Who is Phil Hellmuth?
Born on July 16, 1964, in Madison, Wisconsin, Phil Hellmuth Jr. has risen to the top of the poker world. Sometimes referred to as “The Poker Brat” for his ego and the attitude that comes with it, he has nevertheless earned the respect of his colleagues for his undeniable poker skills.
Phil Hellmuth, The College Dropout
Phil began his career after dropping out of the University of Wisconsin. Hellmuth became the youngest World Series of Poker Main Event champion in 1989 after beating Johnny Chan, who had won the event the two previous years. Phil was 24 at the time.
Since then, Phil has padded his resume with many more major tournament wins, including 8 more World Series of Poker bracelets. All of Phil’s WSOP bracelets have come while playing Texas Hold’em. Hellmuth has been successful on the international stage as well, winning The World’s Biggest Seven-card Stud Tournament in Austria and Late Night Poker in Great Britain.
And The Winner Is…
In 1996, Hellmuth’s peers voted him the “best all-around tournament poker player in the word.” To this date, Hellmuth has won more than 50 major tournaments, making him a “poker icon” according to some people.
Whats With The Attitude Phil?
Phil can rub people the wrong way with his attitude. He is known for making scathing remarks about his opponents’ skills, especially after he takes a bad loss. A classic, well known Hellmuth phrase is “If luck weren’t involved, I guess I’d win every one. At the 2002 World Series of Poker, Hellmuth promised to have his head shaved if the short stack, Robert Varkonyi, won the event. That year’s WSOP ended with Hellmuth’s head of hair going its own way from the rest of Hellmuth.
Phil now lives in Palo Alto, California with his wife Katherine, and his two sons Phil Hellmuth III and Nicholas Hellmuth.
Phil Hellmuth, the Businessman
Away from the poker tables, Hellmuth still finds ways to bring in the money. Phil has estimated that he can make $400 million a year off the poker table. He is the author of three poker books, “Play Poker Like the Pros,” “Bad Beats and Lucky Draws”, and “Texas-Hold’em.” Hellmuth has also written an autobiography, entitled “Poker Brat.” This book is part autobiography and part poker advice.
Phil is working with Oakley to develop a signature series of sunglasses, and is also developing his own clothing line. Hellmuth also has his own cell phone game, his own instructional video, and his own brand of chip set. The tv show “Celebrity Poker Showdown” has recruited Phill Hellmuth to provide poker commentary. Phil Hellmuth also has plans for a Phil Hellmuth movie “The Madison Kid,” and a reality show with Game Shown Network, “Winner Takes All.”
Phil Hellmuth’s Role at UltimateBet
Phil Hellmuth was recruited by UltimateBet and played exclusively there until Black Friday in April of 2011. You can find him playing in the high stakes games with other poker professionals at casinos such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas. You can also play against Phil Hellmuth if you have the bankroll to do so. I usually see them playing in large buy-in tournaments and the $10,000 max no-limit tables during the World Series of Poker.