Brandon Cantu

Infobox poker player
firstname=Brandon
lastname=Cantu
nickname=The Bounty Hunter


caption=Cantu at the 2008 World Series of Poker
hometown= Las Vegas, Nevada
wsop bracelet count=1
wsop money finishes=6
wsop main event best finish rank=20th
wsop main event best finish year=2008
wpt titles=1
wpt final tables=1
wpt money finishes=3
ept titles=
ept final tables=
ept money finishes=

Brandon Cantu (born May 10, 1981 in Vancouver, Washington) [ cite web|url=http://www.worldpokertour.com/Shared/Players/Bios/B/Brandon_Cantu.aspx |title=WPT profile - Brandon_Cantu |accessdate=2008-07-12 |work=worldpokertour.com ] is an American professional poker player. Upon winning a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2006, Cantu relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. On March 14, 2007, Cantu became one of only 27 players to ever win both a World Series of Poker bracelet (2006) and a World Poker Tour championship (2008).

World Series of Poker

At the $1,500 No-Limit hold’em event in June 2006, Cantu won his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) event outlasting 2,775 players which at the time was the largest Non-Main Event WSOP Tournament, with that he won $757,839 and the WSOP gold bracelet. cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/25yearold-las-vegan-wins-757839-in-prize-money-7246 |title=25-year-old Las Vegan wins $757,839 at WSOP |accessdate=2008-03-15 |last=Polson |first=Sarah |date=June 30, 2006 |publisher=pokerlistings.com]

At the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, Cantu finished in 20th place out of 6844 entries, earning $257,334.

World Poker Tour

Cantu has three cashes at the World Poker Tour (WPT) including finishing 18th place at the Festa Al Lago V in 2006 and 19th place at the World Poker Challenge in 2007, then in March 2008, he won his first WPT title at the Bay 101 Shooting Star championship earning $1,000,000 cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/blog/wpt/season6/bop-brandon-cantu-wins-bay-101-shooting-star |title=Bop! Brandon Cantu Wins WPT Shooting Star! |accessdate=2008-03-15 |last=Showell |first=Matthew |date=2008-03-15 |publisher=pokerlistings.com ] and was nicknamed "The Bounty Hunter" for earning an additional $30,000 in bounties for busting a record six notable poker professionals in the tournament known as "Shooting Stars" who along with their $5000 bounties they also relinquish a custom made t-shirt with that particular players image on it, Cantu's six bounties were; Bill Edler, John Juanda, Phil Laak, Joe Hachem who finished 20th, J. C. Tran who just missed the six person final table in 7th and Jennifer Harman who finished 3rd, also making the final table were non-designated pros John Phan (6th), Noah Jefferson (4th) and runner-up Steve Sung. [ cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/live_updates/14167 |title=Brandon Cantu Wins the Bay 101 Shooting Star |accessdate=2008-07-31 |work=cardplayer.com ] [ cite web|url=http://www.wptongsn.com/Shared/Tournaments/Seasons/Season_6/Bay_101_Shooting_Star.aspx |title=WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star, Day 1A Recap |accessdate=2008-07-31 |publisher=wptongsn.com ]

As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $2,300,000. [ cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=67716 |title=Brandon Cantu - stats |accessdate=2008-07-31 |last=Butt |first=Robert |publisher=TheHendonMob.com ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player-interviews/wpt/season6/brandon-cantu-wins-wpt-bay-101-shooting-star Pokerlistings.com interview]
* [http://www.pokernews.com/news/2008/03/pokernews-interview-brandon-cantu.htm The PokerNews interview: Brandon Cantu]
* [http://www.pokersourceonline.com/news/brandon-cantu-wins-largest-non-main-event-wsop-tourney.asp PokerSourceOnline.com article]