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Peter Eastgate is a Danish poker player, born in Odense in 1985, who won the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event for $9,152,416. He was 22 at the time, which made him the youngest Main Event champion up to that point, and he was the first winner of the “November Nine” era. Less than two years later he stepped away from live tournament poker, and in November 2010 he auctioned his Main Event bracelet for UNICEF. [1][3][6]
Peter Eastgate: key facts
| Full name | Peter Eastgate |
|---|---|
| Nickname | “Icegate” [1] |
| Country | Denmark [1] |
| Born | December 13, 1985, Odense, Denmark [1] |
| Known for | Winning the 2008 WSOP Main Event at 22; selling his bracelet for charity |
| WSOP bracelets | 1 (2008 Main Event) [2] |
| WSOP record | 3 cashes, $9,430,506 in WSOP winnings [8] |
| Best EPT result | 2nd, EPT London Main Event 2009, £530,000 [1][2] |
| Live tournament earnings | $11,131,450 as of October 5, 2026 [1] |
| Last recorded cash | May 2013 [1] |
Early life and education
Eastgate was born in Odense, Denmark, on December 13, 1985. He studied economics at Aarhus University but dropped out to pursue a career in poker. [1] Like many young players of his generation, he learned the game mainly online: WSOP.com wrote in 2009 that he had “moderate success” in live tournaments before his title, and that most of his experience came “from the virtual felt”. [3]
Beginning in poker
His first live results came in Europe. Card Player lists a final table at the 2007 Irish Poker Open and a cash in the main event of the 2008 EPT Scandinavian Open in Copenhagen. [8] His WSOP.com profile shows 32nd place out of 460 entries in that Copenhagen event in February 2008, for DKr84,346, and 18th out of 596 at EPT London in October 2008, for £16,313. [2]
He qualified for the 2008 WSOP Main Event through the online site Ladbrokes. [1]
Playing style
Eastgate’s titles came in No-Limit Hold’em tournaments. In its 2009 “40 Greatest Champions” series, written with BluffMagazine.com, WSOP.com described him this way: “Eastgate’s calm and quiet demeanor stands in stark contrast to his aggressive play.” The same article noted that he “handled winning the same way he handled losing; with quiet respect.” [3]
Tom Dwan, who played against him often online at $25/$50, said in 2026: “Eastgate was really good.” [9]
Greatest achievements
The 2008 WSOP Main Event
The 2008 Main Event drew 6,844 entries. It was the first to use the “November Nine” format: the final nine players paused and came back to Las Vegas after a 117-day break to play the final table. [5] Eastgate started the final table fourth in chips, behind Dennis Phillips, Ivan Demidov and Scott Montgomery. [1]
According to WSOP.com, the final table set a record for length, taking 274 hands and more than 15 hours, and the heads-up match against Demidov lasted 4 hours and 175 hands. [3] On the final hand, Eastgate held ace-five and made a wheel on the turn of a K-3-2-4 board. Demidov, with four-two for two pair, moved all in for his last 7.95 million chips on the river and Eastgate called. [4] Eastgate won $9,152,416 and Demidov $5,809,595. [2][4] PokerNews reported at the time that it was the second-largest prize in poker history, after the 2006 Main Event. [5]
At 22, he became the youngest Main Event champion, ahead of Phil Hellmuth, who was 24 when he won. [3] The record lasted one year: Joe Cada broke it in 2009. [1]
Tournament results
| Year | Event | Result | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | WSOP Main Event, $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em (6,844 entries) | 1st | $9,152,416 | [2] |
| 2009 | EPT London Main Event (730 entries) | 2nd | £530,000 | [2] |
| 2009 | PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 1st | $343,000 | [1] |
| 2012 | WSOP Event #56, $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em (2,798 entries) | 4th | $209,111 | [2] |
| 2010 | NAPT Venetian High Roller Bounty Shootout | 7th | $85,000 | [1] |
| 2010 | EPT Deauville Main Event (768 entries) | 8th | €70,000 | [2] |
| 2009 | WSOP Main Event (6,494 entries) | 78th | $68,979 | [2] |
After the Main Event he joined Team PokerStars Pro, together with Demidov; Card Player reported the signing on April 3, 2009. Daniel Negreanu said at the time that “both players represent the young new rising poker talent emerging in Europe”. [7] In 2009 he won $1,276,860 in tournaments, his best year after 2008. [6] At EPT London that October he finished second to Aaron Gustavson. [1]
World Series of Poker record
Eastgate has one WSOP bracelet. Card Player lists three WSOP cashes and $9,430,506 in WSOP winnings: the 2008 Main Event, 78th place in the 2009 Main Event and fourth place in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event in 2012. [8] His WSOP.com profile, which also includes his EPT results, shows 10 cashes, 4 final tables and $10,466,193 in total earnings. [2]
Records and recognition
In 2009 WSOP.com and BluffMagazine.com ranked him #30 in their list of the 40 Greatest Champions in WSOP history; he was the youngest player on the list. [3] His youngest-champion record stood until the 2009 Main Event. [1]
Stepping away from poker
On July 6, 2010, Eastgate announced that he was taking a break from live tournament poker, and he did not play that year’s Main Event. [6] In a 2018 interview with Bernard Lee for ESPN, quoted by PokerNews, he said that sports betting losses during the 2010 FIFA World Cup played a large part in the decision, and that he had grown tired of the gambling industry. [6]
He returned to the tables about eight months later. [1] In 2012 he signed with Team Betfair Poker to play the WSOP Main Event and cashed for $209,111 that summer. [6] His last recorded cash came in May 2013. [1] PokerNews reported in 2025 that he had tried careers in engineering and teaching, and that he was last known to have moved back to Denmark. [6]
The bracelet auction
In November 2010 Eastgate put his Main Event bracelet up for auction on eBay, with all proceeds going to UNICEF. The Corum bracelet weighs 168 grams and is made of 18-karat white gold set with 291 diamonds. The auction drew 116 bids and closed at $147,500, a sale later reported as $150,000. In January 2012 the buyer was revealed as William Haughey, a Scottish businessman. Haughey brought the bracelet to the 888poker LIVE Glasgow festival in March 2025, its first public appearance in nearly 15 years. [6]
On television
Eastgate appeared on High Stakes Poker, where he was part of one of Tom Dwan’s best-known bluffs. Barry Greenstein held pocket aces and Eastgate held four-two, trips on a 10-2-2 flop. Dwan, with queen-ten, raised to $37,300 on the flop and then bet $104,200 into a $133,500 pot on the turn, and both players folded better hands. [9]
In his own words
- “It definitely changed the game, that’s for sure. People played differently to how they would have three months ago.” On the break before the 2008 final table. [3]
- “When I started playing poker for a living, it was never my goal to spend the rest of my life as a professional poker player.” Announcing his break, July 6, 2010. [6]
- “I have decided to take a break from live tournament poker, and try to focus on Peter Eastgate, the person.” July 6, 2010. [6]
- “It’s no secret that I am a pretty introverted guy. I’ve always said that I’m not good in the spotlight.” To Bernard Lee for ESPN, 2018. [6]
- “Living an extravagant life has never really been my thing. I’m still safely economically independent.” 2018. [6]
Iconic hands and moments
Peter Eastgate wins the 2008 WSOP Main Event
The key hands of his Main Event run (PokerGO)
FAQ about Peter Eastgate
How old is Peter Eastgate?
Peter Eastgate was born on December 13, 1985, so he is 40 years old as of October 5, 2026. [1]
Where is Peter Eastgate from?
He is from Odense, Denmark. [1]
How much did Peter Eastgate win in the WSOP Main Event?
He won $9,152,416 for first place in the 2008 Main Event, which had 6,844 entries. [2]
Who did Peter Eastgate beat heads-up in 2008?
Ivan Demidov of Russia, in a heads-up match of 175 hands. [3]
What is Peter Eastgate’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure for his net worth. What can be verified is his live tournament record: $11,131,450 in earnings as of October 5, 2026, according to PokerNews. [1] In 2018 he said he was “still safely economically independent”. [6]
How many WSOP bracelets does Peter Eastgate have?
One, from the 2008 Main Event. [2]
Why did Peter Eastgate sell his bracelet?
He auctioned it on eBay in November 2010 for UNICEF, which received all proceeds. The sale was reported at $150,000. [6]
Does Peter Eastgate still play poker?
Not in recorded tournaments. He announced a break from live tournament poker in July 2010, returned for a few years, and his last recorded cash was in May 2013. [1][6]
Related Poker Legends
Read more about Phil Hellmuth, whose youngest-champion record Eastgate broke, and about Tom Dwan and Barry Greenstein, his opponents in the High Stakes Poker hand above.
Sources
- PokerNews, Peter Eastgate player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- WSOP.com, Peter Eastgate player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- WSOP.com, WSOP #30: Peter Eastgate, April 13, 2009.
- Card Player, Peter Eastgate Wins WSOP Main Event, November 2008.
- PokerNews, Peter Eastgate Becomes Youngest-Ever WSOP Main Event Champion, November 11, 2008.
- PokerNews, What Happened to Peter Eastgate’s 2008 WSOP Main Event Bracelet That Sold for $150,000?, April 8, 2025.
- Card Player, Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov Join Team PokerStars Pro, April 3, 2009.
- Card Player, Peter Eastgate bio and stats, accessed October 5, 2026.
- PokerNews, Tom Dwan Explains the Famous Bluff That Fooled Eastgate and Greenstein, February 5, 2026.
Last verified: October 5, 2026. Figures that change over time, such as career earnings, are given with the date they were checked.
