Shannon Elizabeth is one of the most “forthcoming” poker babes, meaning she doesn’t mind taking off most of her clothes in front of the camera.
Apart from that, she’s also made some good money off of the big live events with total tournament winnings of almost $140,000.
Before going into the “poker celebrity business”, Shannon Elizabeth was a fashion model and actress, best known from her role in American Pie (1999).
Elizabeth got her start playing poker at a young age, playing stud and draw games with her family in Texas. It wasn’t until she’d established herself in Hollywood, however, that the actress was introduced to Texas Hold’em – and she hated it. Turned off by the lack of opportunities to discard or draw new cards, Elizabeth didn’t warm to the game until 2003, when she befriended poker professionals Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak (along with fellow-actress Jennifer Tilly) and began to hone her skills under the tutelage of some of poker’s best teachers.
With the Magician and the Unabomber as her guides, Elizabeth took to poker in earnest, playing in home games in Los Angeles and appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown and in Calvin Klein’s 2nd Annual Celebrity Poker Tournament, where she notched a sixth place finish.
In 2005 Elizabeth entered the Main Event at the World Series of Poker, where, under the guidance of Daniel Negreanu, she survived the first day of competition and barely missed landing in the money.
Following a number of successful finishes in early 2006, including a sixth place finish at the W Las Vegas Poker Invitational, and her win at the Nicky Hilton New Year’s Eve Poker Tournament, Elizabeth publicly admitted she is addicted to poker. “I’m in Vegas two or three times a month these days, playing every other night sometimes,” she said. “Poker has become my second career.”
Shortly after her admission, Elizabeth scored her first cash in a World Series of Poker event, finishing 201st in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event, and followed up with two more cashes during the final days of the WSOP.
During the 2006 WSOP, Elizabeth competed as the newest representative of Full Tilt Poker, joining the company of 47 professionals in whose company the actress is looking more and more at home.
Underlining her commitment to the sport, Elizabeth signed a poker marketing representation agreement with Poker Royalty, the poker world’s foremost player marketing and representation agency.
On June 15, 2002, Elizabeth married her longtime boyfriend, actor and celebrity poker player Joseph Reitman. Reitman had appeared with Elizabeth in movies like Tomcats and American Pie 2, and the two dated for seven years before finally tying the knot.
Unfortunately, the marriage was not fated to last, and in March of 2005 the couple separated, filing for divorce in June of that year. Reitman has since begun dating UltimateBet pro Annie Duke, while Elizabeth has been linked to poker player Joe Sebok.
Place Winnings Tournament
150 $3,828 2007 WSOP, Event 25, No-Limit Hold’em
3 $125,000 Special 2007, NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
33 $2,626 2006 WSOP, Event 44, No-Limit Hold’em
35 $1,977 2006 WSOP, Event 42, No-Limit Hold’em
201 $1,578 2006 WSOP, Event 17, No-Limit Hold’em
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