Justin Grant Young

Justin Grant Young was born on December 22, 1986, in Boulder, Colorado, and his family soon moved to Loveland, Colorado. His mother worked as an interior decorator, while his father was an entrepreneur and a former member of the folk singing group the Serendipity Singers. Despite the musical environment, Young was drawn to strategy games from an early age. He learned chess at four or five years old and played backgammon, hearts, and spades with his family on Friday nights. He first learned poker hand rankings at age eight from his father, who played in a local home game. The family enjoyed five-card draw and five-card stud, laying the foundation for Young's competitive instincts.

Young attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where he studied mechanical engineering. While there, he joined the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and began playing in the house's home game. The games were dealer's choice, often featuring non-standard variants like 'iron-cross' and 'screw your neighbor,' but Young's strategic background gave him an edge. He watched the 2002 World Series of Poker Main Event final table, where Robert Varkonyi won, replaying it repeatedly and becoming inspired. In 2004, he cashed in his first live tournament—a $1,000 weekly event at the Bellagio—winning $45,396. This success, combined with his growing passion for poker, led him to forgo a career as a mechanical engineer and move to Las Vegas with his wife, settling in Henderson, Nevada.

Young quickly established himself on the live tournament circuit, with Bellagio becoming his primary venue. Seven of his ten biggest scores through 2011 came at that casino, accounting for over $2 million in earnings. His largest cash to date is a runner-up finish in the 2008 $15,000 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, good for $936,760. In 2011, he won the Festa al Lago main event for $374,590. Young's greatest achievement came in 2016 when he won the World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown $3,500 Main Event for $669,161. He has 18 WPT cashes, three final tables, and one title, collecting $2.4 million in WPT earnings.

At the World Series of Poker, Young has earned $550,748 across 77 cashes (with a WSOP-only total of $3.5 million). He won his only WSOP Circuit ring in 2012 in a $365 Pot-Limit Omaha event at Caesars Palace for $11,506. Despite not winning a bracelet, he came close with a fifth-place finish in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event at the 2018 WSOP for $46,221. In 2022, he was the Day 1 chip leader in the $100,000 High Roller Bounty but ultimately did not cash. That same year, he won a $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event at the US Poker Open for $200,200 and finished fourth in the $25,000 PGT Heads-Up Championship for $100,000. More recently, at the 2024 WPT Prime Championship, he finished ninth for $114,000, and at the 2025 WSOP, he placed 14th in a $3,000 Freezeout event for $18,610.

Young is known for a hyper-aggressive, exploitative style that puts opponents to tough decisions. He combines modern game theory optimal concepts with creative deviations to exploit weaknesses. His ability to read opponents and adjust in real time is a hallmark of his approach, making him a formidable presence at both cash games and tournaments. His strategy has evolved over two decades of professional play, allowing him to compete effectively on the high roller circuit.

Young is a prolific content creator under the screen name "BoostedJ." He runs a YouTube channel featuring hand analysis, tournament vlogs, and strategy guides, and he streams regularly on Twitch, engaging a community of poker enthusiasts. His content has educated many aspiring players and helped build a personal brand that extends beyond the tables. He also maintains an active Twitter presence (@Justinyoung07).

Young continues to compete in high-stakes events worldwide. His live earnings have surpassed $6.7 million, placing him 279th on the all-time money list. He represents a new generation of poker pros who blend competitive success with media presence. His career demonstrates the viability of building a personal brand through consistent content creation while maintaining elite-level play. With numerous deep runs in major tournaments and a reputation as a savvy cash game player, Young remains an influential figure in the poker community.