Jan Sorensen

Birthplace
Odense, Denmark

Hometown
Odense, Denmark

Total Winnings
$143,940

Jan Sorensen was a star long before he entered the poker world. Sorensen was a soccer star in Europe for two decades before retiring to a life of sports management. After playing in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Portugal, Sorensen decided to take up poker. At the time, no one knew that the man who was known across Europe for his soccer prowess would turn into a poker star all his own.

Sorensen started off his poker career winning a seven-card-stud championship in Dortmund, Germany. Just a few years later, Sorensen won his first of two World Series of Poker bracelets. The first came in Pot-Limit Omaha, the second in Seven-Card Stud. Eventually, Sorensen discovered that the big money in poker was being won in No-Limit Hold'em. Like any true competitor, Sorensen began to focus his efforts in the areas where he could win the most.

By 2005, Sorensen had honed his game enough to enter one of the biggest tournaments around, the WPT North American Championship. His fifth place finish earned him more than $135,000. Since then, Sorensen has continued to play. The one-time soccer star has re-invented himself as a pro poker player with more than $1 million in career earnings.