Phil Ivey

Phil Ivey

Nationality
United States
United States
GPI Rank 103
WSOP Bracelets 10
WPT Wins 1
Total Live Earnings $42,428,044
The Hendon Mob Data provided by The Hendon Mob

Biography

Phil Ivey is widely considered as one of the best poker players of all time, with over $32 million in live earnings as well as millions more in cash games and online. He is often referred to as the “Tiger Woods of poker” for his resemblance to the golf professional and also because he expects to win every time he performs to his greatest ability.

Intro

Phil Ivey was born on Feb. 1, 1977, in Riverside, California, but he moved to Roselle, New Jersey when he was just three months old. Ivey won his first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2000 at the $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event collecting $195,000. Since then he won another nine bracelets, as well as one World Poker Tour title which he scored at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2008.

While not as prolific at the poker table as he once was, Ivey still captures the attention of the room as soon as he walks in and has recently joined the world of NFT's.

Background

Jerome Graham got his start playing poker in the casinos of Atlantic City when he was just 21 years old. What the casinos didn’t know was that Jerome’s real name was Phil Ivey, and that his real age was 18. It was only after a few years of fake I.D. use that Ivey legally turned 21 and was of age to play in the casinos.

World Series of Poker

In 2000, Ivey took on the WSOP, cashing in three events. The third cash out of the three proved to be his best when he took home the bracelet and almost $200,000 in prize money. Ivey wasted little time in returning to WSOP glory when just two years later he won three more bracelets after cashing in seven events. In the following years Ivey won another three bracelets and scored 42 money finishes.

However, none of the bracelets were as profitable as Ivey's 7th place finish at the 2009 WSOP Main Event when he collected over $1,4 million in cash after making his first final table in the world's biggest poker event. His last WSOP title came in 2014, where we triumphed in the $1,500 8-Game Mix event to join the double digit bracelet club.

Amazingly, Ivey has reached heads-up play on 15 occasions in WSOP events, so the fact that he was the eventual winner in two-thirds of those contests just further the argument that Ivey is the best poker player of all time.

Phil Ivey's WSOP Bracelet Wins

YearEventPlacePrize
2000$2,500 Pot Limit Omaha1st$195,000
2002$1,500 7 Card Stud1st$132,000
2002$2,500 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo1st$118,440
2002$2,000 Limit S.H.O.E.1st$107,540
2005$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha1st$635,603
2009$2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo1st$220,538
2009$2,500 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw1st$96,367
2010$3,000 H.O.R.S.E.1st$329,840
2013A$2,200 Mixed Event1stA$51,840
2014$1,500 8-Game Mix1st$166,986

World Poker Tour

In 2003, Ivey made a name for himself on the WPT circuit at the Five-Star World Poker Classic where he won two events and placed third in the Main Event. Then in 2005 he finished sixth at the Five-Star World Poker Classic $25,000 Main Even for more than $260,000 in cash. Ivey collected his first WPT title in 2008 when he took down the L.A. Poker Classic Main Event in 2008 taking home almost $1.6 million in prize money. In 2010 Ivey scored his third biggest WPT cash after finishing third in the Bellagio Cup VI $10,000 Championship event collecting over $360,000.

Since 2015, Ivey has boosted his WPT earnings by more than a million thanks to his win in the WPT Heads Up Poker Championship ($400,000) and fifth place finish in Triton Super High Roller Series - Cali Cup for $656,500.

Phil Ivey's Top 5 WPT Results

YearEventPlacePrize
2008L.A. Poker Classic $9,900 Championship1st$ 1,596,100
2016Triton Super High Roller Series - Cali Cup5th$656,500
2021WPT Heads Up Poker Championship1st$400,000
2010Bellagio Cup VI $10,000 Championship3rd$363,650
2003Jack Binion World Poker Open $10,000 Championship2nd$290,130

European Poker Tour

Ivey made his first appearance on the European Poker Tour circuit in 2006 when he entered the EPT Barcelona Open €4,800 Main Event and finished in second place for €371,000. In 2010 he scored another EPT cash after finishing 59th at the EPT London £5,000 Main Event/UKIPT Grand Final for £13,000. Two years later Ivey made another deep run in the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo busting in 9th place for €73,200.

Phil Ivey's Top 3 EPT Results

YearEventPlacePrize
2006Barcelona Open €4,800 Main Event2nd€ 371,000
2012Grand Final, Monte Carlo €25,000 8 Max High Roller9th€73,200
2010London £5,000 Main Event/UKIPT Grand Final59th£13,000

Aussie Millions Poker Championship

Surprisingly, Ivey's biggest tournament scores have come outside of the United States due to him winning A$250,000 No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship on three occasions.

Phil Ivey's Top 5 Aussie Millions Results

DateEventPlacePrize
February 2014A$250,000 No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge1stA$4,000,000 ($3,582,753)
February 2012A$250,000 No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge1stA$2,000,000 ($2,058,948)
February 2015A$250,000 No Limit Hold'em - $250,000 Challenge1stA$2,205,000 ($1,710,854)
January 2010A$100,000 + 500 $100,000 Challenge2ndA$600,000 ($553,776)
January 2012A$10,000 + 600 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event12thA$100,000 ($ 102,947)

Other Achievements

Ivey is also known for winning big tournaments outside the US. Back in 2005 he scored a first-place finish at the Monte Carlo Millions for $1 million while in 2012 he took down the Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller event collecting a cash prize of more than $2 million. That same year Ivey final tabled the Macau High Stakes Challenge Super High Roller event taking home over $800,000 for his 8th place finish.

Tournaments aren't all that Phil Ivey does though. He is a regular fixture in the “Big Game” in Vegas where he locks horns with some of the greatest players in the game today including Doyle Brunson, Barry Greenstein, Chau Giang, and Jennifer Harman. It’s even reported that Phil won over $16 million from banker Andy Beal after he challenged some of the best high-stakes players to a match.

Sponsorship

Phil Ivey was one of the founders of the Full Tilt Poker online poker site. For seven years he has been the ambassador and the icon of Full Tilt Poker as well as a member of the site's Team Pro until April 15th, 2011 a.k.a. Black Friday. After the site has lost its Aldreney e-gaming license in June 2011 and seized its operations, Ivey had dissociated himself from Full Tilt, sued the company and boycotted the 2011 World Series of Poker claiming it would not have been fair for him to play when other players couldn't.

Did you know?

  • Phil Ivey bubbled the final table of the 2003 WSOP Main Event. He was eliminated by the eventual winner Chris Moneymaker, whose victory triggered the so called Moneymaker Effect.
  • Ivey is often referred to as the “Tiger Woods of Poker” not only due to his resemblance to the famous golfer, but also because Ivey likes to play golf himself. Ivey even participated in the inaugural World Series of Golf, where he finished in third place.
  • Ivey was embroiled in a long court case against the Borgota regarding $10 millions worth of winnings from the baccarat tables, the case has since been settled but it's one heck of a story to check out.

PokerNews Covered Events

Event Place Prize
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #65: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (6-Handed)
75th $11,524
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty
6th $133,461
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
6th $228,793
2022 World Series of Poker
[Online] $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Bracelet Championship
207th $1,461
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #63: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
37th $16,171
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #67: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout
41st $13,730
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #50: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
7th $597,381
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #42: $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
2nd $1,172,659
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #32: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
26th $5,544
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #22: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship
3rd $108,233
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #8: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed
34th $40,648
2022 World Series of Poker
Event #2: $100,000 High Roller Bounty
7th $133,127
2022 Triton Poker Cyprus
Event #3: $75,000 Short Deck
1st $1,170,000
2022 Triton Poker Cyprus
Event #1: $50,000 NLH 6-Handed
4th $387,100
2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe
Event #4: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em
2nd $546,000
2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe
Event #1: $25,000 Short Deck Hold’em
1st $408,000
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #13: €2,500 Short Deck No-Limit Hold'em
18th €5,228
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #12: €100,000 Diamond High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
8th €212,504
2019 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #6: €25,500 Short Deck High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
9th €65,947
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #58: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
8th $124,410
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #44: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty
76th $2,752
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #37: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
64th $3,700
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #65: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship
547th $23,940
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #33: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
9th $111,447
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #21: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em MILLIONAIRE MAKER
1024th $2,345
2018 World Series of Poker
Event #7: $565 COLOSSUS No-Limit Hold’em
533rd $2,048
2018 Triton Super High Roller Series Montenegro
HKD $1,000,000 Short Deck Ante-Only
3rd 13,082,000 HKD
2018 Triton Super High Roller Series Montenegro
HKD $250,000 Short Deck Ante-Only
1st 4,749,200 HKD
2015 Aussie Millions
$250,000 Challenge
1st 2,205,000 AUD
2015 Aussie Millions
$10,600 Main Event
23rd 40,000 AUD
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #65: $10,000 Main Event
430th $25,756
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #50: $1,500 Eight-Game Mix
1st $167,332
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #48: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low
30th $6,836
2014 World Series of Poker
Event #12: $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em
22nd $5,030
2014 Aussie Millions
LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge
1st 4,000,000 AUD
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #18: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
14th $15,544
2013 Aussie Millions
$10,000 Main Event
30th 35,000 AUD
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 59: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
208th $3,119
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 35: $2,500 Mixed Hold'em
8th $21,699
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 32: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.
5th $99,739
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 24: $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8-or-Better
3rd $136,046
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 17: $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em
2nd $275,559
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 14: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout
118th $5,295
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 15: $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split 8-or-Better
7th $34,595
The 2012 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final
€25,000 High Roller
9th €73,200
2012 Aussie Millions
Aussie Millions Main Event
12th 100,000 AUD
2012 Aussie Millions
$250,000 Super High Roller
1st 2,000,000 AUD
2010 PokerStars.com EPT London
Main Event
59th £13,000
World Series of Poker Europe 2010
Event #5: £10,350 WSOPE Championship No-Limit Hold'em
19th £26,400
World Series of Poker Europe 2010
Event #4: £10,350 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller Heads-Up
14th £22,847
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #37: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.
1st $329,840
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #33: $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha
12th $16,075
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #27: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better
52nd $3,182
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #12: $1,500 Limit Hold’em
53rd $3,223
2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Mohegan Sun
2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Mohegan Sun Main Event
29th $16,000
2010 Aussie Millions
Event 8: $100,000 Challenge
2nd 600,000 AUD
2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
2010 PCA Main Event
91st $23,500
2009 WSOP Main Event - The Final Table
November Nine Final Table
7th $1,404,014
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 41 - $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout
8th $16,740
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 30 - $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha
44th $4,883
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 25 - $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 8-or-better
1st $220,538
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 13 - $2,500 No Limit Hold'em
18th $18,467
2009 World Series of Poker
Event 8 - $2,500 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw
1st $96,361
2008 World Series of Poker Europe
Event 2 - £2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
6th £13,750
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 45 - $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship
12th $159,840
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 22 - $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.
23rd $7,998
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 14 - $10,000 Seven-Card Stud World Championship
9th $37,130
2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
$20,000 Heads-Up Championship
4th $125,000
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 26 - $5,000 H.O.R.S.E.
4th $65,424
2007 World Series of Poker
Event 11 - $5,000 Seven Card Stud
2nd $143,820

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