Mike Sexton Poker Player Story
In 2020, the poker community lost one of the big voices of the game. The professional poker player and commentator Mike Sexton died at the age of 72. His impressive career earned him multiple wins, induction into the Poker Hall of Fame, and the nickname “The Ambassador of Poker”. This is the story of Mike Sexton.
Who Was Mike Sexton?
Sexton was an American professional poker player and commentator. He was a central figure in the poker community and commentated on the World Poker Tour with actor and former professional tennis player Vince Van Patten.
He won his first and only bracelet in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Split event at the 1989 World Series of Poker.
His impact and achievements did not go unnoticed. Mike Sexton was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009.
Early Life of Mike Sexton
He was born Michael Richard Sexton on September 22, 1947 in Shelbyville, Indiana. His parents divorced when he was only four years old. When he was young, he was far from a poker player. He was a gymnast.
He earned a degree in public recreation after changing majors from business at Ohio State University. He began playing poker during college and often joked that he actually majored in poker because of the time he spent playing. Besides poker, he also played a bit of contract bridge.
Eventually he went on to join the U.S. Army as a paratrooper. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in 1970. He never saw combat, as the division had just returned from the war in Vietnam.
His past as a gymnast became useful when he taught himself ballroom dancing in the army and began teaching it to others. One of his clients saw a future salesman in Mike and encouraged him to pursue sales. This became relevant later in his life. During this time he got married. Mike spent a short period working as a salesman before returning to his “major” in poker.
The Ambassador of Poker
Mike Sexton proved himself at the poker table. He had an astounding 17 career cashes on the World Poker Tour, and in 2016 he won the WPT Montreal main event for $317,896 – at 68, becoming the oldest WPT champion in the tour’s history.
His cashes aside, Mike also cemented himself as an innovator and entrepreneur. He co-founded Partypoker, which became a major force in online poker and at one point topped the list of the biggest poker sites in the United States – right at the height of the boom we cover in our history of poker.
It had a rough patch, running a $500k deficit after its 2001 launch. The former salesman sold his shares two and a half years later for $15 million. The company then went public in 2005 at a valuation in the billions. Ouch.
By some estimates his early exit cost him hundreds of millions of dollars in upside, but he never regretted the decision.
Charity
Even having left a fortune on the table, Mike gave a great deal of money away. His charitable donations ran well beyond $1,000,000.
In 2006 he donated his entire winnings and pledged to do so with all following prizes. In 2009, the same year he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, he went a bit further.
Together with Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and Lisa Tenner, he created PokerGives.org. The non-profit organization made it easier for poker players to donate to charity.
His wins, commentary, entrepreneurship and heart for charity earned him the honor of being recognized as the top poker ambassador at the Card Player of the Year Awards Gala in 2006. Hence his nickname, The Ambassador of Poker.
Private Life of Mike Sexton
Mike’s early divorce pushed him to spend most of his time on poker, but at the age of 60 he remarried. The lucky woman was a hostess at the Bellagio casino. Her name is Karen, and they had a son together.
His personality and work ethic drew significant praise from some of the biggest names in the game. Daniel Negreanu said: “He’s always put a good face on poker. He’s always been someone who promotes the game in a very, very positive way.”
The kind words kept coming. Phil Hellmuth once said: “Love Mike Sexton. He has been one of the biggest ambassadors for poker we’ve ever had.”
Sadly, Mike Sexton died on September 6, 2020, at the age of 72 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Mike Sexton will continue to live on in the Poker Hall of Fame and in poker history, as Nolan Dalla put it: “Mike Sexton is simply one of the most important people in the history of the game.”
Are You the Next Mike Sexton?
Want to test your skills against your friends in a free game of private digital poker? The EasyPoker app provides chips, cards and an unlimited amount of games for free.
It’s a digital version of a physical poker set that takes care of everything, so all you have to do is play your cards.
Get the poker app for Android and iPhone, create a private table, share the 4-digit game PIN and start playing with friends.
Want More Poker Player Stories?
The game is full of lives worth reading about. If Mike’s story landed, try Doyle Brunson, the Godfather of Poker, Doug Polk, who went from Warcraft to heads-up dominance, or Maria Ho, who went from family black sheep to one of the game’s best-known ambassadors. There’s also our tribute to the top Danish poker players.
If there’s a player you’d like us to profile next, let us know.
Mike Sexton FAQ
Who was Mike Sexton?
Mike Sexton was an American professional poker player, commentator, entrepreneur and Poker Hall of Fame member known as The Ambassador of Poker.
Why was Mike Sexton called The Ambassador of Poker?
Mike Sexton earned the nickname because he promoted poker positively through commentary, tournament play, online poker, charity work and his public role in the poker community.
Did Mike Sexton help create Partypoker?
Yes. Mike Sexton co-founded Partypoker, which became one of the largest online poker platforms.
When did Mike Sexton die?
Mike Sexton died on September 6, 2020, at the age of 72 after battling prostate cancer.
How can I play poker with friends today?
EasyPoker lets you create a private poker table from your phone, share a 4-digit game PIN and play with friends using digital cards and chips.
