Phil Hellmuth

  • Name: Phillip J. Hellmuth, Jr.

  • Nickname: The Poker Brat

  • Current Residence: Palo Alto, California, USA

  • DOB: July 16th, 1964

  • Birth Place: Madison, Wisconsin, USA

  • Sponsored by: UltimateBet

  • WSOP Bracelets: 11

  • Total Winnings: $11,056,271 (March 2010)

  • Marital Status: Married

  • Children: 2 boys

  • Age Started Playing Poker: 19

Who is Phil Hellmuth?

Phil Hellmuth is the most successful tournament player in history. He won the WSOP Main Event in 1989 at the young age of 24, holding the record as the youngest player to win this event until Peter Eastgate took that title in 2008. He beat his own record of holding 10 WSOP bracelets by winning his 11th in 2007. Phil plays online exclusively at UltimateBet and has become the public face of that site.

Phil is a savvy business man who has built his own poker empire, selling everything from books and DVD's to caps, shirts and energy drinks bearing his name. He has amassed more than $10,000,000 in tournament cashes, ranking him 3rd on the All Time Money List despite never having one really big score like most others (Main Event win in 1989 was "only" $750,000). He is also a coach at Fox Sports Network's "Best Damn Poker Show".

He studied at the University of Wisconsin and dropped out to become a professional poker player. At first he played at home games against professors and lawyers and the first times he tried his luck in Vegas he went broke. But no one is as determined as Phil so he continued to pursue his poker career. Being very aware of his own greatness, he has built up a big ego that makes him seem extremely arrogant and self-conscious at the tables. He screams, yells, curses his opponents and even cries when he finds himself in the wrong end of the line. His self-proclaimed ambition is to become the best poker player of all time.

Despite his vast love for poker, Phil is a family man and has stated many times that his family is his first priority.

Where does the nickname ‘The Poker Brat' come from?

Phil is definitely a bad loser, which is why he acts like a real brat after taking a bad loss. He needles his opponents and acts out whenever he does not take the pot and likes to rub it on everyone's face whenever he does take it.

Public Perception and Reputation: Permission to be a brat...

Phil can only be loved or hated, some consider him immature and big-headed and others worship him for his success. Phil's legendary phrase "If it wasn't for luck, I would win every time" (said after losing at the 2004 WSOP) and many other prominent phrases have earned him a cocky reputation amongst other players and he is considered to be arrogant and a boaster. However, many have given Phil permission to act like a brat whenever he wants as he is world-widely respected for having won 11 bracelets and more than 60 cashes at WSOP events.

Our brat with the huge ego is also perceived as a family man and he is said to be one of the few famous poker players who are genuinely grateful to their fans. It must also be said that most of his fellow pros genuinely like him and consider him to be a very nice guy outside the felt.

Many suspect that Phil's outbursts are just his way of getting more attention and better advertising deals, however he denies this and says that he just reacts too emotionally to losses.

Poker Techniques

Phil has no defined playing style, sometimes he is patient and waits for the right time to attack, and other times he will raise you throughout the whole game.

Phil's cash game skills have often been even ridiculed by other top pros (perhaps they just like to needle him from time to time) and some say that he is a great player only against amateurs. However, none of those people have ever won 11 WSOP bracelets!

Phil's most important skill is definitely his excellent ability to read his opponents in live play. He says that he has many different techniques to get his opponents to open up and give their game away.

Media Exposure