T.J. Cloutier is the only poker player who has won bracelets from all three Omaha variants (Limit 8-or-Better High-low Split, Pot Limit High, and Limit High) at the WSOP series. This man, whose longevity in poker spans from the mid-1950s until now, was the best all-time MTT player from 1998 until 2006.
From the late 20th century to the early 2000s, T.J. Cloutier was flying high. He poses as one of the most successful poker players with six WSOP bracelets, a Poker Hall of Fame membership, and over $10.5 million earned from live tournaments.
To date, whenever “the Jack and 9 of Clubs” is mentioned, he is often the point of reference because that is his nickname. However, despite his achievements, he has suffered a financial downturn due to his long-standing addiction to craps gambling.
Today’s Vegas Aces Casino news sheds light on Cloutier’s life and career, including his gambling problem.
T.J.Cloutier and His Poker Wins With the Omaha Variants
T.J. Cloutier is a native of Albany, California. The poker legend was born on October 13, 1939. He started playing the table game (no-limit lowball) when he was 17. However, Cloutier wasn’t getting any good return from the game until he switched to 5-card draws. He finally got to know the game and soon began crushing it at the game club.
T.J. Cloutier attended the University of California, Berkeley. He got American football and baseball scholarships there and played in the Rose Bowl in 1959. However, Cloutier dropped out of college at some point. He continued playing poker until he was enlisted in the Army to fight for the nation.
On completion of service, T.J. Cloutier returned to playing football, but he could not go far due to an injury. He left football and traveled to Texas to work on an oil rig, where he played poker with his colleagues. It was there that he decided he would play poker full-time.
He began playing underground games in the 1970s and was building his bankroll. Eventually, he won $200,000 a year from playing illegal private games. However, in 1983, the cop embarked on the operation to sweep Dallas clean of such activities. So, T.J. Cloutier relocated to Las Vegas to continue playing poker. He set foot in the live tournament scene the same year.
Tournament Achievements: SIX WSOP Bracelets Wins
T.J. Cloutier played in his first live tournament in January 1983. At the time, very few people were into tournaments, as most players were into underground cash poker games. A tournament could host as few as four players. In fact, only four players were featured in Cloutier’s first and second tournament events.
T.J. Cloutier participated in the WSOP tournament for the first time in 1985. He finished second in the $10,000 No Limit Hold ’em Main Event, which had about 140 players, and won $280,000.
Then, in 1987, T.J. Cloutier competed in the 18th WSOP series. He came first in the $1,000 Limit Omaha event, a 180-player event, securing his first WSOP bracelet and $72,000 prize money.
The following year, 1988, he competed in the Main Event of the 19th WSOP series. He reached the final table but eventually finished fifth in the 167-entry event, taking home $63,000. Johnny Chan won the event, while Erik Seidel finished second.
In between his WSOP participation, he competed in Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker. In 1990, he finished first in a $10,000 No Limit Hold ’em, winning $240,000. The same year, he claimed a $256,000 first-place prize from the Annual Diamond Jim Brady. Rounding up the year, he won another $113,400 for coming first in the Hall of Fame Poker Classic.
In April 1994, T.J. Cloutier had back-to-back WSOP bracelet wins. He claimed his second WSOP bracelet from a 225-player Omaha 8 or Better event. Then, he secured the third from a 163-entry Pot Limit Hold ’em event.
He won his fourth WSOP bracelet and $135,000 in May 1998 in an Omaha Pot Limit event at the 29th WSOP series. The same month, he finished third in the Main Event, earning a $437,500 cash prize.
He was just an inch away from winning the WSOP Main Event in 2000. He came second in the WSOP $10,000 No Limit Texas Hold ’em Main Event. However, he secured his best live cash, $896,500. He continued winning several poker events besides the WSOP for years.
In May 2004, T.J. Cloutier competed as usual at the 35th WSOP series. He claimed victory over poker greats like Howard Lederer to finish first in the 195-entry Seven Card Razz event, winning his fifth WSOP bracelet and $90,500. He secured his sixth bracelet the following year, 2005, after finishing first in the $5,000 No Limit Hold ’em for a cash prize of $657,100.
At the time of writing, his total live earnings from tournaments sit at $10,551,469.
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T.J. Cloutier’s Contributions to Poker
T.J. Cloutier has promoted poker through his writing and authorship. He wrote for CardPlayer magazine and has also authored five books on poker. In 1999, he published “Championship Omaha,” which contains instructions for winning the three Omaha variants. He published the book “Championship Holdem” in 2000, a guide to winning Limit Hold’em cash games.
In 2003, Cloutier published “Championship Tournament Practice Hands,” a book that gave insights into how players can win poker tournaments. The following year, he published “Championship No-Limit and Pot Limit Hold ’em.” Then, in 2006, he wrote “How To Win The Championship: Hold ’em Strategies For The Final Table.”
T.J. Cloutier earned a well-deserved seat at the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.
The Gambling Addiction That Broke T.J. Cloutier
Despite his great achievements and high-stakes wins in poker, T.J. Cloutier was a craps addict. It was once reported that he had lost more money than anyone in the game. Many of his poker wins were burned at the craps table.
In 2010, he became so financially broke that he had to put his 2005 WSOP bracelet on eBay for auction. He admitted that he had lost a lot in craps but claimed he doesn’t play anymore, trying to curb his addiction.
T.J. Cloutier remains a celebrated poker player. However, a lesson to pick from him is that responsible gaming must be prioritized at all times.
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