Poker Profiles: Phil Hellmuth Jr.
Madison, Wisconsin native Phillip Hellmuth Jr. has an ambitious career objective. That is to become the best Poker professional player of all time. Since he began playing after dropping out of college, however, numerous triumphs proved that Phil is serious enough in reaching his goal.
Born on July 16, 1964, Phil started going full-time on Poker in 1988. Before that, he was a normal University of Wisconsin college student. He was not at all regretful of his decision because since 1988, he already has a mean record of eleven World Series of Poker triumphs and over sixty tournament titles. Along with those wins is the money that beefs up his bankroll and supports his family at the same time. Phil now lives in Palo Alto, California with wife Katherine and sons Phillip and Nicolas.
The ride to fame for Phil was never easy. It was a constant rollercoaster from the beginning. In 1989, Phil wrote history when he beat Johnny Chan for the WSOP Main Event. After that, he both experienced low blows and high-end successes. But in the end, history was all that the driven Poker player is out to make.
Phil broke records for the most number of WSOP bracelets a player can hold by winning his eleventh at the 2007 event. He was previously tied with Poker legends Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan who both have ten. Phil is also at the top spot on the list that bears players with the most WSOP cashes and players with the most WSOP final table appearances. This early, Phil sure has cemented his Poker legacy in all its glory.
Phil may be one of the winningest players of all time but he is not one of the most loved. His personality at the card table stirred controversies that arched the eyebrows of Poker players and fans alike. His scathing remarks on his opponents after a bad beat never leave the memory of those who have seen and experienced them. Although Phil was often criticized for his unfriendly and boastful lines, he has still gained the respect of the public for his imminent Poker skills, especially when he is not out playing.
Aside from continuously rewriting Poker history, Phil is busy with UltimateBet.com where he is currently signed in. He made waves with his sponsor when, during the 2007 WSOP where UltimateBet.com arranged Phil to arrive at a race car with 11 models, he accidentally crashed the car to a concrete lighting fixture at the parking lot. In the end, Phil arrived for the Main Event two hours late in a limo with a couple of escorts.