Phil Ivey Biography Book: Early Life, Career, Awards, Wife, Children. & Net Worth

Joseph KaluFeb 17, 2026

Phil Ivey (born February 1, 1977) is an American professional poker player who has won eleven World Series of Poker bracelets, one World Poker Tour title, and made nine World Poker Tour final tables. Many poker observers and contemporaries consider Ivey to be the world’s top all-around player.

In 2017, he was elected to the Poker Hall of Fame. He also serves as an ambassador for WPT Global.

Phil Ivey Biography

Phil Ivey born as Philip Denis Ivey Jr., was born in February 1st, 1977 in the United States of America. In the late 1990s, Ivey began honing his poker skills by competing against coworkers at a New Brunswick, New Jersey-based telemarketing agency. As a child, he played five-card stud with his grandfather and became acquainted with the game.

One of his nicknames, “No Home Jerome,” refers to the bogus ID card he obtained to play poker in Atlantic City, New Jersey, when he was a teenager. He was given the nickname “The Phenom”. His other nickname is “the Tiger Woods of Poker”.

Ivey was born in Riverside, California, and relocated to Roselle, New Jersey, at three months old. He attended Old Bridge High School in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, and graduated.

Career

In 2000, Ivey achieved his first career bracelet by winning a Pot Limit Omaha tournament at the World Series of Poker. In winning the tournament, Ivey became the first person to defeat Amarillo Slim head-on at a WSOP final table.

Ivey’s tournament victories include three bracelets at the 2002 World Series of Poker, tying Phil Hellmuth Jr, Ted Forrest, and Puggy Pearson for the most World Series tournament wins in a single year. He won another Pot Limit Omaha tournament in 2005 for $635,603.

Ivey won his sixth career bracelet in the $2,500 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball Event at the 2009 World Series of Poker. He overcame 147 players to win his bracelet. He won a heads-up match against John Monnette.

He then won another bracelet in the $2,500 1/2 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 1/2 Omaha Hi/Lo event, defeating a field of 376 competitors. He beat Ming Lee in a head-to-head match.

At the 2010 World Series of Poker, Ivey won the most votes for the Tournament of Champions. At the 2010 World Series of Poker, Ivey won his eighth bracelet in the $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event against a final table that included Bill Chen (2nd), John Juanda (3rd), Jeff Lisandro (5th), and Chad Brown (8th).

At the 2024 World Series of Poker, Ivey won his 11th bracelet in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Tie Draw Championship for $347,440. From 2002 to 2009, Ivey finished in the top 25 players in the Main Event four times, in fields ranging in size from 600 to just under 7,000. Ivey placed 23rd in 2002, 10th in 2003, 20th in 2005, and seventh in 2009.

Ivey finished 10th in the 2003 WSOP Main Event, one spot short of the final table. He was ousted by eventual champion Chris Moneymaker on a hand in which Ivey’s complete house was beaten by Moneymaker’s larger full house on the river. In 2009, he finished 7th in the Main Event, losing to Darvin Moon’s A♦ Q♠ when a queen partnered Moon on the flip.

He earned $1,404,002 in prizes. On January 29, 2012, Ivey won the Aussie Millions A$250,000 High-roller event, defeating Patrik Antonius heads-up for a payout of A$2,000,000, which put him second in all-time career tournament earnings. Ivey had placed 12th in the Aussie Millions main event, earning a prize of A$100,000.

On February 10, 2014, Ivey won the 2014 Aussie Millions LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge for AU$4,000,000, the greatest single cash in his career. In February 2015, he won the Aussie Millions $250,000 Challenge once more, this time for AU$2,205,000.

As of 2026, Ivey’s total live tournament earnings exceed $54.4 million. He has 14 cashes in his live poker career totalling at least $1 million. He is presently placed sixth on the all-time money list.

Awards

All In Magazine’s 2005 Poker Player of the Year.
All In Magazine’s 2009 Poker Player of the Year.

Personal Life

Phil Ivey lives in Las Vegas. Following seven years of marriage, Ivey and his then-wife, Luciaetta, filed a joint divorce case in December 2009. Divorce was granted on December 29, 2009.

Phil Ivey Net Worth

Phil Ivey’s net worth is reported to range between $100 million and $125 million. He is widely considered one of history’s best poker players, having won multiple World Series of Poker bracelets and earned a lot of money from high-stakes cash games and private tournaments.