PLAYER PROFILE – Annette Obrestad
Annette Obrestad was 18 when she won the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe main event — the youngest player ever to take a WSOP bracelet. She had been competing online as “Annette_15” and built a serious reputation long before that moment. A few years later, she walked away from poker almost entirely. Both halves of the story are worth telling.
Strategic Beginnings
Born September 18, 1988, in Sandnes, Norway, Obrestad was drawn to analytical competition from an early age — specifically the kind where reading patterns and pressing edges matters more than raw experience. She built her initial bankroll the way most players don’t bother: freerolls and play money, working her way up from nothing without the backing most serious players rely on.
The bankroll was one thing. What distinguished Obrestad online was the playing style: where experienced players fell back on conventional lines and predictable ranges, she went straight at them. Under the screen name “Annette_15,” she built a reputation across the major poker sites that older, more cautious players couldn’t match — winning pots they wouldn’t have attempted and running bluffs they didn’t see coming. By the time she stepped into serious live competition, she was already one of the most dangerous names in the online game.
A Historic Triumph
The pinnacle of Obrestad’s poker career came in 2007, at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe. A day shy of her 19th birthday, she beat some of the most seasoned players in the world to capture the main event title, the £1 million prize, and a WSOP bracelet — becoming the youngest person ever to do so.
A Legacy in Numbers
Annette Obrestad, with her moniker “Annette_15”, boasts an impressive poker resume, highlighted by her total live earnings of $3,942,233. Notably, her best live cash was £1,000,000 ($2,013,733 USD) from the WSOPE Main Event, a testament to her skill and tenacity at the poker tables. At her peak, she ranked 100th on the Hendon Mob All-Time Money List, although currently, she is 503rd. Obrestad, the former number 1 on Norway’s All-Time Money List, is currently 3rd behind 2014 WSOP Main Event runner-up, Felix Vincent Stephensen, and 2022 Main event champion, Espen Jorstad.
Annette Obrestad’s poker resume extends far beyond her headline victory, displaying a pattern of consistent performances across the globe. Notable tournament placements include a 2nd place finish at the EPT Dublin Main Event in October 2007, where she earned €297,800. She continued her strong showings until September 2010 when she found 1st place in the EPT London Heads-Up Event, pocketing £120,000. Her versatility is further evidenced by multiple deep runs in the World Series of Poker, including an 89th place in the 2013 WSOP $10,000 World Championship, and numerous cashes in other WSOP events. Obrestad also demonstrated her skills in mixed games, evident from her 8th place finish in the WSOP 2012 $3,000 No Limit Hold’em/Pot Limit Omaha event, winning $28,409. Smaller events told the same story: the 2012 Wynn Classic, first place, $18,204.
The Transition: From Poker Tables to YouTube
Despite her early success, the allure of the poker world began to wane for Obrestad. The transition from a celebrated poker professional to a life outside the limelight was neither immediate nor straightforward. Around 2015, chronic pain and a growing disinterest in the competitive grind led her to step back. She launched “Annette’s Makeup Corner” on YouTube, building a new audience among subscribers almost entirely unaware of her poker history.
Legacy and Lessons Learned
Obrestad’s move to YouTube wasn’t a fall from grace — it was a deliberate choice. She had played at the highest level, made her mark, and found that the grind no longer gave her what it once did. The chronic pain was a significant factor, but so was the simpler reality that her genuine interest had moved on. Most competitors at that level don’t acknowledge that shift until it’s too late. Obrestad did — and acted on it. Leaving while you’re still ahead of most people is its own kind of discipline.
What she built on YouTube had nothing to do with poker and everything to do with the same qualities that made her good at it: focus, authenticity, and absolutely no interest in doing things the way everyone else does.
Life After Annette_15
Obrestad’s place in poker history is secure on the record alone. The WSOP bracelet, the records broken, the years of high-level performance at the very top — they stand regardless of what comes next. That she found something else worth doing is a separate story, and arguably the more interesting one. There are always new chapters.
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About the Author: Shawn Altbaum has been writing and editing in the online gaming industry since 2007, reporting live from the WSOP Main Event and conducting interviews with professional players. An active poker player, he combines industry expertise with firsthand knowledge of the games he covers. He currently serves as Global Head of Copywriting at NSUS Group, overseeing brand voice and content strategy across GGPoker and GGVegas.
