World Poker Tour

Cal Dykes

Birthplace
Leigh, Nebraska

Hometown
Las Vegas, NV

Total Winnings
$97,772

Cal Dykes grew up in the small German town of Leigh, Nebraska. He and his family played cards for entertainment when he was young. In high school, Dykes and his friends played poker four or five nights a week. He got his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska and a degree in dentistry from the University of Iowa. Even though cards were a big part of his youth, Dykes quit playing for many years. When he was 40 years old, he was shooting three cushion billiards when some people at the club started playing poker. Dykes played with them and then started reading up on the game. The more he read, the more interested he was.

Dykes decided he needed to make a change in his life, so he researched the fastest growing areas in the country. Las Vegas was one of them, so he moved there to practice dentistry. Vegas was not only great for his profession. It was also great for his hobby of poker. In fact, the two often mix. He's often found himself at the poker table with his patients. Dykes says he plays mostly ring games in Vegas, but he also plays a few tournaments.

Dykes says he would never consider becoming a poker pro. He says he wouldn't enjoy the lifestyle, and he prefers a service-themed profession. He has, however, enjoyed a bit of financial success with his hobby. He took home more than $97,000 for his second place finish in the World Poker Challenge during the first season of the WPT. A few months later in August of 2003, Dykes final-tabled a Limit Hold'em event at The Third Jack Binion Mid-America Poker Classic. He's known as a bit of a maverick in the game of poker and is often recognized by his custom-made hats and horseshoe earring.