| Phil Ivey | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ivey at the2009 World Series of Poker | |
| Nickname(s) | "Tiger Woods of Poker" "No Home Jerome" "The Phenom" |
| Born | Phillip Dennis Ivey Jr. (1977-02-01)February 1, 1977 (age 48) Riverside, California, U.S. |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelets | 11 |
| Final tables | 49 |
| Money finishes | 102[1] |
| Highest WSOP Main Event finish | 7th,2009 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Titles | 2 |
| Final table | 11 |
| Money finishes | 17[2] |
| European Poker Tour | |
| Title | None |
| Final table | 1 |
| Money finishes | 3 |
| Information last updated on12 May 2024. | |
Phillip Dennis Ivey Jr. (born February 1, 1977)[3] is an American professionalpoker player who has won elevenWorld Series of Poker bracelets, oneWorld Poker Tour title, and appeared at nine World Poker Tour final tables. Ivey is regarded by numerous poker observers and contemporaries as the best all-around player in the world.[4][5][6] In 2017, he was elected to thePoker Hall of Fame.[7] He is also an ambassador for WPT Global.[8][9]
Ivey first began to develop his poker skills by playing against co-workers at aNew Brunswick, New Jersey,telemarketing firm in the late 1990s.[10] He was introduced to the game by playingfive-card stud with his grandfather as a child.[11] One of his nicknames, "No Home Jerome", stems from the fake ID card he secured to play poker inAtlantic City, New Jersey, in his teenage years.[1][12][13] He was given the nickname "The Phenom".[14] His other nickname is "theTiger Woods of Poker".[15][16]
Ivey's first breakthrough at the WSOP came in2000, when he won aPot Limit Omaha event for his first career bracelet. In winning the tournament, Ivey was the first person to defeatAmarillo Slim heads-up at a WSOP final table.[17][18] Ivey's tournament accomplishments include winning threebracelets at the2002 World Series of Poker, tyingPhil Hellmuth Jr,Ted Forrest, andPuggy Pearson for most World Series tournament wins in a single year (Jeff Lisandro andGeorge Danzer have since tied the record).[19][20][21][22][23] He won a Pot Limit Omaha event once again in2005 for $635,603.[24]
In2009, Ivey won his sixth career bracelet in the $2,500 No-Limit 2–7 Draw Lowball Event of the2009 WSOP. He defeated a field of 147 players to catch his bracelet. He won a heads-up battle againstJohn Monnette.[25] He proceeded to win another bracelet in the $2,500 1/2 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 1/2 Omaha Hi/Lo event besting a field of 376 people. He defeated Ming Lee heads-up.[26]
In the2010 World Series of Poker, Ivey received the most votes for the Tournament of Champions.[27][28][29]
At the 2010 WSOP, Ivey won his eighth bracelet in the $3,000H.O.R.S.E.event in a final table made up of other notable players, which includedBill Chen (2nd),John Juanda (3rd),Jeff Lisandro (5th), andChad Brown (8th).[30] At the 2024 WSOP, Ivey won his 11th bracelet in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship for $347,440.[31]
Between 2002 and 2009, Ivey finished among the top 25 players in the Main Event four times, in fields ranging in size from 600 entrants to just under 7,000. Ivey finished 23rd in 2002, 10th in2003, 20th in 2005, and 7th in 2009.[32][33][34][35] Ivey's 10th place finished in the2003 WSOP Main Event was one place short of the final table. He was eliminated by eventual championChris Moneymaker on a hand where Ivey's full house was defeated by Moneymaker's larger full house on a river card.[36][37] In his7th place finish in 2009, hisA♣ K♠ lost toDarvin Moon'sA♦ Q♠ when a queen paired Moon on the flop; he ended his 2009 Main Event with winnings of $1,404,002.[38]
With 11 World Series of Poker bracelets, Ivey currently has the second most WSOP titles all-time, second only toPhil Hellmuth.[39] Also, at age 38, he was the youngest player to ever win ten bracelets. He broke Hellmuth's mark of 42 years old at the time of his tenth bracelet.[40] In addition, no other player has accumulated ten bracelets more quickly; it took Ivey only 14 years from the time of his first bracelet to his tenth (Hellmuth took 17 years). He is the all-time record holder for most bracelets won in non-Holdem events, with all 11 of his victories coming in non-Holdem events. His 2010 win gave him the lead overBilly Baxter.[41] He is the WSOP record holder for most mixed-game bracelets having won five in his career. He won one in S.H.O.E. in2002, Omaha Hi/Lo / 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo in2009, H.O.R.S.E. in2010, WSOP APAC Mixed Event in2013, and Eight Game Mix in2014.[19]
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$/A$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha | $195,000 |
| 2002 | $2,5007 Card Stud Hi/Lo | $118,440 |
| 2002 | $2,000S.H.O.E. | $107,540 |
| 2002 | $1,500 7 Card Stud | $132,000 |
| 2005 | $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha | $635,603 |
| 2009 | $2,500 No-Limit 2–7 Draw Lowball | $96,367 |
| 2009 | $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo / 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo | $220,538 |
| 2010 | $3,000H.O.R.S.E. | $329,840 |
| 2013A | A$2,200 Mixed Event | A$51,840 |
| 2014 | $1,500 Eight Game Mix | $166,986 |
| 2024 | $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship | $347,440 |
| Year | Event | Opponent | Result | Win | Loss | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha | Amarillo Slim | Win | X | ||
| 2002 | $1,500 Limit 7 Card Stud | Toto Leonidas | Win | X | ||
| 2002 | $2,500 Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo | Sirous Baghchehsaraie | Win | X | ||
| 2002 | $2,000 Limit S.H.O.E (Event 23) | Diego Cordovez | Win | X | ||
| 2003 | $3,000 Limit Razz | Huck Seed | Loss | X | ||
| 2005 | $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha | Robert Williamson III | Win | X | ||
| 2006 | $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split | Sam Farha | Loss | X | ||
| 2007 | $10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud | Chris Reslock | Loss | X | ||
| 2009 | $2,500 Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) | John Monnette | Win | X | ||
| 2009 | $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better | Ming Lee | Win | X | ||
| 2010 | $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. | Bill Chen | Win | X | ||
| 2012 | $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em | Andy Frankenberger | Loss | X | ||
| 2013A | $2,200 Mixed Event | Brandon Wong | Win | X | ||
| 2014 | $1,500 Eight Game Mix | Bruce Yamron | Win | X | ||
| 2022 | $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em | Aleksejs Ponakovs | Loss | X | ||
| 2024 | $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship | Danny Wong | Win | X | ||
| 11 | 5 | .6875 |
| Cashes | Final Tables | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | 10 | 0 |
| Cashes | Final Tables | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | 29 | 11 |
up to december 22,2024
| Year | Event | Result | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Limit 7 Card Stud (Event 3) | 12th | $5,145 |
| 2000 | Pot Limit Omaha (Event 14) | 1st | $195,000 |
| 2001 | Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event 23) | 6th | $18,165 |
| 2002 | Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event 3) | 9th | $7,640 |
| 2002 | Limit 7 Card Stud (Event 5) | 1st | $132,000 |
| 2002 | Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event 10) | 8th | $5,860 |
| 2002 | Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo (Event 16) | 1st | $118,440 |
| 2002 | Limit Omaha Hi/Lo (Event 20) | 14th | $3,720 |
| 2002 | Limit S.H.O.E (Event 23) | 1st | $107,540 |
| 2003 | Limit Razz (Event 27) | 2nd | $36,000 |
| 2003 | Limit 7 Card Stud (Event 31) | 3rd | $53,560 |
| 2003 | Pot Limit Omaha w/re-buys (Event 33) | 9th | $10,720 |
| 2005 | Omaha Hi-low Split (Event 5) | 54th | $2,410 |
| 2005 | Pot Limit Omaha (Event 27) | 1st | $635,603 |
| 2006 | Limit Hold'em (Event 4) | 21st | $9,476 |
| 2006 | Omaha Hi-low Split (Event 12) | 2nd | $219,208 |
| 2006 | H.O.R.S.E. (Event 20) | 3rd | $617,760 |
| 2007 | World Championship Seven Card Stud (Event 11) | 2nd | $143,820 |
| 2007 | H.O.R.S.E. (Event 26) | 4th | $65,424 |
| 2008 | H.O.R.S.E. (Event 22) | 24th | $7,998 |
| 2008 | World Championship Seven Card Stud (Event 14) | 9th | $37,130 |
| 2008 | World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event 45) | 12th | $159,840 |
| 2008 | H.O.R.S.E. (Event 2) | 6th | £13,750 |
| 2009 | Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball (No-Limit) (Event 8) | 1st | $96,367 |
| 2009 | Omaha/Seven Card Stud HL/8 or Better (Event 25) | 1st | $220,538 |
| 2009 | Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 30) | 44th | $4,883 |
| 2010 | Event #27: Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better | 52nd | $3,182 |
| 2010 | Event #33: Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha | 12th | $16,074 |
| 2010 | Event #37: H.O.R.S.E. | 1st | $329,840 |
| 2012 | Event #15: Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better | 7th | $34,595 |
| 2012 | Event #24: Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better | 3rd | $136,046 |
| 2012 | Event #32: H.O.R.S.E. | 5th | $99,739 |
| 2012 | Event #35: Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) | 8th | $21,699 |
| 2013A | Event #3: Mixed Event | 1st | $51,840 |
| 2014 | Event #12: Pot-Limit Hold'em | 22nd | $5,030 |
| 2014 | Event #48: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better | 30th | $6,836 |
| 2014 | Event #50: Eight Game Mix | 1st | $166,986 |
| 2018 | Event #33: Poker Players Championship | 9th | $111,447 |
| 2019 | Event #58: Poker Players Championship | 8th | $124,410 |
| 2022 | Event #22: Seven Card Stud Championship | 3rd | $108,233 |
| 2022 | Event #32: H.O.R.S.E. | 26th | $5,544 |
| 2022 | Event #63: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship (8-Handed) | 37th | $16,171 |
| 2023 | Event #43: Poker Players Championship | 6th | $228,793 |
| 2024 | Event #96: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. | 4th | $239,850 |
An "A" following a year denotes bracelet(s) won at the World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific[42]
Ivey has reached numerous final tables on theWorld Poker Tour.[43] During thesixth season of the WPT in February 2008, Ivey made the final table at the LA Poker Classic atCommerce Casino that includedPhil Hellmuth andNam Le, eventually capturing the $1,596,100 first prize and putting an end to his streak of seven WPT final tables without a victory.[44][45] Ivey has earned over $4 million in WPT cashes.[43] Ivey made his debut on theEuropean Poker Tour inBarcelona, September 2006. He came to the final table of nine as the chip leader, but he eventually finished runner-up to Bjørn-Erik Glenne fromNorway.[46]
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $10,000 L.A. Poker Classic | $1,596,100 |
In 2006, Ivey played in The London All Star Challenge of the inauguralEuropean Poker Masters. Ivey made it to the final table to finish seventh, and collected £6,700 ($12,534).[47] In November 2005, Ivey won the $1,000,000 first prize at theMonte Carlo Millions tournament. The following day, Ivey took home another $600,000 for finishing first at "The FullTiltPoker.Net Invitational Live fromMonte Carlo". His six opponents were (in reverse finishing order)Mike Matusow,Phil Hellmuth,Gus Hansen,Chris Ferguson,Dave Ulliott, andJohn Juanda.[48]
On the January 22, 2007, airing ofNBC'sPoker After Dark, Ivey won the $120,000 winner-take-all "Earphones Please" tournament by eliminating Matusow,Tony G,Andy Bloch, Hellmuth, andSam Farha.[49] On the April 15, 2007, airing of NBC's "National Heads-Up Poker Championship", Ivey was defeated by actorDon Cheadle in the first round. That was the third consecutive year where Ivey was eliminated in the first round of this tournament. His streak ended in 2008, when he advanced to the semifinals, losing to eventual champion Ferguson. Ivey took part in seasons three and six ofGSN'sHigh Stakes Poker.[50][51]
On January 29, 2012, Ivey won the Aussie Millions A$250,000 High-roller event, defeatingPatrik Antonius heads-up for a prize of A$2,000,000, at the time placing him second in the all-time career tournament earnings.[52] Ivey had placed 12th at the Aussie Millions main event for a prize of A$100,000.[53]
On February 10, 2014, Ivey won the 2014 Aussie Millions LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge for AU$4,000,000 — the largest single cash of his career.[54] In February 2015, he won the Aussie Millions $250,000 Challenge again, this time for AU$2,205,000.[55]
As of 2023[update], Ivey's total live tournament winnings exceed $38.3 million. He has 11 cashes in his live poker career worth at least $1 million.[56] Over $9.2 million of his total winnings have come from cashes at the WSOP.[1] He is currently ranked 10th on the all-time money list.[57]
Triton
| Festival | Tournament | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Montenegro 2018 | 250K HKD Short Deck Ante Only | HKD 4,749,200 |
| Cyprus 2022 (April) | $75k Short Deck Ante-Only | $1,170,000 |
| Cyprus 2022 (September) | $30k Short Deck Ante-Only | $387,000 |
| London 2023 | $60k NLH Turbo | $1,007,000 |
| London 2023 | $25k Short Deck Ante-Only | $280,500 |
Ivey is a regular participant in the $4,000–$8,000 mixed cash game at theBellagio inLas Vegas (often referred to asthe Big Game).[58] In February 2006, he played heads-upLimit Texas Hold'em versusTexasbillionaireAndy Beal. With stakes at $25,000/$50,000 and $50,000/$100,000, Ivey won over $16,000,000 over the course of three days, during a heads up match at The Wynn Resort. Ivey was playing for "The Corporation", a group of poker professionals who pooled their money and took turns playing against Beal.[59] Earlier in the month, Beal had beaten the Corporation out of over $13,000,000.[60]
Ivey was part of the original design team forFull Tilt Poker. In May 2011, Ivey filed a lawsuit inClark County, Nevada claiming Full Tilt had breached his contract. The suit asked for damages in excess of $150,000,000, as well as for him to be released from his contract with the company.[61] Ivey voluntarily withdrew the suit on June 30.[62]
According to HighStakesDB.com, Ivey won $1.99 million on FullTilt in 2007, $7.34 million in 2008, $6.33 million in 2009, and $3 million in 2010.[63]
Ivey has twice been successfully sued by casinos on accusations of breach of contract, both incidents being due to his manipulation ofedge sorting. He lost all court challenges (initial and appeals) in both incidents, though an appeal court in the second incident arranged a mediation which led to an agreed settlement between Ivey and the casino.
In August 2012, Ivey was reported to have won £7,300,000 (US$12,000,000) playingPunto banco atCrockfords, a casino in London, but was refused payment beyond his initial £1 million stake due to his use of edge sorting.[66] He issued a statement through his lawyers denying any misconduct: "Any allegations of wrongdoing by Crockfords are denied by me in the very strongest of terms."[67]
In April 2014, theBorgata Casino inAtlantic City, New Jersey sued Ivey, claiming he cheated atbaccarat by taking advantage of a defect in the manufacturing of the playing cards.[68] Both Crockfords and the Borgata used the same kind of playing cards, manufactured byGemaco, at Ivey's demand. The Borgata sued Gemaco as well as Ivey.[69][70] The US casino sued Ivey for $15.6 million, a total which included $10 million in winnings, $5.4 million the casino’s legal team figured the casino would have beaten Ivey for if he had been playing without an improper advantage, and hundreds of thousands of dollars incomps.[71]
On October 8, 2014, a UK court held that the techniques Ivey used at Crockford's constituted cheating and decided for the casino with costs.[72][73]
In November 2015, Ivey was given permission to appeal. However, on November 3, 2016, his appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, upholding the earlier decision that the technique amounted to cheating.[74] A further appeal to theSupreme Court of the United Kingdom led to a unanimous judgement delivered on October 25, 2017, which found in favor of the casino. The court concluded that Ivey's actions constituted cheating and that, had it been necessary to make a finding on dishonesty, it would have determined that Ivey's "conduct was dishonest".[75][76][77]
In January 2019, a federal judge allowed the Borgata to pursue Ivey's assets in Nevada to recoup more than $10 million he won at the casino using edge-sorting.[78]
On June 27, 2019, theUS Marshals Service served awrit of execution to the World Series of Poker and seized Ivey's 2019 winnings to be used towards payment to The Borgata.[79]
After an oral argument on September 17, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit referred Ivey and the Borgata to the court’s mediation program. On July 10, 2020, Card Player magazine reported the parties had agreed to a settlement.[71]
Ivey was born inRiverside, California, and moved toRoselle, New Jersey, when he was three months old.[80] He graduated fromOld Bridge High School inOld Bridge Township, New Jersey.[81]
Ivey resides inLas Vegas. In December 2009, Ivey and his then wife, Luciaetta, filed a joint petition for divorce after seven years of marriage. The divorce was granted on December 29, 2009.[82]
Ivey is aLos Angeles Lakers andHouston Rockets fan.[83][84] Aside from poker, Ivey'shobbies include sports betting,prop betting, andgolf.[85][86][87][88][89][90] He participated in the inauguralWorld Series of Golf, where he finished in fourth place in the final group.[91]
Ivey has given money to a number of charitable causes.[92] In March 2008, he donated $50,000 to Empowered 2 Excel, a Las Vegas charity for underprivileged children, and later that week created the Budding Ivey Foundation, a non-profit organization to continue the work of his grandfather, Leonard "Bud" Simmons.[93] The foundation raised $260,000 (mostly for Empowered 2 Excel) at a July 3, 2008, charity poker tournament,[92] and is also involved in children's literacy projects and programs to feed the homeless.[94] In 2010, he also partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to bring three children to the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. Each child was given $100 and competed in roulette, baccarat, and craps with Ivey.[93] Ivey has also founded two companies. Ivey Poker, established in 2012 offers a "play for free" poker App that allows users to compete against Ivey and other pros.[95]Ivey League was a poker training site with a full roster of professional coaches launched in 2014.[96]
%22Phil Ivey%22 %22slim%22.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
