Phil Hellmuth is a professional poker player known as “The Poker Brat” due to his competitive nature. He holds the record for the most World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets won, 17 in total. At the moment, Phil Hellmuth has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Despite his wealth, he doesn’t rank in the top 10 wealthiest poker pros.
Early Life
Phil Hellmuth was born on July 16, 1964 in Madison, Wisconsin. He is the eldest of five siblings, his father was a dean and his mother was a sculptor. Phil went to Madison West High School, where he struggled with poor grades.
Hellmuth managed to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the institution where his father worked. During college, he learned to play poker with his family and played Texas hold ’em against other students. After three years, he dropped out to pursue poker full-time.
Poker Career
In the early days, Hellmuth earned decent money playing local games. He first ventured into WSOP in 1988 and finished 33rd. The following year, he tried again and became the Main Event champ!
At 24 years old, Phil became the youngest person to achieve such a feat. Hellmuth earned his fifth bracelet of the decade at the 1997 WSOP, more than any other player throughout the 90s.
Phil continued to break records as his career progressed. Currently, he holds the record for most WSOP bracelets, with 17 to his name. He is the leader for WSOP cashes, with 154, and final tables, with 64. The Canadian was inducted into WSOP’s Poker Hall of Fame in 2007.
Net Worth and Earnings
Phil invests a nice chunk of his poker earnings into interesting business ventures. According to CB Insights, he has invested in SELQ (recruitment platform) and PrizePicks (daily fantasy sports site).
To earn extra income, he sells merchandise to fans on his website, PokerBrat.com. Furthermore, Hellmuth became the face of Ultimate Bet, a popular poker site in the early 2000’s.
The veteran player shares his knowledge through coaching and writing. His 2003 book, ‘Play Poker Like the Pros’, became a New York Times bestseller.
Phil Hellmuth live tournament winnings now stands at over $29.9 million, putting him 24th on the all-time money list. His last big pay day came in 2023 through winning the WSOP, he took home $803,818. As an investor, business owner, and author, he has enough income streams to generate a $20 million fortune. In comparison, Daniel Negreanu is worth $70 million.
Personal Life
Hellmuth is married to Katherine Sanborn, a psychiatrist at Stanford University. The couple has two children together, Nicholas and Phillip III. Since tying the knot in 1992, Phil and Katherine have lived in Paolo Alto, California. However, the poker legend bought a property in Las Vegas but sold it for $590,000 in December 2023 as reported by Redfin.
