Annette Obrestad Norwegian poker player Date of Birth: 18.09.1988 Country: Norway

Biography of Annette Obrestad

Annette Obrestad, a Norwegian professional poker player, is widely regarded as the most successful poker player from Norway. She achieved the title of champion at the 2007 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) at the age of 18. Born in 1988 in Sandnes, Norway, Annette began playing online poker at the age of 15 under the nickname 'Annette_15'. Her father taught her how to play, and she claims that she never had to deposit money for the game. By winning a freeroll, she earned her first $9, which marked the beginning of her impressive poker career.

Despite starting with small winnings, by the age of 18, Obrestad had already accumulated close to half a million dollars in online poker winnings. Her triumphant tournament victory at the WSOPE was only her fourth live tournament, surpassing all expectations. Notably, she defeated 180 players, none of whom considered themselves weak. This victory established her as the first Norwegian and the first 18-year-old champion of such a prestigious tournament.

Obrestad's success quickly earned her the title of a "poker prodigy," and her name became widely recognized in the poker community. She secured a lucrative contract with Betfair and started appearing at poker tournaments and other major events. As an official member of the PRO Betfair Poker team, Obrestad began her own blog on the website. She is known for her aggressive playing style, which she adopted at the age of 15 after undergoing rigorous online poker training.

In 2010, when Obrestad turned 21, she gained entry to Las Vegas, Nevada, fulfilling her lifelong dream of participating in the World Series of Poker. Presently, Obrestad still holds one WSOP bracelet and holds the title of the youngest champion. Additionally, she is the first woman to win the largest prize in the Main Event of the WSOPE, receiving £1,000,000.

In her personal life, Obrestad has been romantically linked to Canadian poker player Scott Montgomery. Interestingly, they are not the only couple who found love at the poker table. The poker world has witnessed several such love stories, including Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly, Erick Lindgren and Erica Schoenberg, and Marco Traniello and Jennifer Harman.

Today, Obrestad continues to play poker, while new "poker prodigies" emerge in online poker rooms. Despite the increasing competition, her achievement at a young age has left a lasting impact on the poker community.