Phil Ivey

Phil Ivey

Nationality
United States
United States
Sponsored by
GPI Rank 39
WSOP Bracelets 11
WPT Wins 1
Total Live Earnings $46,428,490
The Hendon Mob Data provided by The Hendon Mob

Biography

Phil Ivey is an American poker player with over $44 million in live poker tournament career earnings, and millions more in profit from playing high-stakes cash games. Many of Ivey's peers consider him the best poker player of all-time, due to his ice-cold demeanor and his ability to win in every known poker format and variant. He was inducted into poker's Hall of Fame in 2017.

Ivey has one World Poker Tour (WPT) title to his name, and 11 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets to be second on the all-time bracelet list ahead of ten-time bracelet winners Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan, and the late Doyle Brunson. Only Phil Hellmuth (17) has more bracelets than Ivey.

After a ten-year bracelet drought, Ivey won his 11th bracelet at the 2024 WSOP in Event #29: $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw Championship.

“It’s good. It feels good. It feels good to win always," Ivey told PokerNews. “I’m motivated. If I can play I will."

He has previously been embroiled in legal wranglings with several casinos after being accused of "edge sorting" during nosebleed stakes baccarat games. All legal proceedings ended in July 2020, six years after they begun.

Phil Ivey Background

Phil Ivey was born on February 1, 1977, in Riverside, California, but his family moved to Roselle, New Jersey, when he was a baby. Ivey discovered poker while working for a telemarketing company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the 1990s, and began playing poker in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

When he began playing live poker, Ivey was 18 years old, but New Jersey's legal gambling age is 21. He used a fake ID under the name Jerome Graham, and he played so frequently that other players nicknamed him "No Home Jerome." Ivey would later be called "the Tiger Woods of Poker."

Although primarily a cash game player, Ivey ventured into the world of poker tournaments in 2000, winning a $540 buy-in Limit Hold'em event in Tunica. His first appearance at the WSOP was also in 2000; he returned home having cashed three time, reached two final tables, and won the first of his eleven bracelets; he took down the $2,580 Pot-Limit Omaha event.

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Phil Ivey Poker History

Phil Ivey's first recorded poker tournament result in an open event was in a $540 Limit Hold'em event at The First Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open in Tunica in April 2000. Ivey outlasted 296 opponents and won $53,297. Later that year, Ivey headed to the 2000 WSOP, cashing in three events, including winning the $2,580 Pot-Limit Omaha event for $195,000 and his first WSOP bracelet.

Ivey won three more bracelets in 2002, and another in 2005. In November 2005, Ivey banked his first seven-figure score, clinching the $1 million top prize in the $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Monte Carlo Millions. Ivey was involved in one of the greatest poker hands of all time during his heads-up battle with Paul Jackson of the United Kingdom.

In February 2008, Ivey became a World Poker Tour (WPT) champion, triumphing in the $1,000 L.A. Poker Classic. He collected a career-best, at the time, $1,596,100.

At the 2009 WSOP, Ivey captured another two bracelets before reaching the final table of the $10,000 Main Event, where he finished seventh for $1,404,014.

An eighth bracelet found its way to Ivey in 2010.

In 2012, at the Aussie Millions, Ivey came out on top in the A$250,000 Challenge, taking home A$2,000,000 ($2,058,948), another lifetime high. Two years later, Ivey won the same tournament in Melbourne, but this time it was worth a cool A$4,000,000 ($3,582,753), which remains his best-ever single haul from a tournament.

Australia proved a happy hunting ground for Ivey, as he won his ninth bracelet at the inaugural WSOP Asia-Pacific in 2013. He won his tenth bracelet in Las Vegas the following year. Amazingly, none of Ivey's bracelets have come from playing No-Limit Hold'em.

Ivey's volume waned from mid-2014 through to 2018, partly because of legal issues stemming from some high-stakes baccarat sessions. However, he returned with a bang, frequenting the Triton Super High Roller Series around the world, now seemingly set on only playing tournaments with the highest buy-ins.

In June 2022, Ivey finished second in the $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller at the WSOP in Las Vegas, narrowly missing out on an 11th bracelet.

Phil Ivey's WSOP Bracelets

* Year Tournament Entries Prize
2000 $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha 100 $195,000
2002 $1,500 Limit Seven Card Stud 253 $132,000
2002 $2,500 Limit Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 126 $118,440
2002 $2,000 Limit S.H.O.E. 143 $107,540
2005 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 134 $635,603
2009 $2,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw 147 $96,367
2009 $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better 376 $220,538
2010 $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. 478 $329,840
2013 (WSOP APAC) A$2,200 Mixed Event (8-Game) 81 A$51,840
2014 $1,500 8-Game Mix 485 $166,986
2024 $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship 149 $347,440

Is Phil Ivey Good at Poker?

Phil Ivey is an incredible poker player who is respected and feared in equal measure. His unrelentless aggression, coupled with elite-level hand-reading abilities, makes him a formidable opponent at the poker tables.

Unlike some of his peers, Ivey does not specialize in No-Limit Hold'em, and is equally dangerous playing in mixed games. Indeed, all of Ivey's ten bracelets have come in non-Hold'em events.

Ivey does not only play high-stakes tournament poker but also cash games with the highest buy-ins. He is famous for being part of "The Corporation," who played against billionaire businessman Andy Beal in May 2014. During Ivey's one-on-one session against Beal, stakes went as high as $50,000/$100,000, and Ivey ran out a $16.6 million winner.

Phil Ivey's Top Five Live Poker Results

DateEventRankPrize
Feb 2014A$250,000 Challenge1stA$4,000,000 (US$3,582,753)
Jan 2012A$250,000 Chalenge1stA$2,000,000 (US$2,058,948)
Feb 2015A$250,000 Challenge1stA$2,205,000 (US$1,710,854)
May 2018HK$1,000,000 Short Deck3rdHK$13,082,000 (US$1,666,480)
Feb 2008$10,000 LA Poker Classic1st$1,596,100

Wealth – What is Phil Ivey's Net Worth?

Like most poker players, Phil Ivey is secretive about his net worth, but he is estimated to be worth around $125 million. Ivey has won over $42 million from live poker tournaments and countless more millions from grinding high-stakes cash games. Throw into the mix business ventures, table games, and sports betting, and the sums quickly add up to nine figures!

How Did Phil Ivey Make His Money?

Phil Ivey made the bulk of his money through playing poker and being an excellent player. Ivey has long played cash games for the highest stakes and once banked $16.6 million profit in one well-documented heads-up session.

Ivey is also known for sports betting, prop betting—particularly in golf—and playing table games, where he fell foul of advantage play in New Jersey and British casinos.

Ivey also has several business venture, including Ivey Poker play money online poker site, and the now-defunct Ivey League training site. In April 2023, Ivey sued NuVeda, a Las Vegas cannabis dispensary, for $1.9 million.

Phil Ivey Family, Wife, and Children

Phil Ivey prefers to keep his personal life private but sometimes finds that challenging because of his superstar status in the poker world.

Luciaetta Ivey - Phil Ivey's Ex-Wife

Phil Ivey was married to Luciaetta for seven years until the couple divorced in December 2009. Luciaetta Ivey received a purse collection worth more than $1.2 million, jewelry worth over $1 million, and $180,000 a month in alimony as part of her divorce settlement.

Does Phil Ivey Have Children?

At the time of writing, Phil Ivey does not have children.

Phil Ivey Controversies

Phil Ivey has been involved in several controversies during his career, most notably being part of the team behind Full Tilt Poker, which shutdown under black clouds. Court papers revealed Ivey received $920,000 from TiltWare, the company behind the online poker site that went belly-up, yet he remained silent while thousands of players thought their bankrolls were forever lost until PokerStars came to the rescue.

Ivey found himself caught up in an edge-sorting scandal while playing high-stakes baccarat with a female friend. Ivey and his companion won several million dollars in Atlantic City and in the United Kingdom, but the casinos refused to pay out his winnings, accusing him of advantage play. Although edge-sorting is not illegal, it is frowned upon. Judges ruled in favor of the casinos, and Ivey settled the case in July 2020, some six years after legal proceedings began.

More recently, in April 2023, Ivey sued NuVeda, LLC, a Las Vegas cannabis dispensary, for $1.9 million. Court papers show Ivey exchanged almost $2 million for 3% equity in the company. The company promised Ivey 23% interest, equating to $1.75 million, but he only received $250,000. NuVeda has since filed for bankruptcy.

Phil Ivey FAQs

How much money has Phil Ivey won playing poker?

Phil Ivey has won over $42 million from live poker tournaments, and many untold millions playing high-stakes cash games. Before Full Tilt closed its doors, Ivey was $20 million in profit in cash games at the online poker site.

How many World Series of Poker bracelets does Phil Ivey have?

Phil Ivey has won ten World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets since 2000. However, Ivey is currently enduring a bracelet drought, having not won one since 2014.

What is Phil Ivey's Net Worth?

Phil Ivey has an estimated net worth of $125 million.

Is Phil Ivey married?

Phil Ivey was married to Luciaetta Ivey for seven years, but the couple divorced in 2009.

Did Phil Ivey cheat at baccarat?

Phil Ivey used a technique known as "edge-sorting" while playing high-stakes baccarat. Although not technically cheating, it is considered an advantage play and, therefore, unethical

PokerNews Covered Events

Event Place Prize
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship
340th $45,000
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #96: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed)
4th $239,850
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #73: $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed)
38th $60,672
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #68: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
146th $6,044
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #58: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (7-Handed)
7th $158,719
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #55: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
11th $506,757
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #50: $10,000 Razz Championship
9th $25,687
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #29: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship (6-Handed)
1st $347,440
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #26: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em (8-Handed)
22nd $62,737
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #24: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship (8-Handed)
23rd $21,413
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #18: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed)
133rd $3,154
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #13: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship (6-Handed)
11th $27,041
2024 World Series of Poker
Event #8: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed)
57th $11,004
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 #12: €100,000 Diamond High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
8th €212,504
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 #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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