Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Makes Poker History

Poker Superstar First Player to Reach 11-Gold Bracelet Milestone

Poker superstar Phil Hellmuth, Jr. made history today becoming the first player ever to win 11 gold bracelets at the World Series of Poker. The WSOP bracelet is considered the gold standard of the poker world. Each bracelet represents a single win at the world's largest and prestigious poker tournament.

Coming into this year's World Series of Poker presented by Milwaukee's Best Light, Hellmuth was tied with fellow poker legends Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan on the all-time list – with ten wins each. Speculation ran as to which player would reach the 11-mark first. Now, that question has finally been decided.

"This is the one I really wanted," Hellmuth said afterward in a post-tournament press conference. "I have so much respect for Doyle and Johnny. To now be at the top of the all-time (WSOP wins) list is really about as good a feeling as I have ever had."

"Poker players everywhere measure themselves against each other by how many WSOP bracelets they have," said Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the World Series of Poker. "Now, all WSOP bracelet holders must measure themselves against Phil Helmuth. He is a true sports champion and we could not be happier for him."

Hellmuth's 19-year poker career shows an astonishing level of accomplishment. All of his 11 wins have been in the game popular poker game of hold'em. His most celebrated victory up to this point was his first win – at the 1989 world poker championship. Over the next nearly-two decades, Hellmuth won three bracelets in a single year (1993). He also won number 10 last year, after trailing his rivals Brunson and Chan for over two years.

Hellmuth's latest win in Event #15 at this year's WSOP marked the largest number of opponents he has ever defeated in a tournament. Three days ago when the event started, there were 2,628 entrants. By Monday afternoon, play got down to the final nine. Finally, at 7:55 pm Hellmuth won the final hand of the night against the runner up, Andy Philachack.

The evening ended with an official WSOP gold bracelet ceremony recorded by ESPN and attended by a full house of media and spectators. Fittingly, it was Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan who took the main and presented Phil Hellmuth with gold bracelet number eleven, designed and made by luxury Swiss watchmaker Corum.

by Nolan Dalla