Phil Hellmuth is best known for two things: his record breaking 11 WSOP golden bracelets and his temperament which granted him with the nickname the “Poker Brat”. Indeed these two things most symbolize the 46 years old player’s poker career.
He is probably the most accomplished poker pro in the history of the World Series of Poker. Apart from his 11 golden bracelets he holds an array of WSOP records:
He has the largest number of WSOP cashes – 79
Most WSOP final tables – 41
In 1989, at the age of 24 he became the youngest poker player to ever win a WSOP main event. He kept this record for 19 years, until 22 years old Peter Eastgate won the 2008 WSOP main event.
He is one of only 3 poker players to win 3 golden bracelets at the same year (1993).
And of course he is a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.
He has a career earnings of close to $11M, which puts him in 4th place in the all time money list. Out of his $11M of earning more than $6M derives from the WSOP, which puts him in 11th place in the WSOP all time money list.
Although he has reached 4 WPT final tables he has not managed to win a championship title of the WPT.
So Hellmuth is a great winner, but he is also a sore loser at times. His bad temper lead to more than one conflict between him and his colleagues. He even got into a fight with poker player Sam Grizzle. His famous lines are the best indications of his extrovert personality: “If it weren’t for luck, I’d win ‘em all!” and “I can dodge bullets, baby!”
Hellmuth is the owner of the website pokerbrat, where he sells poker related items. He has written several poker books. His latest being a book called Deal Me In: 20 of the World’s Top Poker Players Share the Heartbreaking and Inspiring Stories of How they turned Pro”.
Hellmuth resides in California with his wife Kathy and his two sons.
