Born Nov. 27, 1983, Dan Sindelar of Omaha, Nebraska attended the University of Nebraska—Lincoln and graduated in 2006. After college, Sindelar moved from the Midwest and its charm to the dry, high-desert landscape of Las Vegas. Prior to his deep run in the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event, Sindelar had $335,962 in tournament winnings.
His best cash up to that point was winning $105,312 at the 2007 Fall Poker Classic $1,000 Championship Event at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. Other tournament highlights for Sindelar include:
- The 2013 Card Player Poker Tour Wynn Las Vegas Event #1 $550 No-Limit Hold’em for $60,000
- Finishing in 13th-place for $44,110 in the 2012 WSOP Event #57 $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six Handed
- Runner-up in the 2013 WSOP Circuit Caesars Palace $365 No-Limit Hold’em Reentry for $31,523
- Finishing 27th in the 2012 WSOP Event #46 $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em for $20,327
As for Sindelar’s deep run in the 2014 WSOP Main Event, it began on Day 1b when he finished the 1,428 survivors 686th in chips with 40,850. He then made it through Day 2a/b with 152,900 in chips, which put him 407 out of 1,864 heading into Day 3. Just 746 players would make it out of that day - and Sindelar was one of them - finishing in 132nd in chips with 421,500. Sindelar came on strong on Day 4 when he chipped up to 1.621 million, good for 17 of 291 players. However, it was on Day 5 that he finally cracked the top 10 and finished seventh out of 79 players with 5.24 million. Sindelar improved that on Day 6, where he finished in the the top 27 with 16.345 million, good for the third biggest stack in the room.
“This is so much fun, I can’t really explain it right now; so much blood pumping right now,” Sindelar told PokerNews on Day 6 of the 2014 WSOP Main Event. “I’ve never played for this amount of money, so I’ve never really quite felt this feeling before. I just love it. I want to come back again next year and hopefully do the same thing.”
Here's a look as Sindelar's WSOP résumé prior to the 2014 Main Event:
Total WSOP & Circuit Earnings: $227,791
WSOP Bracelets: 0
WSOP Cashes: 17
WSOP Earnings: $149,991
Circuit Rings: 0
Circuit Cashes: 11
Circuit Earnings: $77,800
Check out Remko Rinkema’s interview with Sindelar from Day 6 of the 2014 WSOP Main Event:
. Tonking continued out for 525,000 and Sindelar called to see a turn.
on fourth street and Tonking moved 1.275 into the middle. Sindelar let his hand go and Tonking picked up the pot.
flop.
flop, but this time he called 425,000. Both players checked the 
river brought two checks. Newhouse's 
for a pair of eights was the winner.
. Newhouse called the 500,000 continuation-bet, and the 
led to a check from the aggressor. Newhouse bet 800,000 and it was Stephensen's turn to call. Stephensen checked again, and Newhouse bet 1.25 million on the 
, but Newhouse had him outkicked with 
.
, keeping Greaves in the lead. The 
, eliminating Palmer from play and giving Greaves the sizable pot. With Palmer's elimination, the field will redraw to the final two tables.
flop. Pappaconstantinou called before both players checked the 
and Velador folded his hand.
