Author name: Hunter_Mika

Twenty-year-old Joseph Olivieri boasts two WSOP Circuit rings and seven SHRP titles, with $300,000 in winnings. He focuses on mixed games and plans to contend for a WSOP bracelet. Joseph Olivieri, with two WSOP Circuit rings and seven SHRP titles, isn't even old enough to play in most American poker rooms. At 20, Olivieri has already achieved more than many long-time poker players. He has $300,000 in winnings and continues to climb the ranks in tournaments around the world. But he hasn't followed the traditional path to success—he primarily plays mixed games. This seemingly promising young poker player says he first encountered poker at a local family game in North Carolina when he was 16. He fell in love with the game in high school. "I went to family games just to play with my dad," Olivieri said. Growing up, Olivieri played American football and American football. But he admits that in late high school, he began to focus more on poker than his studies. He was in the epicenter of the pandemic early in high school, and he wasn't too bothered by the online classes he was forced to attend due to COVID lockdowns. "Once I started playing poker, I really didn't care about school anymore," he admits. More focused on poker than academics, college wasn't an option after high school, but he wasn't forced into the workforce either—he'd developed a poker skill set that would soon be earning him money. The only problem for this rising star is the limited places he can play before he turns 21 next March. He can't play locally in North Carolina, but he's found success at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, where the gambling age is 18. Olivieri has accumulated seven Seminole Hard Rock Poker (SHRP) titles in just 18 months. Even more impressive is the record held by longtime top player Raminder Singh with 21 SHRP titles, and he's been playing in South Florida for many years. Olivieri recently won his second WSOP Circuit ring in Texas, one of the few places he can play in the US. He won the #3: Pot-Limit Big O event at Austin TCH Social, taking home $31,990 and beating some seasoned veterans, including his heads-up opponent Yuval Bronshtein, a WSOP bracelet winner with over $4 million in live tournament winnings. Few American players under the age of 20 have achieved this in tournament poker. Don't expect him to follow the path of many other young talents who, after making money in poker, will jump to other professional careers. "I just want to play this for a long time," Olivieri plans. What's next for this young poker star? Olivieri plays poker for more than just a living. He cares about winning titles and hopes to make it big in the game.