Melika Razavi | |
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![]() Razavi at WPTDeepStacks in Johannesburg, 2019 | |
Residence | South Africa |
Born | 26 June 1989 Iran |
World Series of Poker | |
Bracelet(s) | 1 |
Highest WSOP Main Event finish | 1st |
World Poker Tour | |
Final table(s) | 7th |
European Poker Tour | |
Final table(s) | 9th |
Melika SadatRazavi Jamali (born 26 June 1989) is an Iranian-South African beauty queen, magician and professional poker player.
Melika Sadat Razavi Jamali was born in Iran in 1989 and grew up in South Africa. [1] [2]
Razavi was crowned Miss Iran in 2016, Miss Global Fitness in Manilla, Philippines in 2016 and Miss Power Woman in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2017, [3] [4] despite how gambling, magic and beauty pageants are all banned in Iran. [3] [5]
Razavi is a professional poker player. [6] [7] Her first poker tournament was the 888poker LIVE Barcelona in 2017. [6] She was knocked out of the 2019 European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Main Event by Chinese player Wei Huang. [8]
Razavi achieved 1st place and became pro champion in the $1,050 No Limit Beat the Pros Event (Bounty event #82) at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2020, winning a bracelet and the grand prize of $239,180. [4] [9] Razavi is the second Iranian player and the third female player to win a WSOP bracelet. [10] At the next day of the tournament, she won a further $80,000 when she finished 13th in the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Super MILLION$ (Event #83). [11]
In 2022, Razavi participated in the Triton Poker Series in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus, taking $75,000 in winnings. [2] In 2023, she beat the Paris Saint-Germain FC football player and poker enthusiast Neymar during a high-stakes cash games at Casino Barcelona. [2]
Razavi's Iranian passport disqualifies her from participating in America’s poker tournaments. [2]