(Featured image: WPT)
Look:
Aside from his poker skills, Gustav Hansen is also well-recognized for his looks. In fact, he is branded as one of the greatest faces in the poker industry.
This Danish player has carved out a notable career on the felt, becoming a fan favorite for both his gameplay and charisma.
Let’s take a look at Gus Hansen net worth, his journey from backgammon prodigy to poker legend, his meteoric rise to fame and fortune and, just as fast, the downfall.
| Full Name: Gustav Hansen | |
| DOB: February 13, 1974 | |
| Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| Profession: Pro backgammon and poker player, accountant, Winamax ambassador | |
| Gus Hansen Wife/Girlfriend: Malan Djurhuus | |
| WSOP Bracelets: 1 | |
| Live Career Earnings: $1+ Million |
Disclaimer: Only Gus knows his actual net worth. We can only estimate based on publicly available sources and the usual stakes he plays.
Who Is Gus Hansen? (Early Life & Background)
First things first, who is Gus Hansen?
He was born into a Danish family, is the eldest son, and is known to have a close relationship with his mom.
Gustav didn’t go to a regular elementary school. Rather, his formative years took place in their home, with his mother and Aunt Elise being his teachers.
He has always been disciplined to study well academically, and he obliged.
When Gus was a teenager, his parents gave birth to three other siblings, a boy and two girls. Since they have quite a huge age gap, they treated him more like a father than a brother and they looked up to him.
Also, he was already big enough to take responsibility over them, so he helped his parents feed his siblings and put them to sleep when they had night jobs.
During his free time, his father would teach him how to play backgammon, which helped Gus hone his gaming skills.
The young lad loved the game a bit too much that he even organized a school club dedicated to learning backgammon. They would also have school tournaments for the game back then.
All these skills reflected on his academic performance as well.
Like Liv Boeree, he was not only a good player, but he also did well academically. He is more into mathematics and he’s great at it.
In fact, he took advanced math classes and got very good grades. This academic excellence landed him several scholarships and got him into USCS.
Speaking of which:
The Great Dane’s first encounter with poker happened back in college, when a classmate introduced him to Texas Hold’em and he won his very first game that night.
Even during his mandatory military service in Denmark, Hansen kept honing his skills by practicing with fellow soldiers during breaks.
Gus Hansen Net Worth 2025
Now…
Let’s talk about the estimated Gus Hansen net worth, keeping in mind that only he himself could provide the exact figure.
As for our analysis, it is a reasonable estimate based on publicly available sources, like his tournament winnings, private high stakes cash games, various business ventures or his job as an accountant.
So, how much is Gus Hansen worth?
Though it’s not as huge as other popular players, at the time it was sizeable enough to earn him a spot in the list of the richest poker players.
However, as of this year, a reasonable estimate of Gus Hansen net worth stands at around $1 million.
While he had a successful poker career and lots of brand sponsorships in the past, this estimated figure takes into account the Full Tilt scandal and the massive online losses.
(These losses are reportedly around $22 million, that he incurred during the online poker boom).
After such staggering setbacks, Hansen moved away from his high-profile life in Monaco back to Denmark, stopped playing poker, got a job as an accountant and focused on his family.
And only recently, has he come back to the poker scene and playing mid-stakes cash games.
Now let’s talk about Gus’ breakthrough moments early in his poker career.
The WPT Victory That Started It All
Hansen’s breakthrough moment came in 2002 when he won the inaugural WPT Championship at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Bellagio.
This victory not only earned him $556,480 but also established him as the first-ever WPT champion, cementing his place in poker history.
The win came during poker’s early television boom, making Hansen one of the first players to gain widespread recognition through televised poker.
Several months after, he also became the champion of WPT No-limit Hold’em event. He won a whopping $530,00 this time which only made his bankroll grow even bigger.
Sometime in 2003, he was able to build his own online poker room which he eventually sold for $15 million because he barely had time to manage it.
His career was at its peek during these times, winning back to back tournaments here and there.
The nickname “The Great Dane” emerged from his Danish heritage and commanding presence at the table.
Hansen’s aggressive playing style and willingness to play unconventional hands made him a fan favorite and influenced countless players who tried to emulate his approach.
This victory launched Hansen into poker stardom and opened doors to sponsorship deals, television appearances, and high-stakes cash games that would define his career.
The impact of this win extended beyond personal success.
Hansen helped legitimize the World Poker Tour and contributed to poker’s mainstream appeal during its television renaissance.
His charismatic personality and unpredictable play style made him a natural fit for television, helping to attract new audiences to the game.
Next, let’s have a closer look to the Danish native’s defining career highlights.
Poker Career Highlights
Hansen transitioned from professional backgammon to poker in 1997, bringing his competitive spirit and mathematical understanding to the felt.
Here are some of his most significant achievements throughout his illustrious career:
- Won three WPT titles during the tour’s early years.
- Earned his only WSOP bracelet at 2010 WSOP Europe in London.
- Won $10+ million in live tournament earnings throughout his career.
- Joined Team Winamax in 2024, marking his return to sponsored play.
- Became the season one winner of Poker Superstars Invitational tourney.
- Won the 2007 Aussie Millions Main Event with $1,200,000 in prize money.
- Won the inaugural WPT Championship at Five Diamond World Poker Classic in 2002, which contributed to WPT’s success going forward.
He took the biggest leap in his career by joining the 2005 invitational tournament for Poker Superstars.
Though the stakes were high and his bankroll wasn’t that much back then, he joined head on and competed against other famous folks like Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, and Doyle Brunson.
In the early 2000s, was also invited to guest on the High Stakes Poker TV program to play with poker celebrities (including Barry Greenstein and Antonio Esfandiari), and he beat the all-famous Daniel Negreanu.
As seen from the video above, that pot had earned him another half a million dollar cash.
Top 5 Poker Tournament Winnings
Hansen’s tournament success spans over two decades, with his biggest scores coming during poker’s boom years.
Here are his most significant tournament cashes:
2nd Place 2008 Five-Star World Poker Classic – $1,714,800
This remains his biggest tournament win up-to-date.
His second-place finish at the 2008 WPT Season 6 Championship earned him $1,714,800, though he fell just short of the title.
He battled through a stacked field but ultimately lost heads-up to David Chiu, who claimed the championship and the additional prize money that came with it.
The event took place at the height of Hansen’s fame, when he was regularly appearing on television and considered one of poker’s elite players.
His aggressive style was on full display throughout the tournament, as he used his reputation to pressure opponents and build chips.
The near-miss represented both triumph and disappointment, as Hansen came agonizingly close to his biggest career score.
Interestingly, 2008 was also the year Hansen published his book “Every Hand Revealed,” which detailed his 2007 Aussie Millions victory hand by hand.
Other Notable Tournament Cashes:
- 1st Place 2007 Aussie Millions – $1,200,000
- 1st Place 2012 WSOP One Drop Mega Satellite – $1,000,000
- 1st Place 2005 Poker Superstars Invitational – $1,000,000
- 3rd Place 2012 Aussie Millions – $823,579
Additionally, his first WSOP win deserves special mention. Hansen earned his only WSOP bracelet at the 2010 WSOP Europe in London, winning the £10,350 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Heads-Up event.
He defeated James Collopy in the final to claim £288,409 (approximately $451,880), marking his first and only World Series of Poker victory.
The heads-up format suited Hansen’s aggressive style perfectly which him to pressure his opponent and use his experience in high-stakes cash games.
This victory filled an important gap in his poker resume, as WSOP bracelets are considered the ultimate achievement in tournament poker.
The Full Tilt Poker Loss
While the Great Dane’s career featured massive tournament wins and global recognition, his journey also came with equally staggering financial lows.
His association with Full Tilt Poker proved financially devastating, with documented losses exceeding $20 million on the platform.
His approach to online play in high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha and Fixed Limit Omaha Hi-Lo games, resulted in massive swings that ultimately went against him.
The losses were also brutal in Fixed Limit Omaha Eight-or-Better, where he lost approximately $1.4 million against players like Kyle Ray and Kyle Hendon during a two-week period in 2012.
Moreover, while he was not directly involved in the Full Tilt Poker financial scandal that came to light in 2011 after the U.S. Department of Justice shut down the site, his association with the brand drew scrutiny.
He was one of the prominent “Full Tilt Pros” and had been used in marketing campaigns and TV commercials.
After the site was accused of operating a Ponzi scheme and mismanaging player funds, fans questioned all the sponsored pros, even those like Hansen who weren’t involved in management decisions.
He also experienced significant losses in live cash games, particularly in “Bobby’s Room” at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas.
He has openly admitted to losing over a million dollars in some sessions, demonstrating the volatile nature of high-stakes poker.
His transparency about these losses, while admirable, highlighted the risks associated with playing at the highest levels of the game.
His online and live losses combined forced Hansen to reassess his approach to poker and ultimately led to his temporary retirement from the game shortly after his major loss.
Lifestyle, Sponsorships & Side Ventures
Outside poker, Hansen maintained interests in various competitive and business pursuits.
Here are a few notable ones:
Business Ventures
He has explored several business opportunities beyond poker, including investments in bridge-dealing machines and involvement in music-related ventures.
He briefly worked as an accountant during his hiatus from poker, after moving back from Monaco to Denmark.
In the past, Hansen has also been involved in various online poker ventures, including ThePlayr.com and GusHansenTV, though these projects had mixed success.
Hobbies
Hansen remains an avid sports competitor, with padel tennis becoming his latest passion.
He also frequently participates in bridge and squash tournaments. Hansen’s love for racket sports has continued throughout his poker career.
And of course, his original passion for backgammon has never faded away.
Current Sponsorships
Gus Hansen is the latest Winamax team Pro, marking his return to sponsored play in 2024.
This partnership represents a significant development in Hansen’s career, as he had been without major sponsorship for several years following his Full Tilt Poker association.
The Winamax deal suggests renewed confidence in Hansen’s marketability and playing ability as he approaches age 50.
Below is the Winamax interview with The Great Dane that you can check out:
The Great Dane: Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Gus Hansen lose?
Is Gus Hansen broke?
His documented losses exceeded $20 million on Full Tilt Poker alone, with additional millions lost in live cash games at venues like the Bellagio’s “Bobby’s Room.”
The devastating period came between 2012-2014, when he lost approximately $17 million online.
What does Gus Hansen do now?
He is among the final 14 players in the $10,000 Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship at the recent WSOP, showing he remains active in tournament poker.
He currently lives in Denmark, balances poker with family life including his young son, and recently joined Team Winamax as a sponsored pro.
What happened to Gus Hansen?
He took a break from competitive poker following massive online losses and the Full Tilt Poker scandal in 2015.
He briefly worked as an accountant and pursued other business ventures before returning to poker in 2016 with a more measured approach to bankroll management.
How many bracelets does Gus Hansen have?
Currently, he has one WSOP bracelet, which he won at the 2010 WSOP Europe in London in the £10,350 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Heads-Up event, defeating James Collopy for £288,409.
Gus Hansen Poker Net Worth (Wrap Up)
Without a doubt…
Gus Hansen’s journey reflects both the highs and lows of life in professional poker.
From becoming the first WPT champion to losing over $20 million online, he’s seen both ends of the spectrum.
While his aggressive style and willingness to take risks earned him fame, it also led to some of the most notorious downswings in online poker history.
His story serves as a reminder that even the most talented players aren’t immune to the dangers of variance and poor bankroll management.
Despite the setbacks, Hansen eventually reappeared.
In recent years, he’s returned to tournament play with a more measured approach, including appearances at the WSOP and a sponsorship with Winamax.
He still plays fairly high-stakes poker, but with more caution than in his earlier days.
Whether discussing his influence on poker strategy or asking “does Gus Hansen still play poker,” the answer is clear.
Yes, he does, though with lessons hard learned.
His legacy remains a mix of innovation, volatility, and enduring impact on the modern game.
Now, I’d like to hear from YOU:
- In your opinion, how much is Gus Hansen worth in 2025?
- How do you view his decision to return to high-stakes competition after such devastating losses?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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