Mike Matusow is one of the most polarizing figures in poker history. He’s long been known for being one of the loudest players at the table. But he also had a long run as one of the top poker players in the world and still has a large fan base.
Who is Mike Matusow?
Michael Matusow, a Los Angeles native, was born April 30, 1968, and now resides in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada. He began playing poker in the early 1990s and is clearly a natural at the game.
Years ago, Matusow earned the nickname, 'The Mouth,' because he is a loud, talkative, and sometimes obnoxious, poker player. He is known for his meltdowns at the table, referred to as the 'Mike Matusow Blowup.'
Mike Matusow biography
Prior to the 2016 presidential election, Matusow was only known for his poker accomplishments and his table meltdowns. But then he became seemingly obsessed with politics in 2016, and has since been one of the most outspoken political commentators on poker Twitter.
He’s an avid Donald Trump fan and often repeats the same anti-Liberal propaganda you’ll find on Fox News or discredited sites such as Gateway Pundit. Due to his insulting posts directed at those who don’t share his political views, he is often criticized by non-conservative members of the poker community. In 2014, he admitted that he is bi-polar.
'The Mouth' also has a history of drug abuse and degenerate gambling. After winning $1 million for ninth place in the 2005 WSOP Main Event, he admitted to blowing it all playing poker online within a month.
One month before the 2005 World Series of Poker, he was released from prison after a six-month stay for felony drug possession. He has since avoided further incarcerations and now hosts a poker podcast, The Mouthpiece.
Full Tilt Poker era
Matusow was one of the top Full Tilt Poker pros during the poker boom era, along with Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Chris Ferguson, and many other superstars of the game at the time. On April 15, 2011, the poker site was shut down in the United States and its founder, Ray Bitar, faced criminal charges for illegal gambling and wire fraud.
Although Matusow was a prominent ambassador for Full Tilt, he claims that the poker site ruined his life. Following the Black Friday scandal, he received angry messages from poker players after being accused of owing Full Tilt money. That was supposedly money that could have been used to pay back the players who were locked out of their FTP accounts.
Matusow denied the claims and said he lost everything because the poker site was banned in the U.S. He lost his only source of income — FTP sponsorship money — and the money in his player account. He claims to have lost millions of dollars in the scandal.
Mike Matusow poker accomplishments
Putting aside his judgement and the Full Tilt Poker situation, Matusow used to be one of the top poker players in the game, especially at Omaha/8. He won his first of four World Series of Poker gold bracelets in 1999, a $265,475 score in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em tournament. His most recent bracelet was in 2013 ($5,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo 8-or-Better for $266,503).
He won the 2013 NBC Heads-Up Championship for $750,000 when he beat out his long-time friend, Phil Hellmuth, in the final round. He currently has over $10 million in tournament winnings. That includes four WSOP bracelets, five World Poker Tour final table appearances, and the NBC Heads-Up Championship title. On top of that, he was arguably the most feared Omaha/8 cash game player in the early 2000s. He's not finished, either. He came fifth in the $25k H.O.R.S.E. event at the 2023 WSOP for $176,904
