Top Stories of 2023, #3: Phil Hellmuth Wins Record-Extending 17th WSOP Gold Bracelet

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Phil Hemmuth

When it comes to the World Series of Poker (WSOP), they don’t come much bigger than Phil Hellmuth. The most decorated player in WSOP history was already six bracelets ahead of his next closest competition with 16 gold bracelets, and at the 2023 WSOP he extended that lead by adding No. 17.

The victory came in Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty, a tournament that drew 642 runners that generated a $4,044,600 prize pool. Hellmuth earned $803,818 plus various bounties for the win, which happened with little fanfare as it concluded in the early morning hours at an outside table in the Paris Ballroom.

It was not the money, however, that meant the most to Hellmuth. Rather, the extension of his record seemed to be of greater value as it gives his proponents more reason to argue that he is one of the best to have ever played the game.

Phil Hellmuth

While Hellmuth did end up on top, his tournament had its ups and downs. At one point, he was down to just 60,000 at the 15,000/30,000 blind level. "I just needed to make it to the break" he told PokerNews afterwards. The break allowed him to refocus and come back with renewed vigor on his way to mounting an improbable comeback.

Late in the day, he picked up pocket jacks three times, won several key flips, and found aces at an opportune moment to eliminate Phil Ivey in 6th place.

"I had jacks hold up against ace-king for three million each" Hellmuth said, describing the fortunate run of cards in the latter stages of the day. "Any potential luck that I was complaining about I received more than [enough]."

Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPayout
1Phil HellmuthUnited States$803,818
2Justin ZakiUnited States$496,801
3Tom KunzeGermany$349,737
4Kelvin KerberBrazil$249,876
5Chris SavageUnited States$181,230
6Phil IveyUnited States$133,461
7Brandon StevenUnited States$99,817
8Marc FogginUnited Kingdom$75,837

Later in the summer, Hellmuth was a guest on The Chad & Jesse Poker Show where he further elaborated on his record-extending 17th gold bracelet and his tradition of giving it away to a close friend, this time to billionaire entrepreneur, author, and internet tech investor David Sacks.

Winner's Reaction

"I'm feeling pretty good. I must have a smile just fixed to my face,” Hellmuth said. "I tried not to complain. Oh, I've been unlucky in key spots. F*** all that bulls*** you know, because things happen for a reason".

He would go on to explain that part of the reason he was even in the tournament was due to an early exit in Event: #71 $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller at the hands of Jeremy Ausmus.

"You know maybe part of the reason I busted the Pot-Limit Omaha was to come and win this. You know, maybe part of the reason I busted the deuce to seven was so I could get rest".

Hellmuth highlighted the importance of the three full days rest he got, saying "coming in fresh was enormously helpful". The clear mindset that came with the rest helped him to manage some of the rougher spans in the tournament.

Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth in the action.

"I came back from one of those breaks, I had sixty thousand left. The blinds were fifteen and thirty. I just knew I needed to make it to that break.” From that point, everything seemed to break in his favor on his way to the win.

While his 17th bracelet does extend his record, even before the win Hellmuth felt he was finally getting the respect he thinks he deserves. "This is the first year of my career that all the great players called me great or the greatest. Shaun Deeb is one of the greatest players in the world. He finally understands and was giving me compliments like 'you're the best player in the tournament.'"

There was no time to rest for Hellmuth, who stayed awake in order to speak at Doyle Brunson's celebration of life at the Horseshoe.

Phil Hellmuth Wins Record-Extending 17th World Series of Poker Bracelet

Phil Hellmuth's WSOP Bracelet Wins

Top Stories of 2023, #3: Phil Hellmuth Wins Record-Extending 17th WSOP Gold Bracelet 101
YearEventPrize
1989$10,000 WSOP Main Event$755,000
1992Event #8: $5,000 Limit Hold'em$188,000
1993Event #7: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em$173,000
1993Event #8: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em$161,400
1993Event #9: $5,000 Limit Hold'em$138,000
1997Event #15: $3,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em$204,000
2001Event #3: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em$316,550
2003Event #12: $2,500 Limit Hold'em$171,400
2003Event #32: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em$410,860
2006Event #34: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em$631,863
2007Event #15: $1,500 No Limit Hold'em$637,250
2012Event #18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz$182,793
2012WSOPE €10,000 Main Event€1,022,376 ($1,333,841)
2015Event #17: $10,000 Razz Championship$271,105
2018Event #71: $5,000 No Limit Hold’em$485,082
2021Event #31: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw$84,851
2023Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty$803,818
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PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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