Phil Hellmuth is fed up with those who claim he’s a losing cash game player, and he’s offering to put his money where his mouth is.
The “Poker Brat” tweeted out a challenge to his “critics” who don’t think he’s any good at cash games. Each player, if the prop bet is accepted, would wager $500,000 for a $1,000,000 pot.
Hellmuth, a Poker Hall of Famer and 1989 world champion, has long been the center of criticism from younger high-stakes poker pros. His “White Magic” style of play, many have argued, can no longer compete against the game theory optimal (GTO) wizards of today. But he isn’t buying it, and he appears to be ready to try to prove them all wrong.
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Hellmuth, as per usual, expressed confidence in his poker skills at age 61 on X. The 17-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner claims to have won $3 million in cash games since 2014, and he has “tax records to prove it.”
The BetRivers Casino ambassador then went on to propose a prop bet. He wrote: “My critic and I will post $500,000 each, and that critic can book me—dollar for dollar—in the games you say I lose money in, televised cash games (where I won 23-out-of-24 sessions from 2013-2019).”
Hellmuth would conclude his tweet by informing his followers that he’s up $110,000 in six sessions of $25/$50 during Hellmuth’s Home Game, a new show on YouTube and CBS Sports Network.
Hellmuth was the target of recent criticism from poker coach and commentator Marc Goone, who said in a YouTube video that the poker legend plays scared.
Goone didn’t hold back when breaking down the “Poker Brat’s” game. “This leak bleeds money in today’s games… I see players at $2/$5 and $5/$10 every single day wondering why they can’t move up [in stakes],” Goone said.
Hellmuth received some offers, including Brian Okin, who doesn’t allow many pros in his private game that airs on Venetian Poker Live, but said he’s willing to make an exception. Ossi “Monarch” Ketola, who lost $15 million to Dan “Jungleman” Cates in a recent heads-up battle, also said he’d face the WSOP bracelet record-holder.
Few question Hellmuth’s tournament results. He has over $30 million in lifetime live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob, and six more WSOP bracelets than anyone else (Phil Ivey is alone in second place with 11). But the cash game skills have often been criticized. Hellmuth will have an opportunity to squash that if he can come to terms with an opponent.
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