Winning two WSOP bracelets back-to-back was just the beginning for Matt Graham, who represents the online poker room UltimateBet as part of TeamUB.  The former medical student was in his third year of pre-med in Connecticut when the lure of the tables hit him.  A consistent online poker career led to a trip to Atlantic City that netted him $23,000 over the course of the weekend and a career was born.

“It was slow at first, but I learned to beat the small stakes very quickly,” Graham states in an interview on UltimateBet. “I started playing SNGs and small limit cash games on UB and slowly worked my way up.”

Matt’s calm and collected playing style may owe something to his medical training.  He’s been praised for being a gracious winner and loser, even in the competitive high-stress world of big-money tournaments.  This may be one of the reasons that nobody begrudges him his $2.5m in winnings since the humble beginnings of his career.

“I played a home game at my manager’s house back when I used to deliver pizza during summers. We had a good time and they were really, really bad. I think I made more in the game after work than I did at work. This was only a $0.50/$1 NL game so I only made 1 or 2 hundred each night but it was huge money to me at the time.”

Since these late-night sessions, Graham’s become a force to be contended with.  In 2008 and 2009, he won back-to-back WSOP bracelets for the Limit Hold ‘Em shootout and Pot Limit Omaha world championships.  He also conquered the competitive Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic WPT event, taking the top spot and walking away with $320,000.

Graham’s still young and aiming at bigger and better goals in the game he loves.  There’s no reason at all to think he won’t make it with the aplomb, wit, and charm that has made him a favorite of many of his peers