful in poker at such a young age. Madsen displayed none of the bravado that one might expect from someone who had just won $660,948 at the World Series. Remarkably, this was Madsen’s second big cash at this year’s WSOP. He also finished third in the Omaha High-Low championship held two weeks ago – good for $97,552.

Madsen is currently a film student at UC-Santa Barbara. He says he hopes to eventually get into film and perhaps try his hand at directing. “I will definitely finish college,” Madsen said afterward. “College is very important, so it will be part of my life. But the reality is -- I’m still young, so I have some time to figure things out.”

Despite his youth, Madsen has played live casino poker for nearly three years. He played regularly at various California Indian casinos near his home, where the legal gambling age is 18. Due to Nevada state law, this is the first year he was eligible to play at the WSOP.

Madsen expects that his record might stand for quite some time. “It’s going to be tough (to break),” Madsen said. “I’m just lucky that my birthday was so close. It’s going to be hard, since I’m 21 and one month. It will sure be tough to break that record.”

By Nolan Dalla

Overall Tournament Statistics (through end of Event #22):

Total Entries to Date: 21,148

Total Prize Money Distributed: $44,399,912

2006 World Series of Poker