21-year-old Zach Goldberg has been winning money in poker games since he was 15, but over winter break the UA senior managed to play his best hand yet, winning $300,000 at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

“”I started playing poker when I was 14 with friends and my brother Ryan­?for quarters. I then discovered the world of online poker and began playing there,”” said Goldberg, senior finance major in the Eller College of Management.

The road to the Caribbean wasn’t always a smooth one, as Goldberg admits to a slow start: “”It took me months and months of experience and losing $100 here and there to learn.””

Zach did learn, and he learned pretty quickly. “”When I was 15, I came in first out of 1,000 people in a $22 buy-in online that won me $4,500. That got my bankroll started and I have turned that into six-figure money before I was 18 years old.””

Asked what was going through his mind when he won $300,000, he chuckled and said, “”At first I was a little disappointed when I busted out in seventh [place], but after actually receiving the money, I realized I did pretty well for my first major live tournament.””

His plan for the $300,000 is a conservative one.

“”That’s the simple part: continue to make smart, responsible investments and continue my poker career to make more returns.””

Zach has always shied away from spending money and has no interest in fancy cars or shiny toys. Instead, Zach serves as a walking testament to the effectiveness of an Eller College education. “”I would like to possibly buy some real estate as it is a great time to be a buyer in these markets.””

For a man with many options, Zach is pretty sure about his goal in life.

“”I will always have my finance degree as a nice back-up, but I feel now is the time to take some chances to go after something I am passionate about and love,”” he said.