Player Update: Phil Ivey

By Simon Hopper

8th June 2009

I like to be my own person. If I can make money off it, that’s great. If not, then I can always play poker.

Phil Ivey collects his 6th WSOP bracelet and a reported seven figure sum in prop bets....

He lost a reported seven figure sum by not winning a bracelet in 2008, but Phil Ivey has almost certainly made it all back in the 2009 WSOP.

In a victory worth more in side bets than prize money, Ivey celebrated his 6th World Series of Poker bracelet after taking down the $2,500 2-7 Lowball event for $96,367. He took out 146 other runners, including the likes of Layne Flack (8th, $8,452) and Tony G (9th, $6,292) to put himself one rung higher on the all-time WSOP bracelet list. Now only 6 men in history have won more bracelets than Mr. Ivey, who sits level with the likes of Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen, T.J Cloutier and the aforementioned ‘Back to Back’ Flack.

But what really sets this achievement apart is the incredible amount of action he had on himself to take down a WSOP event this year – check out this Two Plus Two thread where the rumours are flying around in their hundreds. The OP even estimates the win could be worth close to $10million in side bets!

In the typically subdued fashion that Ivey has made his own over the years, his answer to the question ‘So what does winning a sixth bracelet mean?’, he simply replied: ‘It means I am one step closer to number seven.’ When asked about why he stays so low-key, he answered: ‘I just like to keep to myself and do my own thing. I like to be my own person. If I can make money off it, that’s great. If not, then I can always play poker. There’s always someone around where I can make a bet or two.’

Ivey’s victory comes in the wake of several huge WSOP achievements from internet professionals at this year’s series. The $40,000 NLH saw Isaac Haxton (2nd, $1,168,565), Dani Stern (4th, $548,315) and Justin Bonomo (5th, $413,165) among others pull off some huge cashing. Steve Sung took down the $1,000 NLH for $771,338, Jason Mercier won the $1,500 PLO for $237,462, Kevin Stammen won the $2,500 NLH for $506,786 and Brock ‘t_soprano’ Parker won the $2,500 LH 6-Handed for $223,697, defeating limit specialist Daniel Negreanu in heads-up play.

Let’s just hope that the action in Bobby’s Room doesn’t deprive us of more Phil Ivey at the World Series, preferably in a televised event. Well, we can all dream, can’t we?