Phil Hellmuth Goes Deep in WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Event

What do you get the man who has everything? More of the same, of course. For Phil Hellmuth, that means poker tournament victories. The Poker Brat has won virtually everything there is to win in poker, but over the last 24 hours, the California-based player missed out yet again on the one title that eludes him – a World Poker Tour Main Event.

What Was Phil Hellmuth Playing?

Far from being only a poker professional of 40 years, the 1989 world champion Phil Hellmuth is an angel investor, business partner and brand ambassador in 2026. Long held in high esteem by his fellow players, the Poker Brat, as he was once known, has mellowed noticeably in recent years.

Until yesterday.

Taking part in the Venetian Las Vegas Fall Main Event, Hellmuth was trying to get his name inscribed on the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup for the first time. Pushing past the money bubble with ease, Hellmuth is a 17-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and has racked up tournament earnings of over $31.7 million in his professional career, with compound interest on those early victories putting his poker wealth much higher, even if he is ‘only’ the 36^th most successful tournament poker player of all-time according to The Hendon Mob.

Add his business investments to his career earnings playing poker and Hellmuth is bringing in millions if not billions. For that reason, when he plays a poker tournament, he cares a lot and in trying to win a WPT Main Event, he’s looking to create more history for his legacy. The $5,000 buy-in event created a prizepool of over $2.3 million, awarding 64 players money.

Where Did Hellmuth Finish?

Of the 64 players who made it into the money, Hellmuth (above) might have been the most decorated, but he was by no means the only superstar. Cashing for $9,200 in 61^st place, Taylor Paur snuck a min-cash, while former lawyer turned WPT legend Anthony Zinno won $10,200 in 51^st place. Champions Club member John Phan won $12,100 in 46^th position, while phenom Landon Tice claimed $16,900 in 28^th place.

His exit was followed by a flurry of famous names from the poker world departing, with Jesse Lonis (27^th for $16,900), Joe McKeehen (22^nd for $19,500), and Shannon Shorr (21^st for $19,500) all crashing out before Phil Hellmuth moved all-in. Losing a coinflip, he fell in 20^th place, winning $22,200, four times his buy-in but being disconsolate as he busted.

‘A very disappointing result. Man, poker can be a little frustrating. When I get to play six hours against any field, it feels like you have a great chance to chip up, with people playing too aggressive and playing too many hands.”

The Poker Brat was understandably frustrated to get so close to a long-term goal but focused on what he could afterwards.

“I have to be grateful for everything I have in life, a big pile of blessings and health. I’ve played 15 no limit this year and I have three final tables, a second, and in two WPT [events] this year I’ve finished 50^th and 20^th out of big fields. I don’t need much luck to go further.”

Who Could Win the Venetian Las Vegas Fall Event?

With just six players remaining in the hunt, the field trimmed considerably on the penultimate day of the event, with Hellmuth’s exit prompting many more before the final half-dozen reached the final table. PokerGO PGT Sprint event winner Sam Soverel  came 17^th for a score of $25,000 before his fellow American pro Cherish Andrews followed him from the felt in 13^th for $32,500.

Keith Lehr busted in 10^th place for $38,500, before the eventual final table bubble boy was Mohammad Pourmandi. He called off his stack with king-deuce of diamonds on a flop of J-T-9 with two diamonds. Nick Pupillo snapped it off with ace-deuce in the same suit and through the five turn and four river, although the flush didn’t come in, Pupillo’s high-card played and the final table was set.

Pupillo’s elimination of Pourmandi in seventh place for $67,000 gave Pupillo the chip lead, as his stack of 8,525,000 dwarfed most around it. The American will start some way clear of fellow U.S. player Daniyal Gheba (5,725,000), while Chilean tournament crusher Nick Yunis (4,600,000) will start with 46 big blinds. After Matt Affleck (3,250,000), Craig Mason (1,775,000) and Anthony Piacquadio (1,625,000) will start as short stacks when play gets underway at 1.00pm local time in Las Vegas today.