It’s the first time he’s sat down at a WSOP table since 2013
Justin “BoostedJ” Smith was once one of the brightest young stars in live and online tournament poker in the late 2000s. His status among the world’s top players was brief, and he hadn’t appeared at the World Series of Poker in over nine years.
However, the 36-year-old returned to the summer’s biggest series in 2024, where he competed in Event #66: $10:000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship (8-Handed). “What brought me back to the 10k PLO is, I’ve been thinking about it for the past two weeks. It just kind of came to me, I was like I actually feel like playing poker, just all of a sudden,” said Smith.
Smith explained that he was very burned out and decided to take a long break from the game. After playing only in a few charity events and small-stakes tournaments, he returned on Wednesday night to play his first hand at the WSOP since 2013.
“BoostedJ” hasn’t just been sitting around doing nothing the past few years and has kept himself very busy outside of poker. “Since poker, I’ve mostly been producing movies and TV shows and been involved in the music business too,” Smith told PokerNews.
His most notable project is a biopic about the late Doyle Brunson. No release date has been set, as Smith says he’s still searching for the right actor to play the lead role.
Smith participated in many big cash games during the poker boom of the late 2000s, including appearances on Poker After Dark. According to The Hendon Mob, he’s earned over $2.2 million in live tournament winnings. He’s seeking his first WSOP bracelet and says he’ll likely enter a few more tournaments during the summer.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
