QUALIFIERS - Johnathan  Westra

What's your home town?
Gainesville, Fla.

How about your education?
I still a student at the University of Florida, go Gators. I’m a third year business administration student.

What's your marital status?
I’m now single, first time in like five years.

What do you do for a living?
Professional poker player/student.

How long have you been playing poker?
I’ve played poker for most of my life. From the old days of penny 5-Card Draw poker with family; to high school strip poker (base dealing isn’t cheating when it involves naked girls); to college $0.25/$0.50 NL Texas Holdem cash games (nevertilt22 fppoker papadelpoker all at $0.25/$0.50) - to now.

What or who inspired you to start playing?
The idea of how much money I could make sitting on my couch instead of bartending or installing car stereos like I was previously doing. Also the traveling and the fact that I’m addicted to money doesn’t hurt the cause.

How long have you been playing at Bodog?
I’ve been at bodog for a little over three years now. I’ve been playing the tourneys for only like 18 months, but used to play more Sit and Gos, heads up matches and cash games than I do now.

Tell us about your best poker win...
My biggest poker win was for $223,600 at the Bellagio’s Five Diamond Classic - my second live trip after turning 21. I actually took second (in the chop, had huge chip lead) but got such an amazing chop that I couldn’t turn it down.

How did you win your seat?
I bought into one of the Main Event qualifiers on a Sunday during my normal tourney lineup. Did well the entire tourney but went into heads up a 3-to-1 dog and played my normal heads-up game and came back to win the winner-take-all seat.

What do you think your chances are of winning the WSOP*?
I would say with how my game's going right now my chances are as good as anybody’s. But no crazy dreams here; 9,000 people in one tourney is crazy. I’ll give it my best; if not, there’s always next year.

Who is your favorite poker player?
It will definitely have to be Phil Ivey. I just played with him in the WTP World Poker Challenge in Reno. He is a very aggressive and fearless player. I didn’t get involved with him much. 

What would you do if you won?
I would take a few weeks off poker, go on a real vacation (no casinos). Then I would get back on the grind and win the Card Player yearly. LOL.

How will you spend your time off in Vegas?
All I really do in Vegas is play poker, eat and sleep. When traveling with the circuits there’s good poker to be played all day between tourneys, second chances, Sit and Gos and cash games. If I’m there for work I’ll play as much as I can.

What type of player are you?
I really don’t have a set style. My game depends on the table I’m at. I think my base style would be tight, but I have great instincts and play a lot on those feelings.

Have you ever been to Vegas before? If so, any good stories?
Lol, too many and most are way too strange to describe....