Matthew Wakeman

Matthew Wakeman was born and raised in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Like many players of his generation, his introduction to poker came through casual home games with friends and late-night television broadcasts. He recalled, "We used to find it really entertaining watching late night WPT episodes. We used to laugh at how serious Mike Sexton took everything on the show." The competitive spark ignited in 2008 when he decided to take the game seriously. "I'm a really competitive person so I really wanted to crush all my friends," he said. He began researching online, visiting training sites, and gradually developed his skills.

Wakeman initially focused on heads-up Sit & Go tournaments, becoming a winning regular in the $200–$500 stakes. He befriended several of the world's best heads-up SnG players, including Spamz0r, PrimordialAA, h2olga, and Hokiegreg, and credited these relationships as the cornerstone of his advancement into the poker elite. In early 2011, he began incorporating multi-table tournaments (MTTs) into his schedule, a move that proved highly successful. Within seven months, he recorded over $550,000 in online cashes, with notable results including final tables in the PokerStars Sunday Warmup ($21,000), the Sunday 500, and the partypoker $250,000 guaranteed event ($30,000). He also booked a weekly TLB win on PokerStars.

His rapid success in MTTs propelled him up the PocketFives rankings, where he reached 43rd worldwide and was the fourth-highest-ranked MTT player in Australia. In a later interview, he acknowledged reaching the top 10 globally, saying, "It's a nice achievement but at the same time it's a bit embarrassing. My biggest score is like $30k whereas everyone in the top 100 has six-figure scores pretty much. I don't know if I'm actually as good as my ranking suggests."

Despite his online prowess, Wakeman's live tournament career had a rocky start. He admitted, "My live experience is basically spewing chips in every main event I've entered. I only made it to Day 2 in one of the eight events I entered last year." Nevertheless, he recognized the value in live events, describing the fields as "really soft" and enjoying the opportunity to meet online acquaintances in person.

Over time, his live results improved significantly. his total live earnings stand at $1,891,292, with a best live cash of $273,321. He has reached the $1,000,000 milestone and is ranked 29th on the Australia All Time Money List. His WSOP.com profile lists 133 cashes, 7 final tables, and 2 rings, with total earnings of $986,855 on that platform alone.

Notable recent live results include a 6th-place finish in the WSOP Paradise #4: $50,000 NLH High Roller Turbo in December 2025, earning $300,000, and a 32nd-place finish in the WSOP Paradise #6: $5,000 Super COLOSSUS NLH for $14,300. He also cashed in the WSOP Paradise #11: $25K Super Main Event for $60,000.

Wakeman is known for a balanced, analytical approach to poker. His background in heads-up SnGs honed his ability to read opponents and make precise decisions, skills that translated well to MTTs. He emphasizes the importance of treating poker as a job, stating, "At the end of the day, you have to treat it like a business." He is an advocate for studying the game and has contributed content to PokerVIP, including a video on accumulating a stack in the later stages of an MTT and an article on multi-tabling online.

Wakeman is active in the poker community, contributing to TwoPlusTwo, tweeting, and blogging on Poker.org and HUSNG.com. He enjoys writing and sees it as a way to engage with the community. He balances his poker career with family life, having a two-year-old son and a fiancée who was a full-time mom. He noted the challenges of arranging childcare in Australia as his fiancée returned to work.

Wakeman continues to compete in both online and live events. His recent results include a 6th-place finish in the 2025 WSOP Paradise $50K High Roller Turbo, demonstrating his ability to compete at the highest stakes. With over $1.89 million in live earnings and a strong online track record, he remains a respected figure in Australian poker, known for his consistency and dedication to the game.