World Poker Tour

Jeff DeWitt “The Jaw“

Birthplace
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hometown
Deer River, Minnesota

Birthday
December 31

Total Winnings
$84,297

Jeff DeWitt is a money man from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from Minnesota State University with a BS in Accounting and a BA in Economics and currently works in the finance department at Microsoft as a senior financial analyst. Working with spreadsheets, budgeting and forecasting on a daily basis, it is no surprise that he knows his odds at the poker tables.

He also knows about bankroll management. Jeff established a poker fund when he first began playing poker with a specific plan in mind. Once the fund grew, he would use half of the winnings for a major tournament, and the following year, he would use half for the family, home, or charitable donation. But in the future, he hopes to put his financial skills to use in another way – by teaching people how to properly manage money. In addition, after growing up in a family that experienced gambling problems, he would like to return to school to take some psychology classes that specialize in addiction and play a role in helping people with those kinds of issues.

But in 2008, it was his turn to put his poker skills into action. With a portion of his bankroll, Jeff bought into the main event of the World Poker Tour’s World Poker Challenge in Reno. He knew the odds, but he had faith in his poker experience and decided to take the chance. In a field of 261 players, he battled his way through, and ended up at the final table. Playing against seasoned players like David Pham and Lee Markholt, it was a tough road and he was eliminated in sixth place but took home over $84,000.