Sports
Joe Cada
born 1987 · professional poker player
Poker pro from Shelby Township in Macomb County who won the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event at 21, then the youngest champion ever.
- Born
Shelby Charter Township, Michigan
age 38- Birth name
- Joseph Cada
- Also known as
- The Kid
- Detroit years
- 1987–2000s
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Joe Cada was born on November 18, 1987, and grew up in Shelby Charter Township, a Macomb County suburb north of Detroit, in a family of keen card players. He sharpened his game online for several years, even though his parents were not happy about poker as a career. In 2009 he entered the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, outlasted a field of 6,494 players and took the title at 21 years, 11 months and 23 days, breaking the record set a year earlier by Peter Eastgate. Michigan fans followed his run to the November Nine final table in maize-and-blue T-shirts that called him The Kid. He signed with Team PokerStars that year and has stayed a regular on the tournament circuit, with live winnings above 15 million dollars. He has also spoken publicly in favor of legal, regulated gambling.
Highlights
- 2009 WSOP Main Event champion at 21, then the youngest ever
- Outlasted 6,494 entrants to win the 2009 Main Event
- Live tournament winnings above $15 million (2026)
- Nicknamed The Kid; joined Team PokerStars in 2009