World Poker Tour

Josh Arieh “Atlanta Josh“

Birthplace
Rochester, NY

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Birthday
September 26

Total Winnings
$359,388

Josh Arieh was born in Rochester, New York but moved with his family to Atlanta when he was ten-years old. He was a sports-minded teenager always looking for a challenge, and though he enjoyed baseball, he found much more excitement in the billiards halls around town. The group with whom he played would usually head to a local hotel room after billiards, and it was there that he discovered poker. Before he was even 21, he was organizing poker games and playing $20-$40 limit games with an ever-growing bankroll.

Soon, Josh turned to poker tournaments with his skills and began making an impact on the scene by 1999. At that year's World Series of Poker, he won the $3000 limit hold'em event for the coveted bracelet and over $200,000. The following year, he proved that he was in the poker world to stay when he took second place in the $1500 pot-limit Omaha event. Besides being a diverse player with the ability to conquer any game, he was making a name for himself with his consistent appearances at final tables.

While Josh had gained a reputation as a young, brash player with skills, he was also dubbed as a player without much respect for other players or the traditions upheld by most older players. He famously was caught on camera making disparaging remarks during the 2004 WSOP about his opponents, but he later apologized and has since learned to maintain a certain decorum at the tables. In addition, his wife and three children have brought a more calming factor to his life. And with that maturity has come more tournament success, including a final table appearance on the World Poker Tour's Borgata Poker Open during its third season and a second WSOP bracelet in 2005.