Marvin Karlins

Marvin Karlins is an American poker player and a professor from Riverview, Florida, with over $375K in live tournament earnings. His best live cash of $119,957 came when he finished in 4th place at the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble in November 2015. He is better known to the poker world as the “Duckman” given his affinity for pocket deuces.

Marvin Karlins: Early Life

Karlins earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, graduating with honors as Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. He then received his Ph.D. in psychology from Princeton University. Throughout his career, he has made important contributions in his field, writing 32 books and over 200 articles for academic, professional, and popular journals.

For 20 years, he was the main consultant for Singapore Airlines, where he trained senior managers, pilots, cabin crew, ground engineers, and station managers. Currently, he is a senior professor at the MUMA College of Business at the University of South Florida, teaching in the Department of Information Sciences and Management.

In addition to his teaching, Karlins is a member of the International Federation of Journalists and the Authors Guild. He lives in Riverview, Florida, with his wife, Edyth, and they have one daughter, Amber, who is also an educator and author. He also contributes to ‘Psychology Today’ and is known as an expert in the psychology of gambling, enjoying poker as a hobby.

Marvin Karlins: Live Tournament Participation

Karlins has participated in several notable poker events throughout his career. To begin with, in February 2004, he played in the $9,900 No Limit Hold’em Championship at the L.A. Poker Classics. He finished in 25th place and took home $22,690.

Subsequently, in November 2014, he entered a $1,020 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Deepstack event at the Ante Up Poker Tour Derby Lane Fall Pokerfest in St. Petersburg. There, he achieved 2nd place and cashed $13,300.

Following that, in August 2015, Karlins competed in the $560 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack (Event #9) at the Summer Deep Stack Poker Series in Tampa. He placed 6th and earned $15,243.

later that year, in November, he participated in the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event at the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble in Jacksonville. In this event, he finished in 4th place and received $119,957.

Furthermore, in April 2016, he took part in the $3,500 No Limit Hold’em – WPT Showdown Championship #18 at the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in Hollywood. Although he finished in 52nd place, he still cashed $13,089.

Most recently, in March 2024, he played in the $700 No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack Challenge (Event #4) at the SHR Tampa Poker Classic in Tampa. He finished in 30th place and earned $1,350.

Conclusion

Marvin Karlins shows a great mix of academic success and poker talent, achieving notable results in both areas. His important work in psychology and impressive tournament performances highlight his love for learning and competition. As he keeps playing poker, his journey reflects his dedication to both education and the game.