Rehne Pedersen

Hometown
Aalborg, Denmark

Total Winnings
$2,181,550

Rehne Pedersen is among a group of Danish poker players who have come out of virtual obscurity to be a huge force on the pro poker circuit. After building years of poker knowledge on the Internet, Pedersen amassed a substantial bankroll. In 2005, Pedersen stepped out of the ethereal world and into the world of live poker tournaments. The transition from online winner to brick and mortar champion proved to be a short one.

In the summer of 2005, Pedersen cashed in two World Series of Poker events and took his winnings back to Europe. After a short break and no big wins to speak of on his home continent, Pedersen returned to Las Vegas in December of 2005 and entered the World Poker Tour's $15,000 main event at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic. It was then that Pedersen turned himself from an online pro into a poker millionaire.

Pedersen's entry into the Five Diamond World Poker Classic soon turned into a final table appearance. He got heads-up with Finnish superstar Patrik Antonius and went on to claim the WPT title and more than $2 million in prize money. Though he has not spent any more time on television, Pedersen continues to excel as a pro poker player. He cashed in the 2006 WPT World Championship in 27th place, and reached the final table at the Showdown Poker Tour in Denmark later that year.