Whether you play occasional home games or consider yourself a seasoned poker pro, it is unlikely that you haven’t heard of Phil Ivey. A true legend of the game, Ivey has earned an army of admirers and many personal accolades throughout his illustrious poker career. Let us know more about him!
Phil Ivey Early Life & Poker Career
Born in 1977 in California, Phillip Dennis Ivey Junior, popularly known as Phil Ivey, is an American professional poker player who currently resides in Las Vegas. From a very early age, he has shown a keen interest in poker. While growing up, he used to watch his grandfather play the game at the table. Initially learning the game from playing with his grandfather, Ivey began to further hone his poker skills in the late 1990s while working in telemarketing. He would play against his co-workers regularly.
After turning into a full time poker player, Ivey got his first big break in 2000 when he shipped a Pot Limit Omaha event for his maiden WSOP bracelet. There has been no looking back ever since as he has won 10 WSOP bracelets, one WPT title, and posted nine WPT final table finishes. Ivey is also just the second player in history to have won five or more Triton Poker titles. Among the other tall accomplishments in poker, he has won the Poker Player of the Year (POY) titles in 2005 and 2009.
In 2017, Ivey was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame alongside some of the game’s other greats. Besides, he is also into the business side of poker and has founded two companies, namely Ivey Poker and Ivey League. Ivey Poker is a free-to-play app where you can compete against Ivey and other seasoned pros.
Phil Ivey Net Worth
Fondly known as ‘The Tiger Woods of Poker’, Ivey has won vast sums of cash adding significantly to his huge net worth. He is one of the top earners in the poker industry. As of January 2024, his net worth is estimated around $125m, out of which over $19.5m has been obtained from live poker tournaments, with an impressive $6.5m coming through his World Series of Poker cashes alone.
The vast majority of his net worth has come from private games. According to the HendonMob, Iye has over $41,173,045 in live poker winnings and is currently ranked 11th on the All-Time Money list.
In terms of reputation, Iyey is labeled as the Greatest of all Time. He often faces some of the best across cash games and tournaments, and continues to generate a sizable income. While we cannot predict how much he will win throughout his life, it would not be a surprise to see him touch $250m. Except Dan Bilzerian and Andy Beal, no one has a higher net worth generated from playing poker than Ivey.
Personal Life
Following seven years of marriage, Phil Ivey filed divorce from Luciaetta in December 2009, and the divorce was finalized later that month. He is a keen fan of the NBA and passionately follows the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets. He often spends substantial amounts to attend the live games.
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Some of his other interests and hobbies include sports betting, prop betting, and golf. Additionally, he is a philanthropist who supports numerous charity causes, setting him apart from many of high profile poker professionals. He has also founded the non-profit organization, the Budding Ivey Foundation.
Image Credit: flickr.com
