Biography
Paul Phua is a Malaysian businessman and a nosebleed-stakes poker player. He is a casino VIP junket operator who hosts high-stakes gambling in Macau. He is called "A Legend in the Gambling World" and the "World's Biggest Bookmaker"(IBCBET).
Background
Wei Seng "Paul" Phua was born in 1964 in Miri, Malaysia. He has a passion for sports and has played badminton, football, basketball, softball, and table tennis. He was 15 when he was sent to attend a school in Singapore. He played bowling before getting into the Macau casino junket business.
He lives in Macau and has a son, Darren Wai Kit Phua, a poker player. In 2014, the FBI arrested Paul on charges of handling $400 million in illegal sports betting. The US Department of Justice alleged that Paul was a senior member of the Hong Kong 14k triad. Still, the U.S. District Judge ruled that the FBI's raid of Phua's villa at Caesar's Palace was unconstitutional, and the case against him was dismissed.
Paul Phua's Poker Career
Paul Phua’s poker career started after the age of 40. Around 2010, the Las Vegas high-stakes cash games moved to Macau, and several players, including Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Chau Giang, Patrik Antonius and John Juanda started playing there.
The following year, Paul joined the game and learned from these players. In 2012, he played the 2012 World Series of Poker $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop event. The same year, he defeated Richard Yong in heads-up play and won the Aspers £100K High Roller in London. He won his largest cash prize of $1,621,297. In 2016, he won the One Drop Extravaganza €100,000 Super High Roller and took $827,722 home.
In September 2018, he participated in the biggest televised cash game pot and won $2.35 million. The following year, he finished second at the Triton Series 2019 £100,000 Tournament and won £2,558,305.
In 2016, he started his poker strategy website, Paul Phua Poker. Several players, including Phil Ivey, Timofey Kuznetsov, Dan Colman, Daniel Cates, Tom Dwan, Sam Trickett, and Lauren Roberts, contributed videos and tips for the website. The site promoted six-plus hold 'em, a new Texas Holdem variation in which cards from 2 to 5 are removed.
Paul Phua's Five Biggest Live Poker Results
|
Date |
Event |
Place |
Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
|
April 2019 |
£100,000 Triton London Main Event |
2/130 |
£2,558,305 ($3,113,429) |
|
May 2019 |
HK$1,000,000 Triton Montenegro Short Deck |
2/98 |
HK$17,100,000 ($2,178,871) |
|
April 2022 |
$250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Europe |
2/32 |
$2,080,000 |
|
March 2019 |
HK$1,000,000 Triton Jeju Short Deck |
2/81 |
HK$15,900,000 |
|
September 2012 |
£100,000 High Roller |
1/20 |
£1,000,000 ($1,621,297) |
Paul Phua Net Worth
Paul Phua has a total live earnings of $32,087,592.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Paul Phua make his money?
Apart from playing poker, Paul Phua also worked in the Macau casino junket industry, where he helped connect high rollers with the region’s gambling opportunities.
Is Paul Phua the owner of Triton?
No. Paul Phua is not the owner of the Triton. After clearing his name, he became the co-founder and face of the Triton Poker Series.
Is Paul Phua good at poker?
Paul Phua is widely acknowledged as one of the richest poker players in the world.
Where is Paul Phua from?
Paul Phua is from Miri, Malaysia.
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