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 When you
think of the
most outgoing,
recognizable
poker players
out there,
one player
that immediately
comes to mind
is Mike “The
Mouth” Matusow.
Widely known
as one of
the bad boys
of the poker
world, Matusow
is a character
that likes
to make his
presence felt
at the poker
table.
Matusow jumped
into the poker
world first
not as a player,
but as a dealer.
Mike was very
adept at picking
up the game.
He would study
each table
he dealt,
he would watch
how players
acted, and
immerse himself
in every detail
of the game.
After spending
some time
learning the
game, Mike
decided to
enter into
a small tournament,
and using
all the skills
he had picked
up at the
table, he
won it. This
made Matusow
hungry as
he began to
enter and
win more and
more tournaments,
winning some
nice prizes
and building
his bankroll.
With some
money in his
roll, Mike
made the transition
to cash games,
where local
players took
immediate
notice. It
was obvious
that Mike
was a good
poker player,
especially
when he was
playing Texas
Hold Em, or
Omaha Hi/Lo.
The other
thing players
took notice
of was Matusow’s
loud, boisterous,
emotional
personality
at the table.
This gained
Mike a lot
of friends
while playing,
it also made
him many enemies.
Mike hit
an unfortunate
patch in 2000.
He had amassed
a nice amount
of money from
poker, and
was living
life in the
fast lane.
He began using
drugs, and
when he was
looking for
an added edge
to his game
to counter-balance
all the partying.
Mike says
that on the
advice of
his girlfriend
at the time,
he began using
speed and
other meth-amphetamines
to aide in
staying up
playing extended
sessions,
and also propelled
him to his
final table
appearance
at the 2001
main event
at the World
Series of
Poker.
In 2002 Mike
began to run
into legal
issues. He
threw a large
party that
was fueled
by drugs,
mainly ecstasy,
at The Palms.
At that party
was an undercover
federal agent,
claiming to
be affiliated
with a Chicago
mob family,
and stating
that he was
trying to
open a new
Las Vegas
strip club.
Matusow got
involved with
the agent,
laundering
money, and
acquiring
drugs for
the agent.
By the time
Matusow had
reached the
conclusion
that he was
dealing with
a member of
the government,
it was too
late. On Sept.
25 of 2003,
Matusow was
arrested for
trafficking
and selling
controlled
substances.
Matusow spent
several month’s
in prison,
in which time
he proceeded
to lose hundreds
of thousands
of dollars
gambling on
sports.
With all
of the troubles
Matusow has
faced in his
life, he has
had some great
successes,
and more recently
has made a
great comeback
to the poker
world. In
2005 Mike
won the WSOP
tournament
of champions,
taking home
a $1 million
dollar first
prize. Since
then Mike
has been a
consistent
contender
on the tournament
circuit. Mike
has a World
Series bracelet
that he acquired
by winning
the 2-7 triple
draw event
in 2008. Mike
added to that
by finishing
5th in an
Omaha hi/lo
event and
a 30th place
finish in
the main event.
He has also
had good success
on the WPT
making two
different
final tables
in season
6.
Mike is a
highly respected
and well liked
player in
the poker
community.
It is said
that when
Mike is on
his game,
he may be
the best in
the world.
Mike can be
found playing
online at
Full Tilt
Poker. Look
for Mike to
continue to
build on his
recent success.
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