Mike Matusow, or as many know him – Mike the Mouth, one of the "bad boys" of the professional poker world, was born in Los Angeles, California, on April 30th, 1968. He started playing poker at age 18, while working as a dealer for the Orleans and Sam's Town Casino in Las Vegas. During his work as a dealer, Mike Matusow used his time to study the different poker players and techniques, and prepared himself for what was about to come.
The first cash winning for Mike Matusow was in 1997, when he took the 2nd place and $81,700 at the 28th annual WSOP, playing WSOP Limit Omaha Hi/Lo, and lost what could have been his first bracelet to Scotty Nguyen. Ever since then Mike Matusow missed only one year of the WSOP – on 1998. Apart from that, he consistently took part in every WSOP from 1997 to 2008.
Along the years Mike Matusow won three WSOP bracelets and had 6 first place finishes. His favorite games are Omaha and No Limit Hold'em, and most of his winnings are of these two games.
The first thing one may notice about Mike Matusow is his aggressive playing style. His uniqueness is in his big mouth – hence his nickname. His game is usually accompanied by aggressive table-talk – he continually teases his opponents and doesn't forget to put in an emotional burst form time to time. The verbal ability of Mike Matusow is used to both tilt his opponents and distract them, and to keep him focused on the game and table. Some say he doesn't only make great poker happen, but also great theater. His big mouth and emotional bursts make Mike Matusow both widely loved and reviled in the professional poker world, as some find his behavior endearing and hilarious, and others simply refuse to let Mike Matusow engage in casual conversations next to the poker table or at all.
Aside from his participation in live poker tournaments, Mike Matusow also likes playing online. His nicknames on the various poker sites are Dill Pickle, Mrpokejoke, and even – believe it or not – Mike Matusow.
But life is not a bed of roses for Mike Matusow. Throughout the years he had battled depression and drug problems, and after the WSOP main event broadcast on ESPN he was sentenced to six months in jail on drug charges. Ever since then he'd been trying – quite successfully – to get his life straightened out and keep himself clean.
Although born in LA, Mike Matusow currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. When not playing poker, he likes to play football. His dream and ambition is to win as many major poker titles as he possibly can – and it seems he is yet to win many of those.
Mike Matusow – Quick Facts
Cashes: 54
Total Winnings: $5,795,493
First place finishes: 6
WSOP bracelets: 3