Mike "The Mouth" Matusow

Mike Matusow is probably more personality than he is poker player when it comes right down to it. In fact, Mike Matusow, due to his … expressive nature has been lovingly nicknamed by the poker world as Mike “The Mouth” Matusow. Matusow has said it all… at the poker table.

The abrasive poker player has seen his share of time outs for improper language, gotten into verbal alterations at the poker table, and has on occasion been accused of what some might say are ‘questionable antics, or etiquette at the poker table. Well more accurately there are those that have wondered if Matusow has ever heard of poker ethic.
 
Given Mike’s background as the picked on kid in school while he grew up in Las Angeles California and later in Las Vegas, Matusow built up a strong outspoken personality in effort to survive bullies and avoid uncomfortable confrontations.

College wasn’t ever really a goal of Mike’s, he didn’t attend, he opted rather to become an auto mechanic.

The mechanic gig didn’t really work out, which is why it’s always good to have a backup plan, or a whole lot of outs. Matusow went to work shortly after the auto mechanic stint at his parent’s furniture store.
 
Mike first met the world of gambling in Maxim Casino, located in Las Vegas Nevada, where he played a bit of video poker; a bit being so much that he suffered from injuries related to repetitive movements in both his arms and his shoulders.

Matusow showed other signs of a gambling addiction, such as stealing from his mother by way of taking money directly from her purse.

Mike’s next stint involved a visit to Gamblers Anonymous.

Mike learned about gambling addictions, and he learned to become a healthy gambler, a successful gambler. His next job was a bit more in line with his future, the future poker pro took a dealing job at Sam’s Town Casino where he met Pro Poker player Steve Samaroff who took Mike under his wing teaching him the ropes of the game of poker.

Matusow began playing Texas Holdem and Omaha Hi/Lo after he dealt until he later folded up his position in the casino as a dealer, and took a shot at going pro himself.

Mike’s first big cash was at the 1997 World Series of Poker, where he played in the $2,000 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo event. Mike finished second to Scotty Nguyen and won a sweet $81,000.00 for his work there.

Apparently the two struck up a business deal for the next year somewhere along the line. Scotty helped Mike out during the 1998 WSOP and in exchange, Mike staked Scotty for one third of his $10,000.00 buy in to the 1998 World Series of Poker. Good investment. Nguyen took first place winning $1 million. One third of which went to Mike Matusow.

Mike went on to win a $3,500.  NL Holdem event that earned him his first ever WSOP bracelet, and $265,000 to boot.  His second bracelet came in 2002 when he won a $5k buyin Omaha Hi/Lo Split 8 or Better event.

More recently Matusow took down the $5k No Limit Holdem 2-7 Draw rebuy tournament in the 2008 WSOP netting a nice $537,862.

Mike Matusow stands for what’s real in poker. Real people, playing for real money. The professional card player has dealt with gambling addiction; he’s done jail time after being busted with cocaine in his possession. Mike’s struggled with an ongoing drug problem. He keeps it real on the poker table too, with his many outbursts one well known more than others, when the poker pro brow beat Greg “The Fossil man” Raymer throughout the 2004 WSOP Main Event.

So some love him for his big mouth, others hate him for it, some root him on for it, others, like the High Stakes Poker Show, and Poker After Dark television show… Hire him for it. Mike now plays at Full Tilt Poker and is part of Team Full Tilt with Phil Ivey and Chris Ferguson