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Phil Hellmuth is making news this week in a big way. First we learn he will be appearing on the next installment of Dancing With The Stars. Now, as Gambling911.com’s Thomas Somach reports, Hellmuth just got really lucky hitting a video poker royal flush for a lot of money…..
One of the few legitimate criticisms about Phil "Poker Brat" Hellmuth Jr.'s poker ability is that he's a one-trick pony.
He's won more World Series of Poker (WSOP) championship bracelets--11--than anyone in history, but they've all come in the same discipline: no-limit Texas hold 'em.
Yeah, he's a great no-limit hold 'em player, the criticism goes, but you can't call him the greatest player in the world, or even one of the greatest, because he doesn't win at stud, razz, Omaha or any other form of poker.
Until now, that is.
Many in the poker world were stunned to learn last week that not only does the "Poker Brat" like to play video poker, he's actually quite good at it (video poker employs the game of draw poker).
Hellmuth revealed on his blog Friday that while in Las Vegas last month, he hit a royal flush on a video poker machine and won a cool $100,000!
Writing in his latest blog post at his website, www.philhellmuth.com, the "Brat" reveals: "On Saturday night (Nov. 14) I strolled through the Aria Casino slowly, ordered coffee, walked slowly to the high-stakes video poker machines and called 'Crazy Mike' to come and join me. 'Crazy Mike' and I both play Jacks or Better 5 lines and the casino edge is like .3%, but we both get comps, money back and other benefits like great seats for the Pacquiao fight in the VIP lounge that very night.
"I told Mike, 'Let's save 10%, that way we will root for each other.' He said, 'Cool.' Then after a few pulls I said, 'Let's save 20% on any royals we make.' He agreed (royal flushes pay $20,000). Then, twenty minutes later I said, 'One of these days I will have a royal flush dealt to me on this five-way machine.' Two minutes later, BOOOOOMMMMM. Picture: http://www.mobypicture.com/user/phil_hellmuth/view/8002972 .
"I was dealt this royal flush for $100,000! Nice week, I won 30k, 40k, 50k and now 100k!! I walked away from the machine without playing even one more spin. I mean, how could I ever one up this on a machine?!? I paid 'Crazy Mike' $20,000, and we went to watch the fight. By the next day I was back playing high-limit video poker, and I proceeded to make two more royals, for another $40,000!"
Phil Hellmuth a video poker afficionado?
Who knew?
But then again, why not?
When Phil has played in poker tournaments, such as the WSOP, he has frequently gotten annoyed and upset at other players around him and his trademark "Poker Brat" persona has come out.
Earlier this year, Phil vowed he was going to try to suppress--as much as was humanly possible--his urge to be the annoying and obnoxious "Poker Brat" at the tables, in an effort to uplift his tarnished personal image.
It's debatable whether he's succeeded on that front.
One thing's for sure though--when you play video poker, there are no opponents.
Thus no opportunity to be the "Poker Brat."
By Tom Somach
Gambling911.com Staff Writer
