Voices from the SiGMA Poker Tour: Drea Karlsen redefines "a modern player"
By all outward appearances, Drea Karlsen isnt the typical representation of the poker world. A single mother of three, a mental health advocate, and a former photographer from the tiny Norwegian island of Fr?ya (population: 4,000), shes not your archetypal hoodie-wearing, Red Bull-fuelled player. But dont let her disarming laugh fool you because Karlsen is as sharp and competitive as they come.
I grew up with a twin brother, she tells me during a break at the SiGMA Poker Tour. And all twins fight. We were always competing. Whos faster and whos smarter. Thats probably where it started.
Karlsens route into poker is far from conventional. She began as a photographer, hired to cover the Norwegian Championship in Dublin. Watching the tables sparked something. I played a bit with friends for small money and thought I was good. But then I played a real tournament and realised that I didnt have a clue, she laughs. And then the competitive side of me kicked in. I thought I need to get better at this.
That drive, equal parts stubbornness and self-belief, became the engine behind the rise that has taken her from recreational games to the global poker circuit. Her recent 22nd-place finish in the main SiGMA Poker Tour event left her with mixed feelings. A bit disappointing, of course. I wanted to win it, but today wasnt my day.
Still, Karlsen isnt in it just for the prize money. The networking here is amazing. The vibe, the people its fun. And for someone like me, trying to build both a poker and streaming career, its the perfect place to be.
Balancing poker and parenting
But poker is only one part of Karlsens complex life. Her day job – if you can call it that – is as a poker streamer, broadcasting four days a week from home. In between hands, shes also raising two toddlers and a school-aged child, solo.
Its really hard, she admits. Poker is always late nights. Then you have to wake up early with the kids, get them to kindergarten, make dinner, and Im always juggling. She pauses, then adds, Thats probably one reason the game is still so male-dominated. Not many single mums can do this.
That doesnt mean shes backing down. In fact, her children are her biggest fans. They love watching me on TV. They always want me to bring toys to the table to use as card protectors so they can see them. They think its cool.
The domestic side of Karlsens life is quietly radical. Poker, not exactly famous for its diversity, Karlsen is staking out space, literally at the poker table. Poker, long lacking in diversity, is where shes carving out her place. There was a Divas tournament yesterday, she tells me with a glint of pride. 122 women. Thats a lot more than I expected. Things are changing.
Mental health and being bipolar
Karlsens openness doesnt stop at parenting. She is candid about her struggles with mental health. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, shes not only managing it but advocating for others.
I wrote a book about it in 2018, she says matter-of-factly. Its about teenage years, being hospitalised, navigating that whole world. Its serious stuff, but I wanted to tell the story.
Her lived experience has shaped her poker game and vice versa. Poker and life are so alike. Upswings, downswings, and emotional control. You cant tilt. You have to stay steady. She credits poker with making her more resilient and more balanced in daily life. I honestly think Im a better poker player because of my mental health journey. And I handle life better because of poker.
In a game where emotional regulation is the silent superpower, her insight is gold. One thing poker players always say, she adds, is you have to look after your mental health. You cant play well if your heads not right.
A different kind of security
Karlsens path hasnt always been stable, financially or otherwise, but she has options. Of course I worry. Poker isnt a guaranteed income. But Ive got streaming. If it doesnt work, I can go back to photography. Or writing. There are always things to do.
That self-assurance is hard-won, and she acknowledges the privilege of being able to work from home. Its flexible. I can run my life, be there for my kids, and still do what I love.
Whats next?
After a quick girls trip to ?lesund for a low-stakes 바카라 night, Karlsen is setting her sights on Malta, where shell compete again on the SiGMA Poker Tour. Shes also become something of a SiGMA ambassador, an unofficial role she seems to wear with pride.
Im so impressed with what SiGMA does. I went to the American Expo and just felt inspired. The motto was inspire to aspire. That really stuck with me.
Shes not just part of a growing community of poker players; shes helping redefine it. As a woman, a mother, and someone who speaks openly about mental health, Drea Karlsen is challenging the poker world’s long-standing narratives and winning.
People think poker is about bluffing, she says. But actually, its about being honest with yourself most of all. And in that, Karlsen has already hit the jackpot.
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