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Mike Matusow, known as “The Mouth”, is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas. He has won four World Series of Poker bracelets in four different games, reached the WSOP Main Event final table in 2001 and 2005, and won the 2013 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. WSOP.com has described him as “one of the most recognizable poker players in the world during the Poker Boom of the 2000’s.” [2][6][8]
Mike Matusow: key facts
| Full name | Michael Matusow [2] |
|---|---|
| Nickname | “The Mouth” [1] |
| Country | United States [1] |
| Born | August 30, 1968, Los Angeles, California [3][4] |
| Lives in | Las Vegas, Nevada [4] |
| Known for | Table talk, televised cash games, WSOP titles in mixed games |
| WSOP bracelets | 4 (151 WSOP cashes, 35 final tables) [2] |
| Major titles | WSOP Tournament of Champions 2005; NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship 2013 [3][8] |
| Poker Hall of Fame | Finalist several times, not inducted [7] |
| Live tournament earnings | $10,851,001 as of October 5, 2026 [1] |
Early life
Matusow was born in Los Angeles and has long been based in Las Vegas. [4] His autobiography opens with a 23-year-old Matusow living in a trailer, working in his parents’ furniture store and, in the words of the PokerNews review, “regularly blowing his paycheck on video poker.” [9]
Beginning in poker
He started playing poker in the early 1990s after a friend introduced him to the game. Before turning professional he worked as a poker dealer, which, according to PokerNews, let him watch strategies play out over countless hands. [1][5] His first WSOP cash came in 1997. [4]
A year later he was part of one of the best-known stakes in WSOP history. In 1998 he paid one third of Scotty Nguyen’s satellite entry into the Main Event, and when Nguyen won the title and $1 million, Matusow received a third of the prize. [1]
Playing style
Matusow’s nickname comes from his reputation for “talking trash at the poker table”. PokerNews recalls that at the 2004 Main Event he berated the eventual champion, Greg Raymer. [1] Away from the table talk, his results cover a wide range of games: his four bracelets came in No-Limit Hold’em, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo. [2] WSOP.com wrote in 2026 that he “excelled in both tournaments and cash games”. [6]
Greatest achievements
WSOP bracelets
| Year | Event | Entries | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Event #18: $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw (Rebuy) | 85 | $537,862 | [2] |
| 2013 | Event #13: $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better | 210 | $266,503 | [2] |
| 1999 | Event #11: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em | 205 | $265,475 | [2] |
| 2002 | Event #29: $5,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo | 79 | $148,520 | [2] |
His WSOP.com profile lists 151 cashes, 35 final tables and $7,339,492 in WSOP earnings. [2] WSOP.com noted that the 2013 Stud Hi-Lo title came in an event Matusow considers his best game. [4]
Other major results
| Year | Event | Result | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | WSOP Main Event | 9th | $1,000,000 | [3] |
| 2005 | WSOP Tournament of Champions | 1st | $1,000,000 | [3] |
| 2013 | NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship | 1st | $750,000 | [8] |
| 2007 | WPT Bellagio Cup III | 2nd | $671,320 | [3] |
| 2001 | WSOP Main Event | 6th | nearly $240,000 | [1] |
In 2005 Matusow collected two prizes of $1,000,000: for ninth place in the Main Event in July and for winning the WSOP Tournament of Champions in November. [3] At the 2013 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship he beat Scott Seiver in the semifinals and Phil Hellmuth in the final. The deciding hand saw his 8♦️4♦️ complete a flush on the river against Hellmuth’s top pair, and Hellmuth took $300,000 as runner-up. [8]
Main Event final tables
Matusow reached two WSOP Main Event final tables. [5] In 2001 he finished sixth. [1] In 2005 he went out in ninth place when his pocket kings lost to Scott Lazar’s aces: a king on the flop gave him the lead, but Lazar made a flush on the turn and river. [10]
Poker Hall of Fame
Matusow is not a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. He was first named a finalist in 2013 and was again on the list in 2017, when WSOP.com described him as a four-time bracelet winner with more than $9 million in career tournament earnings. [11][5] In 2026 he was one of eight finalists, but Jason Koon was the only player inducted. PokerNews wrote that Matusow had then been nominated 12 times since 2013 without being inducted. [6][7]
Books and TV
Matusow appeared on High Stakes Poker and was a regular on Poker After Dark, which he won once. He was also a member of Team Full Tilt. [1]
In 2009 he published his autobiography, Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil, written with Amy Calistri and Tim Lavalli. The book covers his poker career alongside his personal struggles. [9]
In his own words
- “You gotta go for it, baby! I told you it was my time!” After winning the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, 2013. [8]
- “I really think I belong in the Poker Hall of Fame. If you look at my record, I’m right up there.” After winning his fourth bracelet, 2013. [4]
- “I felt like I was the best player at the table the whole way.” On the final day of the 2013 Stud Hi-Lo event. [4]
- “I said to ESPN and everybody in 2005 that the only way I wouldn’t win is if they gave me kings against aces.” On his exit from the 2005 Main Event. [10]
Iconic hands and moments
Matusow at the 2004 WSOP Main Event
Mike Matusow vs. Antonio Esfandiari on Poker After Dark
Mike Matusow vs. Shaun Deeb on High Stakes Duel
FAQ about Mike Matusow
How old is Mike Matusow?
Mike Matusow was born on August 30, 1968, so he is 58 years old as of October 5, 2026. [3]
Where is Mike Matusow from?
He was born in Los Angeles, California, and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. [4]
Why is Mike Matusow called “The Mouth”?
The nickname comes from his reputation for talking trash at the poker table. [1]
What is Mike Matusow’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure for his net worth. What can be verified is his live tournament record: $10,851,001 in earnings as of October 5, 2026, according to PokerNews. Cash game results are not published. [1]
How many WSOP bracelets does Mike Matusow have?
Four, won in 1999, 2002, 2008 and 2013. [2]
Did Mike Matusow make the WSOP Main Event final table?
Yes, twice. He finished sixth in 2001 and ninth in 2005, when he won $1,000,000. [1][3]
Is Mike Matusow in the Poker Hall of Fame?
No. He was a finalist again in 2026, but Jason Koon was the only inductee that year. [7]
Did Mike Matusow write a book?
Yes. His autobiography, Mike Matusow: Check-Raising the Devil, written with Amy Calistri and Tim Lavalli, was published in 2009. [9]
Related Poker Legends
Read more about Scotty Nguyen, whose 1998 Main Event win Matusow had a share in, Phil Hellmuth, his opponent in the 2013 NBC Heads-Up final, and Stu Ungar.
Sources
- PokerNews, Mike Matusow player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- WSOP.com, Michael Matusow player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- Card Player, Mike Matusow player profile, accessed October 5, 2026.
- WSOP.com, Mike Matusow Wins Fourth Gold Bracelet, June 8, 2013.
- WSOP.com, Ten Finalists for the 2017 Poker Hall of Fame Unveiled, July 9, 2017.
- WSOP.com, 8 Finalists Named for 2026 Poker Hall of Fame Induction, June 24, 2026.
- PokerNews, Poker Hall of Fame: Jason Koon Named Sole Inductee in First Year of Eligibility, August 3, 2026.
- PokerNews, The Weekly Turbo: Mike Matusow Wins NBC Heads-Up, January 2013.
- PokerNews, Poker Book Review: Check-Raising the Devil by Mike Matusow, May 12, 2009.
- PokerNews, The Poker Hand I’ll Never Forget: Mike Matusow, June 2017.
- WSOP.com, Ten Finalists for 2013 Poker Hall of Fame Unveiled, September 25, 2013.
Last verified: October 5, 2026. Figures that change over time, such as career earnings, are given with the date they were checked.
