Espen Uhlen Jørstad

Espen Uhlen Jørstad was born in May 1988 in Levanger, Norway. He pursued higher education at the University of Copenhagen, where he earned a master's degree in brewing science. Before turning to poker full-time, he worked at a brewery, applying his academic background. He later relocated to London, England, where he currently resides.

Jørstad began his poker career online, playing under the handle "Hymn2ninkasi" on PokerStars and "COVFEFE-19" on GGPoker. Primarily a cash game specialist, he also ventured into tournaments. In 2016, he started streaming on Twitch under the alias "uhlenpoker" as a sponsored Unibet Poker pro, later rebranding to the group channel "overbetexpress". His online success includes numerous cashes in WSOP Online events, notably a sixth-place finish in the 2021 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event Online Championship worth $603,058, and a fifth-place finish in a $400 Fifty Stack event during the 2020 WSOP Online series.

Jørstad's live tournament career took off at the 2022 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. He recorded his first WSOP cash in Event #5: The Housewarming, and then partnered with Patrick Leonard to win Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em, earning $74,042 each and his first WSOP bracelet. He also cashed in Event #68: Million Dollar Bounty, setting the stage for a deep run in the Main Event.

Jørstad secured his $10,000 Main Event seat by winning a $1,050 satellite on GGPoker, joining Vadim Rozin and Tom Kunze as the three remaining GGPoker qualifiers. The 2022 WSOP Main Event drew a field of 8,663 entrants, the second-largest in WSOP history at the time. Jørstad navigated the field to reach the final table, where he faced Adrian Attenborough in heads-up play. On the 19th hand of heads-up, the board read 4♥ 2♥ 2♣ 8♠ Q♣. Jørstad held Q♦ 2♠ for a full house, while Attenborough had J♣ 4♠. Jørstad shoved all-in, Attenborough called, and Jørstad secured the $10,000,000 top prize, becoming the first Norwegian to win the WSOP Main Event.

Following his Main Event triumph, Jørstad continued to post impressive results on the live tournament circuit. He cashed in numerous high-stakes events, including the Triton Poker Series and European Poker Tour. Notable finishes include:

• 3rd place in the 2024 Triton Poker Series Monte Carlo $200,000 Special Triton Invitational for $2,255,000.
• 1st place in the 2024 PokerStars EPT Prague €25,000 Super High Roller Warm Up for €277,500.
• 4th place in the 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona €100,000 EPT Super High Roller for €524,400.
• 7th place in the 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona €25,000 No-Limit Hold'em II for €76,900.
• 5th place in the 2024 PokerStars EPT Prague €50,000 EPT Super High Roller for €113,000.
• 12th place in the 2025 Triton Poker Series Montenegro $100,000 NLHE Main Event for $293,000.
• 8th place in the 2026 Triton Poker Series Montenegro $75,000 PLO 6-Handed for $191,500.

As of June 2025, Jørstad's total live tournament earnings exceed $18.8 million, placing him first on Norway's all-time money list. He holds 23 WSOP money finishes and four WSOP final tables.

Jørstad is primarily a cash game player but has demonstrated versatility in tournaments. He is known for an aggressive, mathematically grounded approach, often utilizing solvers and advanced strategy. He became a GTO Wizard Ambassador after previously serving as a Unibet Poker Ambassador. He also garners a following as a Twitch streamer, sharing his insights and gameplay.

Jørstad's 2022 WSOP Main Event victory cemented his place in poker history as the first Norwegian world champion and a symbol of the country's growing presence in the game. His combination of online cash game expertise and live tournament success has made him one of the most recognizable Scandinavian players on the circuit.

Jørstad has won two WSOP bracelets. The first came in 2022 when he partnered with Patrick Leonard to win Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em, earning $74,042 each. His second bracelet, and the most prestigious, was the 2022 WSOP Main Event, which paid $10,000,000 and made him the first Norwegian Main Event champion. Both bracelets were awarded during the same series, a rare achievement.

As of mid-2025, Jørstad's live tournament earnings exceed $19.8 million, placing him 68th on the all-time money list and first among Norwegian players. He has 23 WSOP money finishes and four final tables. His largest single cash remains the $10 million from the Main Event, but he has added several high-stakes results including a $2.255 million score in the 2024 Triton Monte Carlo Invitational. His consistent cashes in high-roller events demonstrate his ability to compete at the highest levels of the game.