The Poker Brat Who Built a Business Empire
Most people know Phil Hellmuth as poker's biggest winner.
Seventeen World Series of Poker bracelets. $30 million in earnings.
But here's what most people miss.
He's quietly turned that poker brain into one of the sharpest business portfolios in the game.
From Bluffs to Billion-Dollar Bets
Hellmuth doesn't just win pots. He wins deals.
He was an early investor in PrizePicks, the fantasy sports platform now used by millions of players.
He bought stakes in Muzik, a smart headphone company backed by Drake and LeBron.
He advised Zen Gaming in esports, Lasso in performance apparel, and Deck of Dice in mobile gaming.
When crypto came calling, he moved early.
Hellmuth invested in YouStake and BlitzPredict, two Web3 projects built on player crowdfunding and prediction markets.
In 2025 he joined Squirrel Wallet as a strategic advisor, helping build a platform that tokenizes real-world assets.
Asked why he keeps getting involved in new industries, he said, "Success in poker and finance both come down to smart decision-making, strategy, and timing."
He's not guessing. He's applying 30 years of high-stakes logic to the future of money and technology.
Turning Equity Into His New Currency
Phil isn't just throwing chips at startups.
He's structuring deals like a pro.
He's taken equity in more than 25 companies as an advisor, usually between 2 and 3 percent per deal.
And when the big money showed up in Silicon Valley, he was already sitting at the table.
He helped connect the dots that led to a $5 billion SPAC merger taking Rush Street Interactive public.
He personally brought Rush Street's founders together with investors.
That same company now runs BetRivers and made Hellmuth its official ambassador and content partner.
The man who once ranted about bad beats is now sitting on multimillion-dollar equity wins.
The Network Nobody Else Has
Hellmuth plays poker with billionaires, but he's not just there for the game.
He's the one making introductions that turn into empires.
He personally connected venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya with Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.
That meeting led to Chamath buying 10 percent of the Warriors for $25 million. That stake is worth over $500 million today.
"I walked him into that deal," Phil said.
He didn't just win a poker hand that night. He helped orchestrate one of the best sports investments of the decade.
He's also close with the Silicon Valley elite. The same circle that includes Elon Musk, Chamath, and early Facebook insiders.
When they need a connector who understands risk, reads people, and can make anyone feel like they belong at the table, they call Phil.
The Brand Behind the Brat
While others tried to "tone it down," Phil turned his reputation into a business.
He built a personal brand that makes money while he sleeps.
He sells Poker Brat apparel to fans worldwide.
He wrote #POSITIVITY, a New York Times bestseller endorsed by Sheryl Sandberg and Tony Robbins.
And his autobiography Poker Brat gives readers the full playbook of what it takes to win at life, not just cards.
He's hosted corporate events for Tiger Global, emceed high-stakes charity games for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and helped raise more than $60 million for charity.
He's been a commentator on ESPN, a guest on Showtime's Billions, and a staple on PokerGO.
The same stage presence that made him famous now fuels every brand that partners with him.
The Blueprint
Phil Hellmuth is the definition of a crossover success.
He used the traits that made him unbeatable at poker—emotional control, risk management, pattern recognition—and applied them to startups, media, and investing.
He's lived the phrase every poker player dreams about.
He took his bankroll and turned it into a business portfolio.
He's not just the greatest poker player of all time.
He's the guy who proved the smartest people in the room don't have to stay at the table.