Updated: 2026.03.13

Upeshka De Silva is a Sri Lankan-American professional poker player from Katy, Texas, who has become one of the most respected and successful tournament specialists of his generation. Known for his sharp analytical mind and deep tactical knowledge, De Silva moved from Sri Lanka to the United States as a child and eventually traded a potential career in politics for the high-stakes world of professional poker. With three World Series of Poker bracelets and a reputation for making incredibly difficult calls look easy, he has solidified his place as a premier talent on the global circuit.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

According to The Hendon Mob, Upeshka De Silva has won over $4.1 million in live tournament earnings. His biggest career payday came in 2015 when he won his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet in the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em event, outlasting a massive field to take home $424,577.

De Silva is a rare three-time bracelet winner, showing his ability to win in different formats. He secured his second bracelet in 2017 by winning the $3,000 No Limit Hold’em Shootout for $229,923, and his third in 2019 during a WSOP Online $600 Knockout Bounty event. He has also been a major threat on the World Poker Tour, where he has reached three final tables, including a 3rd place finish at the WPT Legends of Poker for $198,720. Most recently, in 2025 and early 2026, he has remained highly active, picking up several five-figure cashes in Las Vegas and at the EPT Barcelona, showing that he is still a consistent force in the game’s toughest fields.

Upeshka De Silva poker — Upeshka De Silva (credit: PokerNews photographer Alicia Skillman)

Biography & Poker Background

Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1988, Upeshka De Silva moved to Katy, Texas, when he was just two years old. He went on to graduate from the University of Houston with degrees in political science and history, but his path changed when he discovered poker. Like many of his peers, he was drawn into the game during the “Moneymaker” era and began his journey playing small home games with friends. By 2012, he was a regular in private Texas cash games and soon made the leap to professional tournament play. His rise was incredibly fast; by 2013, he was already making final tables at the WSOP, and his decision to choose the felt over a career in history or politics has clearly paid off.

Play Style & Strategy

De Silva is known for a highly technical and hyper-aggressive style of play. He is often described as a very “tricky” player who isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on a big bluff or make an unconventional hero call if his reads tell him something is off. He famously made a massive call against Fedor Holz in the 2015 WSOP Main Event that left the poker world buzzing, proving he has the guts to trust his intuition against the world’s best. He spends a significant amount of time studying the game and is known for maintaining a “Zen” state of mind at the table, using meditation and focus to stay calm during the high-variance swings of tournament poker.

Want to follow Upeshka De Silva as he chases his fourth bracelet and more major titles in 2026? You can track his latest stats and tournament cashes here: