Champion of Poker

Phil Hellmuth is one of the most recognisable players in the world and ever since winning the World Series of Poker Main Event in 1989, at the time its youngest ever winner, he has been at the forefront of poker. Ever present at the World Series of Poker since 1989, Phil has a total of 11 WSOP bracelets which is more than any other player. All of these bracelets are in No Limit Texas Hold’em, despite his efforts to win a bracelet in another poker discipline. This success, and his seventy five WSOP cashes, has led to the consensus amongst poker players that Phil is the best No Limit Holdem poker tournament player of all time.

Another player who shares this view is Phil himself. He is known to have an extremely high opinion of his own playing ability and anyone beating him in a pot can expect a lecture on why he remains the best. He is quoted as saying, “If no luck was involved I would win every tournament I guess”. Over the years he has somewhat played up to this image, particularly as the TV cameras follow his progress at every tournament he participates in, which has helped keep him in the spotlight.

His poker brand is helped by his attire he wears to play poker. He wears an all black outfit to every tournament in keeping with his affiliation and alleged ownership interests in the poker room Ultimate Bet. Part of his brand has become grand entrances to the World Series of Poker Main Event. In 2007 he had 11 models (one for every bracelet he has won) escort him in a racing car to the main event but crashed the racing car outside the casino after losing control of it. He assured everyone this was not staged. Some of the models could not enter the casino after not having ID with them. This was a bit of a PR disaster for Hellmuth who attracts criticism from fellow professionals for his entrances into the WSOP event.

Controversy and poker come hand in hand with Hellmuth. When the UB cheating scandal broke and it was revealed that the site had knowingly cheated players out of a reputed $22 million, despite being its most focal player Hellmuth refused to comment on the issue. Todd Witteles, known as Dan Druff online, sat on the TV table with Hellmuth in the 2009 WSOP main event and asked him on camera about the scandal. Hellmuth was spared having to answer by a floor person who said they could not continue the argument. In the 2008 main event he was given a penalty for continually berating an opponent after losing a hand, videos of the confrontation have achieved cult status on YouTube.

Hellmuth released a book in 2009 called “Deal Me In” via his publishing company which contained the very personal stories of the trials and tribulations of twenty fellow poker professionals in their poker life story. This also included his own rise to the top. It was a very honest and hard hitting account of the highs and the lows of being a poker player. From his “Poker Brat” company you can also buy Phil Hellmuth branded and non-branded clothing from his online store.

Phil Hellmuth no longer needs profits at the poker table to survive and he is the best example of a player nurturing an image into a profitable business. Daniel Negreanu, to a lesser extent but still very successfully, is another example. Whether or not you like Phil’s behaviour at the table you cannot help admire how he has cultivated his brand over the years to remain one of the most successful and profitable poker entrepreneurs in the world.

By Malcolm Clarke