When there is an absence of leadership, the powerful takeover, that is why the poker world is calling Mike Sexton Mr. Poker.
Sexton took over the reins of the poker industry after Benny Binion, the former Mr. Poker, died. He stepped into the role as naturally as Casey Stengel might have seized control of the New York Yankees or Donald Trump would have taken over the Taj Mahal or Mar-A-Lago.
The 70-year-old native of Shelby, IN. may be surprised at his new status. He began life as a business major at Ohio State University, became a gymnast, switched his major to recreation and then got into sales.
But when his friends would ask him what he majored in while attending college, Sexton would just smile and say, 'Poker.'
He also played a lot of contract bridge and even taught the game in a classroom setting in North Carolina. He served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army in 1970. The division has just returned to the U.S. from Vietnam and Sexton didn't see any combat. Instead, he spent his time teaching ballroom dancing until his honorable discharge.
Although he was a good salesman, he discovered he could make more money playing poker. His poker playing activities often collided with his Little League coaching, something he enjoyed doing.
In 1985 he moved to Las Vegas where he became acquainted with the whiz kid of poker, Stu Ungar. He became a friend of Ungar's and saw him through fortune and despair. When Ungar died of a cocaine overdose, Sexton was a pallbearer and spoke at his funeral.
Sexton was an above average poker player and cashed in 15 times in World Series of Poker Tournaments, making many friends in the poker world along the way. His tournament winnings totaled over $5.4 million, including a WSOP bracelet in a seven-card stud split tournament.
Mike promoted poker and gained the nickname of the Ambassador of Poker. In June 2006 he won the third annual WSOP Tournament of Champions, pocketing $1 million when his pocket aces triumphed over Daniel Negreanu's suited Q-J. He generously donated half of his post-tax winnings to five charities, a practice he has continued.
In July 2012, he finished ninth in the Big One for One Drop and won $1.1 million, his biggest payoff to date. He also won the World Poker Tour Montreal Main Event, beating 648 other players for $317,896 in November 2016.
Sexton became a familiar face on many late night poker shows when he, along with Vince and Dick Van Patten, hosted the tournaments. In May 2017, he left the World Poker Tour to serve as chairman of PartyPoker.Com, an organization he helped form in 2001.
When the federal government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, making it illegal for payment processors sto fund players on-line poker accounts, Sexton lost a fortune. He shrugged off the losses and says he plans to build PartyPoker.Com back until it is number one.
Sexton has a favorite saying: 'May all your cards be live and all your pots be monstrous.' We wish the same for Mr. Poker.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
