Phil Hellmuth isn’t known for doing much quietly. From his bombastic World Series of Poker Main Event costumes and entrances, to the hats embroidered with his number of career WSOP bracelets, to his emotional outbursts at the table, Hellmuth’s poker legend has been built on doing things loudly.
It’s part of what makes the events surrounding his record-extending 17th career WSOP gold bracelet so jarring. In a nearly empty ballroom, around 5 am local time at Horseshoe Las Vegas, Hellmuth defeated Justin Zaki heads up to extend his all-time WSOP bracelet record by winning the one-day, $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty event.
For his efforts, Hellmuth took home $803,818 (plus an additional $3,000 for each player he eliminated). That’s more than he earned for winning the 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event, and the second-largest prize among his 17 WSOP bracelet wins behind only the 2012 WSOP Europe Main Event ($1.33 million).
Hellmuth is now seven WSOP wins clear of a trio of players at 10 bracelets – the late Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Ivey. There could have been a swing in the other direction near the top of the all-time list, as Ivey made this final table as well. Ivey ultimately went out in sixth place when he ran head-first into Hellmuth’s pocket aces.
This win is Hellmuth’s first at the WSOP since 2021, when he won the $1,500 No Limit 2-7 Single Draw event. Nine of Hellmuth’s 17 career WSOP wins have been in No Limit Hold’em, with four other wins in other Hold’em variants.