With Winnings Over $11 Million, Is it Time to Stop?

Peter Eastgate, WSOP winner of $9.15 million in 2008 and another sum of around $2 million on following races, released a statement via PokerStars, his sponsor, on 6 July.

The statement reads as follows:

"When I started playing poker for a living, it was never my goal to spend the rest of my life as a professional poker player. My goal was to become financially independent. I achieved that by winning the WSOP Main Event in 2008. The period following has taken me on a worldwide tour, where I have seen some amazing places and met many new people; it has been a great experience. In the 20 months following my WSOP win, I feel that I have lost my motivation for playing high level poker along the way and I have decided that now is the time to find out what I want to do with the rest of my life. What this will be, I do not yet know. I have decided to take a break from live tournament poker, and try to focus on Peter Eastgate, the person. I want to thank PokerStars, my friends and family for their support over the last 20 months and for their support in my decision to take a break from poker."

PokerStars commented on Eastgate’s statment, stating to respect his decision, but also considering him a severe ’loss’ to the poker universe. Whether he is to return sometime remains to be seen.

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Peter Eastgate Attend World Cup Instead of Playing the WSOP