The winner of the Ballagio Cup Championship this year was none other than a 21-year old civil engineering, university student. Shannon Shorr, a student at the University of Alabama, wrapped up his first World Series of Poker appearance this week with a big win at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and now has more than enough cash in the bank to cover his tuition fees.

After the huge win of over one million dollars, Shorr is now wondering whether he should set his sights on being a professional poker player rather than studying at the university. According to Shorr, who has been playing professionally for the last eight months, he has to seriously reconsider his options. What started as a second career playing poker at Party Poker, advanced to more serious play as he began traveling around the world to play at live events in Australia, Austria, Spain and the Bahamas.

Shorr’s biggest victory came when he won the Bellagio Cup competition in Las Vegas this week and was awarded $960 000 dollars. That brings his total 2006 winnings to more than $1.3 million and ranks him third in Cardplayer.com's Professional Poker Player of the Year Contest. He trails Phil Hellmuth Jr. by only 63 points.

Originally, Shorr had planned to return to school after he finished 577th in the World Series of Poker Main Event, which had a starting field of 8 773. Shorr decided at the last minute to buy into the Bellagio Championship for $10,000 dollars, instead. To be sure, he’s very glad he made that decision. Shorr continues in his quest for the Player Of The Year Title.

Jeff Madsen is another young player to have made it big in the world of Poker. Madsen, also 21 years of age, finished at four final tables, won two winners bracelets and took home a million and a half dollars in the recently completed World Series of Poker in Vegas.

Posted on: August 27, 2006

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