World Poker Tour

Michael Kinney

Birthplace
Ketchikan, AK

Hometown
Sandpoint, ID

Birthday
August 19

Total Winnings
$744,938

Michael Kinney is a successful business owner. Even though he's made a great deal of money at the poker tables, he's not a pro. When he's not building a stack at the poker tables, Kinney is building with brick and mortar. He's the owner of Kinney construction, and he plays poker to relax. Kinney was born in Alaska, but he now lives in Sandpoint, Idaho. He likes spending time with his daughter, riding a snow mobile, or playing water sports. Kinney says he got hooked on poker several years ago while visiting his father in Reno. Kinney entered a tournament at the Reno Hilton. He says he didn't know anything about poker, but he took second place and was instantly hooked. Kinney says he never misses an episode of the World Poker Tour. He even takes notes on some of the players he sees on the show. He says he also reads all the poker books and magazines he can get his hands on. Kinney says he learned a lot about poker from his father and a friend named Hal Griffin, who has been playing the game for more than 50 years. Kinney says he had to take Griffin fishing in Alaska in order to get him to open up about the game, but after catching a 106 pound halibut, Griffin shared some trade secrets. Kinney says poker is not about the money for him. He plays to relax and get his mind off his business. In 2004, Kinney bought in to the World Poker Challenge in Reno. The investment paid off when he won that World Poker Tour event for a top prize of more than $629,000. A month later, Kinney won another $83,000 for his eleventh place finish in the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio. Despite his success at the poker tables, Kinney says he has no intention of quitting his day job. He says "poker is completely entertainment" for him, but don't be fooled, he takes his hobby very seriously, and he's a threat at any poker table.