Mike Matusow Biography
Mike Matusow is one of the most recognized poker players in the world due to his antics at the poker table which seems to bring in the cameras. Mike never started out thinking he would be a professional poker player and when he was younger he spent time working as a dealer in Las Vegas. After spending hours upon hours of watching poker being played Matusow decided that he would try his chances on the tables and gave playing poker a shot.
Mike spent time playing poker late at night in the casinos and on absolutepoker.com around his shift working as a dealer was completed. He ended up doing pretty well as a part-time poker player and he realized he would make more money playing poker full-time then he would playing part-time and dealing cards. Once he figured this out Mike decided that he would become a professional poker player and start playing full-time.
Matusow started playing in tournaments soon after beginning to play full-time and he won his first WSOP bracelet back in 1999. Matusow won his second bracelet in 2002 and then didn’t win his third bracelet until recently at the 2008 WSOP. In 2005 Mike won the WSOP Tournament of Champions which topped off an excellent year of poker for Mike. Throughout 2006-2008 Mike has played in a ton of tournaments and has had some amazing finishes including many top 10 and top 20 performances.
Mike has earned almost $7 million in live tournament action on PKR since he started playing poker and this puts him amongst the top of the list of tournament earners in poker history. Another little fact about Mike that you might not have known is that he was the first poker player to win $1 million+ twice in the same year. Matusow may let his antics have the better of him sometimes, but he is definitely one of the best tournament players in the world and his resume will prove this fact.
Mike Matusow also plays online poker quite a bit at Full Tilt Poker with the other team members, but he doesn’t have as much luck usually online. Mike has lost millions in the past by playing online poker and its one area that he hasn’t been able to specialize in. Matusow has also appeared on quite a few television shows including many episodes of Poker After Dark. Mike is known to be one of the most outspoken poker players at the table and this is why he is always asked to come on the television shows.
Mike “The Mouth” Matusow is definitely one of the most colourful poker players on the circuit and has had his share of personal problems. Mike has been in trouble with the law on numerous occasions including one time when he did a small amount of time in jail for drug related offences. Matusow has since got his act together and now he focuses on playing poker almost everyday. Mike has seen some success so far in 2009 at the WSOP and hopefully he can make a deep run into the Main Event this year.