Patrick pads1161 Leonard

Patrick Leonard was born in Newcastle, UK. He got into poker in 2009 and climbed quickly from micro stakes to the high-stakes tables. By the mid-2010s, he was already regarded as one of the strongest tournament regulars in the world, holding the No. 1 spot on the PocketFives world rankings in 2015. Patrick is equally comfortable in Hold'em and mixed games — everything from PLO8 and Stud Hi/Lo to 2-7 Triple Draw and 8-Game.

His online career is remarkable. Playing under the name pads1161 on PokerStars, he's won 9 WCOOP titles, and in March 2026 became the outright SCOOP record holder by winning two 8-Game events back to back in the same night. That brought his total win count to 16, passing fellow MTT legend Simon "C. Darwin2" Mattsson, and pushed his career online earnings past $20 million.

Patrick has also found real success live. In 2022, he teamed up with Norway's Espen Jorstad to win the WSOP $1,000 Tag Team event, earning $148,067 and his first bracelet. His biggest live cash is $475,940 for a runner-up finish at the 2017 Bellagio Cup. 2025–2026 have also been strong years — a win in the PGT Kickoff for $315,000, several final tables on the PokerGO series, and solid WSOP results throughout. As of 2026, his live tournament earnings have topped $5 million.

Leonard was formerly a PartyPoker ambassador and now works with CoinPoker. He's also deeply involved in coaching, having founded BitB — a project built around preparing mid-stakes players for a jump to high stakes. Several of his students have gone on to win major tournaments.
Today, Patrick Leonard remains one of the most respected and versatile players in the world game. He blends deep analysis, iron discipline, and a genuine love for complex formats, still setting records while inspiring the next generation. For many, he's the benchmark for what a modern mixed-games professional should look like.