Mike Matusow

Mike Matusow is not on the quiet end of the table. He is a very outspoken person and he is not afraid to voice his opinions when he feels that it is needed. His poker has been developed during a long period of time. His poker career has not always been a smooth ride and he went through some pretty tough experiences on his way to the top. Matusow is the kind of player that poker fans either love or hate. All in all, his strong personality has won him many friends and great respect in the world of poker.

The Mouth

The nickname of Mike Matusow couldn’t be more fitting. He was well equipped with a sharp tongue and strong personality already as a kid. He grew up suffering bullying by other kids but he never let them destroy him. He would stand up to the biggest kid of the neighborhood even if it meant that he had to take blows for it. The bruises his oppressors caused him did keep him out of school to the extent that he never went on to any form of higher education. He tried to become an auto mechanic but this didn’t succeed so he ended up working in the family’s furniture store.

Early Career

When Mike started working as a dealer in a local casino he discovered video poker. He got completely obsessed with the game and played so much that he even strained his body from it! He is said to have attended Gamblers Anonymous meetings due to his excessive gambling but this didn’t stop him from continuing to go deeper into the world of poker. In 1989 his friend Steve Samaroff taught him how to play Texas Holdem.

Jail Time

Mike Matusow is really an excellent poker player, with several World Series of Poker bracelets to show for it. Still, it seems as if the focus is often turned to his personal problems. This is, of course, because he himself is so outspoken about them but also because they hold an important role in his poker career. Between 1997 and 2004 Matusow was doing well in Las Vegas but at the same time he was developing a serious drug problem. In 2004 he went to jail on a drug charge and he stayed there for 6 months. He opened his famous mouth and promised he would come back after jail and play the best poker of his life!

Poker Accomplishments

Since Mike Matusow left jail he has kept his promise. In the summer of 2005 he became the second person ever to reach the WSOP Main Event final table twice. He ended in 9th place which earned him 1 million dollars. This was three months after his time behind bars! He has had continued success in poker after this. In 2009 his total poker earnings from live tournaments were more than $7 million. Almost half of this money comes from his accomplishments in the WSOP. He signed with Deepstacks University in 2009 to become the Dean of this interactive training poker site.