View source for Gus Hansen

{{Short description|Danish poker player (born 1974)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox poker player
| name = Gus Hansen
| nickname = The Great Dane
| image = Gus Hansen 2016.jpg
| caption = Hansen at the 2016 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic
| residence = [[Monaco]]
| birth_name = Gustav Hansen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|2|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Denmark]]

|module1 = {{infobox
|subbox = yes
|labelstyle  = width: 35%
|label1 = Playing style
|data1 = [[Glossary of poker terms#lag|Ultra-Loose Aggressive]]
|headerstyle = background-color: #eedd88;
|header2='''[[World Series of Poker]]'''
|label3=[[World Series of Poker bracelet|Bracelet(s)]]
|data3=1<ref name="wsop">{{Cite web |title=Gus Hansen |url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerID=272 |access-date=31 March 2024 |website=WSOP.com}}</ref>
|label4=Money<br> finish(es)
|data4=9
|label5 = Highest [[Glossary of poker terms#in the money|ITM]]<br> Main Event<br> finish
|data5 = 61st, [[2007 World Series of Poker Europe|2007]] 
}}

|module2 = {{infobox
|subbox = yes
|headerstyle = background-color: #eedd88;
|header6 = '''[[World Poker Tour]]'''
|labelstyle  = width: 35%
|label7 = Title(s)
|data7 = 3
|label8 = Final table(s)
|data8 = 7
|label9 = Money<br> finish(es)
|data9 = 9<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldpokertour.com/player/gus-hansen/|title=Gus Hansen - World Poker Tour|website=www.worldpokertour.com}}</ref>
|header10 = '''[[European Poker Tour]]'''
|label11 = Final table(s)
|data11 = 1
|label12 = Money<br> finish(es)
|data12 = 3
|data13=''Information last updated on '''25 August'''<br> '''2017'''''
}}

}}
'''Gustav Hansen''' (born 13 February 1974) is a Danish professional [[poker]] player from [[Copenhagen]], Denmark who has lived in [[Monaco]] since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2017 |title=Gus Hansen on Monaco Cash Games and Jungleman |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/pokerstars-championship/2017-pokerstars-championship-presented-by-monte-ca/main-event/post.252255.htm |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=PokerNews.com}}</ref> In his  poker career, Hansen has won three [[World Poker Tour]] open titles, one WSOP bracelet and the 2007 [[Aussie Millions]] main event, and was the season one winner of the [[Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament]]. Before turning to playing poker professionally in 1997, Hansen was already a world class [[backgammon]] player and a youth [[tennis]] champion.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2011/11/the-nightly-turbo-gus-hansen-racketlon-germany-wins-nations-11456.htm | title=The Nightly Turbo: Gus Hansen Eyes Racketlon Title, Germany Wins Nations Cup, & More | work=[[PokerNews]] | date=18 November 2011 | access-date=12 January 2016 | author=Collson, Brett}}</ref>

==Poker career==
===Tournaments===
Hansen started playing poker at the Ocean View Card Room in [[Santa Cruz, California]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/October/15/local/stories/04local.htm |title=Santa Cruz Sentinel |publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel<! |access-date=29 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303134348/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/October/15/local/stories/04local.htm |archive-date=3 March 2009 }}</ref> while he was an exchange student at [[University of California, Santa Cruz|UC Santa Cruz]]. Hansen recorded his first major tournament cash with a victory in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic in May 2002. He won $556,460 for his victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five Diamond World Poker Classic, No Limit Hold'em - Final |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=5041 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In February 2003, Hansen won the  $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship at the WPT LA Poker Classic for $532,490.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 L.A. Poker Classic, No Limit Hold'em Championship - WPT |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=11689 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In January 2004, he won the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $7,500 No Limit Hold'em event for $455,780.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - PCA 2004, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7533 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Hansen was the first player to win three [[World Poker Tour]] (WPT) open tournaments. In addition, he won the first WPT Bad Boys of Poker invitational event.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Poker Tour - WPT Bad Boys of Poker, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=16574 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Hansen finished in the money in 150th place in the 2004 WSOP [[World Series of Poker Main Event|Main Event]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=35th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2004, World Championship Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=6628 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>  In the [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions|2006 Tournament of Champions]], Hansen made a World Series of Poker final table, but lost on the very first hand with ace king against a pair of 9s. In [[2007 World Series of Poker|2007]], Hansen cashed in the $10,000 no limit Texas hold 'em championship, coming in 61st place out of 6,358 players, winning $154,194.<ref>{{Cite web |title=38th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2007, World Championship No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=26201 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In [[2008 World Series of Poker|2008]], he came in 160th place out of 6,844 players to win a prize of $41,816.<ref>{{Cite web |title=39th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2008, World Championship No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=29730 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

In 2004, he was inducted into the [[World Poker Tour Walk of Fame]], along with [[Doyle Brunson]] and [[James Garner]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartwell |first=Lewis |date=26 March 2014 |title=Gus Hansen Backgammon |url=https://somuchpoker.com/five-reasons-to-keep-faith-with-gus-hansen-2/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=So Much Poker |language=en-US}}</ref> On 27 April 2008, Hansen came in second to [[David Chiu (poker player)|David Chiu]] at the [[World Poker Tour season 6 results|Season 6]] WPT Championship, earning $1,714,800.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Poker Tour - WPT World Championship, No Limit Hold'em - Championship Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=27646 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In September 2006, Hansen won the inaugural EPM event, [[The Poker Channel|The London All Star Challenge]], beating Marc Goodwin to take home the title and a cheque for £53,600 ($US100,275).<ref>{{Cite web |title=FullTiltPoker.com London All Star Challenge, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=24429 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> Hansen won the inaugural $400,000 [[Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament]], winning the $1,000,000 first prize in a one-table event featuring some of the best-known players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, Grand Final |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15494 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He did not appear in the second series, and lost to [[Antonio Esfandiari]] in the semifinals of the third.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament Season 3, Semi-Final - Group A |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25350 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

Hansen made the final table of a [[European Poker Tour]] (EPT) event in [[Barcelona]] in September 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=European Poker Tour - EPT Barcelona, No Limit Hold'em - EPT Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14114 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In 2006, Hansen was a member of the winning Danish team in the ''[[PartyPoker.com Football & Poker Legends Cup]]'' tournament, alongside [[Theo Jørgensen]] and [[Kim Christofte]]. He was featured in the [[Professional Poker Tour]] and the second season of ''[[High Stakes Poker]]'', where he won the fifth biggest pot in the show's history ($575,700), when his {{cards|5♦|5♣}} defeated [[Daniel Negreanu]]'s {{cards|6♠|6♥}} on a board of {{cards|9♣|6♦|5♥|5♠|8♠}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sofen |first=Jon |date=30 November 2023 |title=Gus Hansen is Back: Fan Favorite to Compete in WPT Premier Meet-Up Game |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2023/11/gus-hansen-wpt-meet-up-game-44993.htm |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pempus |first=Brian |date=21 February 2013 |title=Gus Hansen Needles Daniel Negreanu About $575,000 Monster Cooler From 2006 |url=https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/15048-gus-hansen-needles-daniel-negreanu-about-575-000-monster-cooler-from-2006 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=CardPlayer.com}}</ref> He was in [[Singapore]] in 12–17 November 2006, to participate in the [[Betfair]] [[Asian Poker Tour]]. Hansen was the first winner on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Poker After Dark]]'', earning $120,000, as he outlasted a field of six pros, including [[Phil Hellmuth]] and [[Huck Seed]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poker After Dark (PAD) Season I, Week 1 - Poker Brat Attack |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=26375 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In January 2007, Hansen won the $10,500 main event at the [[Aussie Millions]] in [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]], beating a field of 747 players to take home the [[Australian dollar|A$]]1,500,000 first prize.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Aussie Millions Poker Championship, Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=25757 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> In 2008, Lyle Stuart Kensington published Hansen's book ''Every Hand Revealed'' ({{ISBN|978-0818407277}}), a hand-by-hand account of his win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Every Hand Revealed |url=https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9780818407277/every-hand-revealed/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=Kensington Books Publishing |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2010, Hansen won the £10,350 No Limit Hold'em High Roller Heads-Up event at the WSOPE, winning his first WSOP bracelet and £288,409, equivalent to $451,880.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Series Of Poker Europe - WSOPE 2010, No Limit Hold'em - High Roller Heads-Up |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=45511 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref> He also defeated [[Tony Bloom]] heads-up to win the Poker Million IX tournament, taking $1,000,000 for first prize.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FullTiltPoker.com Poker Million IX, Final |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=50413 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=mob>{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=461|title=Gus Hansen's profile on The Hendon Mob|website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] Poker Database}}</ref> In January 2012, he finished 3rd in the A$250,000 No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship in Melbourne for $823,579.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 Aussie Millions Poker Championship, No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=60583 |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]] |language=en}}</ref>

===World Series of Poker bracelet===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Year
! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Event
! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Prize Money
|-
| [[2010 World Series of Poker Europe|2010E]]
| £10,350 No Limit Hold'em High Roller Heads-Up
| £288,409
|}

<small>An "E" following a year denotes bracelet(s) won at the World Series of Poker Europe</Small>

===Poker losses===
Despite his ongoing success, Hansen has struggled with money problems, reportedly because of losses in live [[cash game]]s.<ref name="losses">Commentary of the 2005 [[British Poker Open]], by [[Gary Jones (poker player)|Gary Jones]]</ref> Hansen is a regular in the [[Big Game (poker)|Big Game]] normally held in "Bobby's Room" at the [[Bellagio (hotel and casino)|Bellagio Casino]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]].  He has said that his losses are not a secret and has admitted to losing a million dollars or so at a couple of games. He has lost $20.7 million on [[Full Tilt Poker]] as of March 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gustav Hansen Full Tilt Player Profile |url=http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/Gus-Hansen.aspx |publisher=HighStakesDB |access-date=19 March 2015 |archive-date=31 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150531021501/http://www.highstakesdb.com/profiles/Gus-Hansen.aspx |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

===Style===
Hansen plays according to a strict pot odds-deductive approach which was highly successful in the poker-boom years, but which has also, in recent times, become highly volatile.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

===Career earnings===
As of August 2023, Hansen's total live tournament winnings exceeds $10,000,000.<ref name="HendonMob">{{Cite web |title=Gus Hansen's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=461 |website=[[The Hendon Mob Poker Database]]}}</ref>

==Other ventures==
Hansen calls himself a professional gambler, and has been known to take private bets on various personal athletic challenges other than poker and professional sports, such as a boxing match against WSOPE bracelet winner [[Theo Jorgensen]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Tom |date=5 February 2009 |title=Gus Hansen to Box Theo Jorgensen on February 21st |url=https://www.pokernewsdaily.com/gus-hansen-to-box-theo-jorgensen-on-february-21st-1005/ |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=Poker News Daily |language=en-US}}</ref>

Hansen was a member of the original Team FullTilt, and was re-signed as the first brand ambassador under the new management team of [[Full Tilt Poker]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collson |first=Brett |date=2 October 2012 |title=Gus Hansen Returns to Full Tilt Poker as Brand Ambassador |url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/10/gus-hansen-returns-to-full-tilt-poker-as-brand-ambassador-13524.htm |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=PokerNews.com}}</ref>

Hansen has been involved previously or currently in several online business ventures. Hansen was a founding partner and house professional of the [[online poker]] site PokerChamps.com, launched in 2003. In 2005 the company and game software technology were sold to the British company Betfair, for over 100 million [[Danish krone]]r (approximately [[Pound sterling|£]]8.8 million / €13 million / US$15,000,000).  In 2005, Hansen appeared in ''Texas Hold 'Em Poker Advanced Strategies With Gus Hansen'', which is part of the Going All In instructional series of DVDs. In 2007, Hansen launched a poker forum and strategy website, ThePlayr.com. Prior to selling his interest in that site in 2008, it housed his blog, articles and a "Gus Tracker" to track his worldwide poker play along with other poker news, videos and content. In 2008, Hansen joined the commentary team on [[World Series of Backgammon]], a high-stakes televised [[backgammon]] tour broadcasting on Eurosport across Europe. In February 2009, Hansen launched GusHansenTV branded as a free poker channel broadcast over the internet.

In 2017, Hansen said that he had been involved in a music business in Denmark but that "it went probably as bad as my online poker career!"<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://somuchpoker.com/gus-hansen-yes-im-back-on-the-poker-scene/|title=Gus Hansen Interview: Yes, I'm Back on the Poker Scene|date=21 June 2017|work=Somuchpoker|access-date=7 July 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

Hansen was voted one of [[People (magazine)|''People'']] magazine's 50 Sexiest Men in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,782685_782689,00.html |title=The Complete List: People.com |publisher=People Magazine |access-date=8 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222042026/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,782685_782689,00.html |archive-date=22 February 2014 }}</ref>

In March 2018, Hansen returned on ''[[Poker After Dark]]'' to play [[pot-limit Omaha]] in a game also featuring Matt Kirk.<ref name="poke_Rail">{{Cite web| title = Railbird Report: Gus Hansen Plays Massive PLO Pots on Poker After Dark| author = Glatzer, Jason| work = PokerNews| date = 9 March 2018| access-date = 10 March 2018| url = https://www.pokernews.com/news/2018/03/gus-hansen-poker-after-dark-pad-plo-omaha-30196.htm}}</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Every Hand Revealed'' (2008) {{ISBN|0-8184-0727-1}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/1184-gus-hansen Card Player profile]
*[https://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/gus-hansen-461/ Global Poker Index profile]
*[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=461 Hendon Mob profile]
*[https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/gus-hansen/ PokerNews profile]
*[https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/gus-hansen/ WPT profile]
*[https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=272 WSOP profile]

{{Poker Superstars Winners}}
{{Aussie Millions Winners}}
{{Poker Million Winners}}
{{European Poker Awards Outstanding Tournament Performance of the Year Winners}}
{{2010s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{Team Full Tilt}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Gus}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Copenhagen]]
[[Category:Danish backgammon players]]
[[Category:Danish bloggers]]
[[Category:Danish gin players]]
[[Category:Danish poker players]]
[[Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in Monaco]]
[[Category:University of California, Santa Cruz alumni]]
[[Category:World Poker Tour winners]]
[[Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners]]
[[Category:Poker After Dark tournament winners]]