Patrick Antonius

Patrik Antonius

A former model and semi-pro tennis player, Patrik Antonius is known as much for his smoldering good looks as his masterful poker skills. Both attributes have earned him a number of nicknames including PA, Adonis, The Flying Finn, The Terminator and The Black Lotus.

Antonius was born in 1980 in a working-class suburb of Helsinki, Finland. He was a sporty child, but showed a particular talent for tennis. His coaches encouraged him to aim for a professional tennis career, and he began training every day but was plagued by back injuries and eventually had to give up his hopes of going pro.

It was at his tennis club that Antonius discovered poker, and played there with his young friends between tennis matches. Once he turned 18 he was able to play at Helsinki’s only casino. Obviously a natural, he won the first Hold’em tournament he entered, even though he had never played the game before. When he started college he also began playing online, and it turned out to be a very profitable move. In just two months, he managed to grow $200 into a $20,000 bankroll, and decided to quit college to focus on poker.

Career: Still torn between tennis and poker, and with his back improving, Antonius got a tennis scholarship to Averett University in Virginia. He continued playing poker a few hours a day there, and this proved so lucrative that once the year was over he returned to Finland to resume his full-time poker career. He built up his reputation as the one of the best online players in Europe, and then joined the live tournament circuit in 2005, where his success was repeated.

He made numerous cashes for ever increasing amounts, before moving to Las Vegas to continue along this path. At the same time, he kept on cashing in from his online poker games as well. In 2005, Antonius placed in the money in three WSOP events and two WPT tournaments, as well as two EPT events including a $340,000 win in the Baden Classic. Joining Marcel Luske’s Circle of Outlaws helped him hone his skills even further.

A highly skilled and competitive player, Antonius has taken close to $3 million in live tournament winnings so far, plus a whole lot more online. His game has gone from strength to strength every year, and in 2008 he finished #7 in the WSOP Main Event.

Antonius has played in the Full Tilt room under various names including Luigi66369, CryMeRiver9, I_knockout_U, try_hrdr_fish and Finddagrind. He is now a member of Team Full Tilt, and plays under his real name. In the past, he has also played online in Martinsroom and PokerStars.

Projects: His combination of looks and skills has made Antonius a frequent fixture on the small screen. He has appeared in instructional DVDs as well as numerous TV shows and special features on poker.

Personal information: Patrik Antonius lives with his fiancee and baby daughter in Las Vegas and Monaco. Still an avid sportsman, he plays tennis and golf, works out and takes vitamins to help him maintain his edge at the poker tables.