Phil Ivey is one of the most phenomenal and influential poker players of all time. He has won 10 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, one World Poker Tour (WPT) title, and appeared at nine WPT final tables. He has also amassed over $30 million in live tournament earnings, ranking sixth on the all-time money list. He is a member of the Poker Hall of Fame and a legend of the game.
But what makes Ivey so special? How did he become such a dominant force in the poker world? What are his secrets and strategies? And what are his achievements and challenges?
In this article, we will explore his biography, from his early days as a card hustler in New Jersey to his rise to fame and fortune in Las Vegas and beyond.
Early Life and Education
Phil Ivey was born on February 1, 1977, in Riverside, California. His parents, Phil Sr. and Pamela, were immigrants from Jamaica who came to the US in search of a better life for their family. Phil has a sister, Theresa, who is four years older than him.
Phil grew up in Roselle, New Jersey, where he attended Roselle Catholic High School. He was interested in sports and games from a young age, and excelled at basketball, football, and chess. He also developed a passion for gambling and cards, and learned to play poker from his grandfather.
Phil was not a good student and did not like school. He often skipped classes and got into trouble with the authorities. He dropped out of high school when he was 16 years old, and decided to pursue his poker career.
Poker Career
Phil started playing poker when he was 15 years old. He used a fake ID with the name Jerome Graham to enter the casinos in Atlantic City, where he played against adults twice his age. He quickly developed his skills and intuition, and became a consistent winner.
Phil had a dream of becoming a professional poker player in Las Vegas, the poker capital of the world. When he turned 21, he moved to Sin City with his friend Daniel Negreanu, who was also an aspiring poker player.
World Series of Poker
Phil’s first breakthrough at the WSOP came in 2000, when he won his first bracelet in a $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event. He beat 195 players and earned $195,000. He also made two other final tables that year, finishing fourth in a $5,000 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo event and third in a $5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw event.
Phil’s second bracelet came in 2002, when he won a $1,500 Seven Card Stud event. He beat 253 players and earned $132,000. He also made another final table that year, finishing fifth in a $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event.
Phil’s third bracelet came in 2002 as well, when he won a $2,500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event. He beat 126 players and earned $118,440.
Phil’s fourth bracelet came in 2005, when he won a $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha event. He beat 363 players and earned $635,603.
Phil’s fifth bracelet came in 2009, when he won a $2,500 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball event. He beat 147 players and earned $96,367.
Phil’s sixth bracelet came in 2009 as well, when he won a $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event. He beat 376 players and earned $220,538.
Phil’s seventh bracelet came in 2010, when he won an $3,000 H.O.R.S.E event. He beat 478 players and earned $329,840.
Phil’s eighth bracelet came in 2013, when he won an A$2,200 Mixed Event at the WSOP Asia-Pacific in Melbourne. He beat 81 players and earned A$51,840.
Phil’s ninth bracelet came in 2013 as well, when he won a €2,200 Mixed Event at the WSOP Europe in Paris. He beat 113 players and earned €70,227.
Phil’s tenth and most recent bracelet came in 2014, when he won a $1,500 Eight Game Mix event. He beat 485 players and earned $166,986.
As of 2021, Phil has 10 WSOP bracelets, 31 WSOP final tables, 59 WSOP cashes, and over $7.3 million in WSOP earnings. He is tied with Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan for the second-most WSOP bracelets in history, behind only Phil Hellmuth. He is also one of the few players to have won WSOP bracelets in four different continents.
World Poker Tour
Phil has also been a regular and successful player on the World Poker Tour (WPT), a series of high-stakes poker tournaments held around the world. He has made nine WPT final tables and won one WPT title.
His first WPT final table was in 2002, at the WPT Lucky Chances in San Francisco. He finished third and won $44,000. His second WPT final table was in 2003, at the WPT LA Poker Classic in Los Angeles. He finished sixth and won $99,000.
His third WPT final table was in 2005, at the WPT Tunica in Mississippi. He finished second and won $290,130. His fourth WPT final table was in 2006, at the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown in Las Vegas. He finished third and won $264,195.
His fifth WPT final table was in 2008, at the WPT LA Poker Classic again. He finished second and won $1,596,100. His sixth WPT final table was in 2008 as well, at the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas. He finished third and won $1,099,430.
His seventh WPT final table was in 2010, at the WPT Bellagio Cup VI in Las Vegas. He finished second and won $571,800. His eighth WPT final table was in 2012, at the WPT Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas. He finished seventh and won $218,320.
His ninth and most recent WPT final table was in 2018, at the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open in Atlantic City. He finished fourth and won $250,111.
As of 2021, Phil has one WPT title, nine WPT final tables, 14 WPT cashes, and over $4.7 million in WPT earnings.
Other Poker Ventures
Besides playing in major poker tournaments, Phil has also competed in various other poker events and venues around the world.
He has played in several Aussie Millions events, a series of high-stakes poker tournaments held annually in Melbourne, Australia. He has made three Aussie Millions final tables and won one Aussie Millions title.
His first Aussie Millions final table was in 2009, at the A$250,000 Challenge. He finished second and won A$1,200,000. His second Aussie Millions final table was in 2012, at the same event. He finished fourth and won A$2,000,000. His third Aussie Millions final table was in 2014, at the A$250,000 Challenge again. He won the tournament and earned his first Aussie Millions title. He defeated a field of 46 players and took home A$4,000,000.
As of 2021, Phil has one Aussie Millions title, three Aussie Millions final tables, four Aussie Millions cashes, and over A$7.2 million in Aussie Millions earnings.
He has also played in several Triton Poker events, a series of super high-stakes poker tournaments held around Asia. He has made two Triton Poker final tables and won one Triton Poker title.
His first Triton Poker final table was in 2016, at the HK$500,000 No Limit Hold’em Six Max event in Manila. He finished third and won HK$8,666,000. His second Triton Poker final table was in 2019, at the HK$1,000,000 Short Deck Ante Only Main Event in Montenegro. He won the tournament and earned his first Triton Poker title. He defeated a field of 98 players and took home HK$13,600,000.
As of 2021, Phil has one Triton Poker title, two Triton Poker final tables, four Triton Poker cashes, and over HK$22 million in Triton Poker earnings.
He has also played in several other poker events and venues around the world, such as the Super High Roller Bowl, the Big One for One Drop, the Poker Masters, the U.S. Poker Open, the British Poker Open, the Aria High Roller Series, the Bellagio High Roller Series, the EPT Super High Roller Series, the PCA Super High Roller Series, the Monte Carlo Super High Roller Series, the Macau Super High Roller Series, and many more.
He has faced and beaten some of the best players in the world, such as Daniel Negreanu , Erik Seidel , Tom Dwan , Patrik Antonius , Viktor Blom , Fedor Holz , Justin Bonomo , Bryn Kenney , Stephen Chidwick , Jason Koon , David Peters , Nick Petrangelo , Mikita Badziakouski , Dan Smith , Christoph Vogelsang , and many more.
As of 2021, Phil has over $30 million in live tournament earnings, ranking sixth on the all-time money list. He is also one of the few players to have won over $1 million in a single tournament more than 15 times.
Other Ventures and Activities
Besides playing poker, Phil is also involved in various other ventures and activities. He is a co-founder and partner of Ivey League (formerly Ivey Poker), an online poker training site that offers courses and videos from some of the top poker pros in the world. He is also a mentor and coach to many aspiring poker players through his online platform.
Phil is also a businessman and entrepreneur, having invested in various businesses and projects related to poker and gambling. He is a co-owner of Full Tilt Poker (formerly), an online poker site that was once one of the largest and most popular in the world. He is also a co-owner of All In Entertainment (formerly), a production company that created poker-related content for television and online platforms.
Phil is also a philanthropist and humanitarian, having supported various causes and charities throughout his career. He is a member of Raising for Effective Giving (REG), a non-profit organization that encourages poker players to donate a percentage of their winnings to effective charities. He is also a supporter of One Drop, a non-governmental organization that provides access to safe water for communities in need.
Phil is also a sports fan and a golfer, having played and bet on various sports and golf events. He is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), the Houston Rockets (NBA), the Dallas Cowboys (NFL), and the New York Yankees (MLB). He is also friends with some of the top athletes in the world, such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Personal Life
Phil has been married once in his life. His wife was Luciaetta Ivey, whom he married in 2002. They divorced in 2009. They have no children together.
Phil lives in Las Vegas with his girlfriend, Nellie Garcia, who is also a poker player. He also has a home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Phil is a vegan for health and ethical reasons. He is also an avid reader and collector. He has a large collection of books and magazines from various genres and topics. Some of his favorite authors are Malcolm Gladwell, Robert Greene, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins , etc.
Conclusion
Phil Ivey is a phenomenal poker player who has achieved incredible success and fame in his career. He has won 10 WSOP bracelets, a WPT title , an Aussie Millions title , a Triton Poker title , and millions of dollars in prize money . He has also competed in some of the biggest and most prestigious poker events in the world.
Phil is not only a great poker player , but also a great person . He is confident, aggressive, creative, adaptive, passionate and dedicated . He is a role model for many aspiring poker players and fans around the world.
Phil Ivey is truly one of a kind. He is The Phenom.
Posted by: Valerii B.
Valerii B. is a passionate gambling aficionado and online gaming expert based in the beautiful country of New Zealand. With a deep-rooted fascination for casino games and sports betting, Valerii has accumulated invaluable years of experience in the ever-evolving iGaming industry. As a renowned contributor to Gamblorium, Valerii draws from his extensive knowledge to provide insightful reviews, in-depth analysis, and compelling articles on the latest trends and events in the world of online gambling.