Marty Wilson
Encyclopedia
Marty Wilson is an English
professional poker player from Wolverhampton
. His nickname originates from when, as a teenager, he escaped several rival football
fans by jumping into a polar bear
pit.
His extensive career dates back to an early World Series of Poker
visit in 1985. However he first gained public notoriety by finishing runner-up in the £300 Pot Limit Hold-Em event at the Victoria Casino in London
.
He went on to become a regular on the Late Night Poker
television series, being one of few players to appear in every series. His only win on the series was in his heat during series 3, where he defeated a field including Surinder Sunar
and Pascal "Triple P" Perrault
to get his seat in the Grand Final. He went on to finish 4th in the Final, which was eventually won by Phil Hellmuth Jr
.
Wilson's biggest win came in 1998, when he won the Carnival of Poker tournament at the Rio, taking home $171,000.
In 2001, during the £300 Pot Limit Hold-Em tournament in Glasgow
, Scotland
he split the pot to take a £7,500 share of the first prize. The next year he won the $150 Pot Limit Hold-Em tournament in Dundee
, Scotland, which included a rare final table appearance by Late Night Poker commentator Nic Szeremeta
.
In 2004 he won the No Limit Hold-Em tournament at the Crown Australasian Poker Championship in Melbourne
, defeating a final table including Peter "The Poet" Costa
, "Barmy" Barny Boatman
and "Cowboy" Kenna James
. On the trip he found an address book left in his hotel room. He eventually realised it belonged to his brother Michael, who he had not seen in 18 years. He returned to the Crown Championship in 2005, taking the Pot Limit Omaha title as well.
In addition to playing tournaments, Marty is also a consultant for Matchroom Sports, the Floor Manager for the PartyPoker Den and an online player for NoblePoker.
He has also taught several celebrities how to play poker, including Matthew Stevens
, Barry Hearn
, Phil "The Power" Taylor, Tom Cruise
, Michael Greco
and Helen Chamberlain
(who went on to place second in the 2005 Poker Million
tournament.
Marty has appeared on television many times including Late Night Poker
and Heads Up with Richard Herring
.
As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,000,000.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional poker player from Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. His nickname originates from when, as a teenager, he escaped several rival football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
fans by jumping into a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
pit.
His extensive career dates back to an early World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
visit in 1985. However he first gained public notoriety by finishing runner-up in the £300 Pot Limit Hold-Em event at the Victoria Casino in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He went on to become a regular on the Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker is the pioneering television show that helped pave the way for the explosion of interest in poker in the 2000's. With it's ground breaking use of "under the table" cameras that enabled the viewer to see each player's cards, the show became a cult hit on Channel 4 UK when it first...
television series, being one of few players to appear in every series. His only win on the series was in his heat during series 3, where he defeated a field including Surinder Sunar
Surinder Sunar
Surinder Sunar is a British professional poker player based in Wolverhampton, who gained fame as a three-time finalist in the Late Night Poker television series....
and Pascal "Triple P" Perrault
Pascal Perrault
Pascal "Triple P" Perrault is a French professional poker player, who specialises in tournament play. The nickname "Triple P" is short for Pascal "Poison" Perrault, a reference to his other profession as a pharmacist....
to get his seat in the Grand Final. He went on to finish 4th in the Final, which was eventually won by Phil Hellmuth Jr
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth is an American professional poker player. He is best known for holding a record 11 World Series of Poker bracelets, for winning the Main Event of the 1989 World Series of Poker and for his temperamental, "poker brat" personality...
.
Wilson's biggest win came in 1998, when he won the Carnival of Poker tournament at the Rio, taking home $171,000.
In 2001, during the £300 Pot Limit Hold-Em tournament in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
he split the pot to take a £7,500 share of the first prize. The next year he won the $150 Pot Limit Hold-Em tournament in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland, which included a rare final table appearance by Late Night Poker commentator Nic Szeremeta
Nic Szeremeta
Nic Szeremeta is a poker player of mixed English/Polish descent, noted as a former editor of Poker Monthly magazine, and creator of the popular Late Night Poker television series -Early Life:Nic's father, who used to play draw poker himself, was a rear gunner who went missing during World War II.He...
.
In 2004 he won the No Limit Hold-Em tournament at the Crown Australasian Poker Championship in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, defeating a final table including Peter "The Poet" Costa
Peter Costa
Peter Costa to Greek Cypriot parents is a British professional poker player based in Las Vegas, Nevada.He is most well known as the winner of the sixth series of the popular Late Night Poker television series during his time living in the United Kingdom, where he defeated Austria's Jin Cai Lin in...
, "Barmy" Barny Boatman
Barny Boatman
Barny M. P. Boatman , is an English professional poker player and the oldest member of the poker-playing foursome known as The Hendon Mob...
and "Cowboy" Kenna James
Kenna James
Kenna James is an American professional poker player, television commentator and consultant who currently resides in Costa Mesa, California....
. On the trip he found an address book left in his hotel room. He eventually realised it belonged to his brother Michael, who he had not seen in 18 years. He returned to the Crown Championship in 2005, taking the Pot Limit Omaha title as well.
In addition to playing tournaments, Marty is also a consultant for Matchroom Sports, the Floor Manager for the PartyPoker Den and an online player for NoblePoker.
He has also taught several celebrities how to play poker, including Matthew Stevens
Matthew Stevens
Matthew Stevens is a Welsh professional snooker player. Stevens has won two of the game's most prestigious events, the Benson and Hedges Masters in 2000 and the UK Championship in 2003. He has also been the runner-up in the World Snooker Championship on two occasions, in 2000 and 2005...
, Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn is an English sporting events promoter, and the founder and chairman of promotions company Matchroom Sport. He is currently the chairman of Leyton Orient F.C., and the Professional Darts Corporation and was also until July 2010 chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker...
, Phil "The Power" Taylor, Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, Michael Greco
Michael Greco
Michael Greco is an English actor and poker player. He was educated in Surrey, England at Reigate College. Internet rumours claim he was born in Dunbar, Scotland, but Greco himself states that this is false, and that he grew up in London....
and Helen Chamberlain
Helen Chamberlain
Helen Marie Chamberlain is an English television presenter.She previously worked as a holiday camp entertainer and Disc Jockey before working on a variety of radio and television programmes...
(who went on to place second in the 2005 Poker Million
Poker Million
The Poker Million has been a televised European poker tournament since its inception in November 2000. The final debuted to 30 million viewers and has since remained popular. It was created by UK gaming outfit Ladbrokes with the help of sports promotion firm Matchroom Sport...
tournament.
Marty has appeared on television many times including Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker is the pioneering television show that helped pave the way for the explosion of interest in poker in the 2000's. With it's ground breaking use of "under the table" cameras that enabled the viewer to see each player's cards, the show became a cult hit on Channel 4 UK when it first...
and Heads Up with Richard Herring
Heads Up with Richard Herring
Heads Up with Richard Herring or HUWRH, was a British celebrity chat show written by and starring Richard Herring, who is best known as one half of comedy duo Lee and Herring, the stars of BBC Two shows Fist of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy...
.
As of 2008, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,000,000.