Bio and Big Wins of Four Time World Series of Poker Bracelet Winner Mike ‘the Mouth’ Matusow
It was clear from an early age that Mike Matusow would make a career out of poker. He played video poker so much at the age of 18 that he developed repetitive strain injury. This love of cards stood him in good stead when he discovered and became an expert No Limit Hold’em player. Total career earnings of close to $10 million show exactly how good Matusow has become.
Along the way Mike has been no stranger to controversy. Often outspoken, his nickname is ‘The Mouth.’ Table (and off table) rants aside, Matusow’s record is incredible across the full range of poker formats.
Mike Matusow at the World Series of Poker
The first big pay day of Matusow’s career at the World Series of Poker came when he was not playing. In 1998, Matusow would pay part of Scotty Nguyen’s buy-in for a satellite for the Main Event. Nguyen would famously go on to win. Mike pocketed a more than $300k for his confidence in the eventual winner.
First WSOP Bracelet in 1999
It was the following year that saw Matusow make an impact himself. In May 1999, he entered the $3,500 No Limit Hold’em event alongside 204 other players. He eventually got into a heads-up match with Alex Brenes and would win his first bracelet, winning $265,000 in the process.
Amazing Year for Matusow at the 2005 WSOP
2005 was his best year at the World Series of Poker. With his two largest wins of his career coming in the space of just a few months. First, he reached the final table at the Main Event. His ninth-place finish earning him $1 million. This was the first seven figure check of his career.
Matusow followed this up by winning the Tournament of Champions and collecting another $1 million prize. Defeating a stellar final table that included Phil Hellmuth and Tony Bloom, and then beating Hoyt Corkins heads up.
Other Notable World Series Runs
Three years later and Matusow was in the winner’s circle again. This time around he won the No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/ Rebuys event beating a final table that included Barry Greenstein and Tom Dwan, pocketing just over half a million dollars.
His latest win at the WSOP came in 2013 at the $5,000 Seven Card Stud 8/OB event. He finished first after defeating Matthew Ashton heads up and winning $266,000.
Other Tournament Successes for Mike Matusow
Earlier in 2013, before his fourth bracelet win, Matusow entered the NBC National Heads-Up Championship with a $25,000 buy-in. The straight knock-out event was made for Matusow. He won five games to make it all the way to the final. In that final he came up against Phil Hellmuth, a player with more WSOP bracelets than anyone. Matusow beat Hellmuth to take the $750,000 first prize.
His best ever finish on the World Poker Tour came in 2007 at the Bellagio Cup event with a $10,000 buy-in. He nearly went all the way, only to lose out to Danny Saul in the 535-player event. Matusow collected $671,000 for his efforts.
Poker Playing Style of Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow is known as ‘The Mouth.’ This nickname is no accident, as he has the ability to make other players leave their comfort zone with his trash talk. Most of the time he uses this to his advantage, but occasionally it can backfire as he can lose his own focus.
Occasionally, he can find himself in a fantastic position, only to blow it in one big hand, with other players using the term ‘Mike’s Explosion’ when this happens. Matusow’s all or nothing tendencies are considered a good thing in a game where playing safe is not always necessarily the right strategy. Four World Series of Poker bracelets are a fantastic indictment of this.
Quick Bio: Highs and Lows for Mike ‘the Mouth’ Matusow
Matusow was born in California and formed a fascination with gambling at an early age. At one point early the gambling became a problem and he found himself attending Gambler’s Anonymous meetings. His original career plan was to be a mechanic, but the cards continued to take hold and after success at Texas Hold’em he became a full-time player.
Even during the successful times in his career, there have been problems. In 2004, just a year before his best ever WSOP, he would spend six months in prison for illicit drug trafficking and possession of cocaine.
Today, Matusow is still a regular on the scene and it would not be a surprise to see a fifth bracelet come soon. In 2021, ‘The Mouth’ cashed eight times in the World Series of Poker, including three final table appearances. Now in his fifties, Matusow is still a contender.
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