Scotty Nguyen Net Worth
Scotty Nguyen Net Worth and Poker Career
Scotty Nguyen, also known as the “Prince of Poker,” is one of the world’s most successful professional poker players of all time. Not only that, but he is also one of the most well-known figures in the industry.
Scotty, who is fifty-five years old, has five World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and is the only poker player to have won both the $50,000 Player’s Championship event and the Main Event.
Emerging from a humble beginning, Scotty Nguyen net worth and poker career are worth exploring. This article will look at this poker guru’s early life, poker career, net worth, personal life, and career highlights.
Early Life of Scotty Nguyen
Scotty Nguyen is a well-known Vietnamese American poker player who has won numerous poker tournaments. Scotty, the eldest of 13 children, was born as Thuan Nguyen on October 28, 1962 in NhaTrang during the Vietnam War.
He had decided at a young age that he would not stay in the war-torn country for long. It’s no surprise, then, that he jumped at the chance when his mother asked him to go to Taiwan. He left for Taiwan when he was 11 years old, and from then until he was 13, he worked mostly in manual labor to save enough money to move to America.
He enrolled in school, but he didn’t stay long because he was expelled for failing to perform well in class. Making money from underground poker games was more important to Nguyen than spending hours staring at books, so he didn’t give his expulsion from school much thought.
When he was fourteen, he found a family in America who took him in as a foster child. His foster family was referred to as a sponsor family because the plan was for them to care for him until he could care for himself before releasing him.
His foster family resided in Chicago, USA. However, as soon as Scotty arrived in Chicago, he realized that the city would be too cold for him to live in. It wasn’t long before he began looking for another sponsor family in a warmer part of the country. He was eventually placed with a foster family in Orange County, California, and moved in with them.
He was enrolled in school when he arrived in his foster home, but after a few days, he charted his own path; a path that has led him to where he is today. Nguyen began learning how to play poker while in school, and he became obsessed with the game to the point where he lost interest in anything academic.
Instead of staying in class and studying, Scotty could be found in an empty room or in the back of his classroom with his classmates playing poker games. He received constant reprimands and suspensions from school, and when the principal discovered that he was unwilling to change, he expelled him.
Nguyen had his sights set on Las Vegas since he first began playing poker. Since he had been expelled from school and his sponsor family had released him to go wherever he pleased, he packed his belongings and traveled to Las Vegas, where he found work waiting tables at Harrah’s Casino.
When he arrived in Las Vegas, he discovered that his beautiful dream of the city was not coming true, but he consoled himself with the fact that he was in the city where he most desired to be. At the time, he was known as ‘Scotty’ because his boss couldn’t pronounce his first name and gave him a new one.
Scotty was given the opportunity to begin dealing poker while working at Harrah’s Casino. Apart from dealing in poker, he was also heavily involved in playing the game, and he frequently gambled away all of his earnings. Nguyen describes himself as a “fish” during this time in his life.
Despite the fact that he was losing money at games, he continued to play. He enrolled in a dealer school and graduated when he was twenty-one years old. After graduating from dealer school, he was hired at Harrah’s poker room, where he earned $150 USD per night and lost nearly all of it gambling at $3-$6 stud.
Scotty Nguyen Early Poker Career
While dealing cards, he began to observe the game patterns of the players to whom he was dealing cards. He began to participate in smaller buy-in tournaments after saving enough money. Of course, like any other professional poker player, he suffered some setbacks along the way and had to return to his dealing jobs to earn more money in order to compete in other tournaments. He began sitting at poker tables to play real-money games.
Scotty Nguyen net worth began to take shape in 1985, as his fortunes improved significantly. He was invited to Lake Tahoe to compete in a No Limit Hold’ Em tournament. With the small bankroll he brought with him, he dealt all day and played cash games all night at this tournament. At the end of the game, his meager bankroll had grown to $7,000, and his poker game had taken a dramatic turn.
Between 1991 and 1994, he finished ten tournaments with a $300 or less buy-in. Scotty Nguyen has demonstrated proficiency and professionalism in a variety of poker games since the beginning of his poker career.
Pot Limit Em, Limit Hold’ Em, Omaha, Seven Card Study Hi/Lo, No Limit Hold’ Em, and Omaha Hi/Lo were among the ten tournaments he placed in during this time period. Even though he only earned about $65,000 USD in these ten tournaments, he gained valuable experience that was more valuable than money. This experience led to big wins for Scotty Nguyen, which naturally increased his net worth significantly.
After a string of victories in low-buy-in games, he decided to step it up a notch and began playing in big leagues. When he first began competing in the World Series of Poker, he made his first 36 cashes in the $2,500 Limit Hold’Em event at the 1995 WSOP. He finished in 13th place and earned a total of $4,650.
Scotty Nguyen net worth reached $1 million USD in a short period of time after he returned to Las Vegas after the game. As soon as he reached this figure, his name and gaming style became well-known throughout Las Vegas. He soon began playing poker with Puggy Pearson, David Grey, and Johnny Chan.
Following his big win, he purchased a Corvette for $21,000, a Chevrolet Camaro for $17,000, and a nice condo for $60,000. He paid for everything in cash. He moved to Caesars Palace and began playing big-league poker games, winning $50,000 to $900,000 USD per night.
He won the World Series of Poker bracelet five times during his professional poker career. He also won the Main Event of the 1998 World Series of Poker, as well as the $50,000 USD H.O.R.S.E World Championship at the 2008 World Series of Poker. Scotty is the first and only player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event as well as the $50,000 Player’s Championship.
Nguyen began using recreational drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol, which all became a full-fledged addiction for him. At some point in his career, he suffered significant losses, which significantly reduced Scotty Nguyen’s net worth.
He was only left with $5,000 in cash and a spare room after his loss. Despite his defeat, he did not abandon poker. He continued to engage in games. Of course, it wasn’t easy for him because, while he was winning some, he was also losing some.
Scotty Nguyen Full Professional Poker Career
Scotty had to rebuild his $1 million bankroll after losing it in order to continue playing at tables. In 1997, fortune smiled on him once more. During that year’s World Series of Poker, he won the $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better tournament event, earning a total of $150,000.
However, he quickly depleted his bankroll and went bankrupt before the next World Series of Poker in 1998. Because he couldn’t play for higher stakes, he had to make do with small satellite tournaments, which he couldn’t even afford. Mike Matusow later discovered that Nguyen has some potential and decided to fund one-third of his buy-in.
Scotty is well-known for his emotional outbursts at the poker table. Mike Matusow bankrolled Scotty with one-third of the buy-in at the 1998 World Series of Poker, and he won the game. He later divided his winnings and paid Matusow $333,333 for his investment.
Scotty Nguyen defeated his opponent, McBride, in the final hand of the WSOP Main Event with a better full house. He won the event and was awarded the 1998 WSOP Championship bracelet. Unfortunately, tragedy struck Nguyen’s family, reducing his WSOP victory.
The day after his victory, his brother was killed when he was hit by a car in Vietnam. Scotty was unable to wear his bracelet after the event due to the tragedy and in memory of his brother.
Scotty Nguyen advanced to several WPT (World Poker Tour) final tables after winning the 1998 tournament, and he finally won the 2006 WPT event by defeating Michael Mizrachi in heads-up during the fourth season of the Gold Strike World Poker Opening. With this new victory, Nguyen became one of only six players in history to have won both the WSOP main event and the WPT title.
During the 2007 World Series of Poker, he finished second in the 7-card Stud Hugh Low Split 8 or Better event. He came in second place, trailing Eli Elezra. Nguyen stated that after this event, he had not played any cash games in more than two years because he prefers to play in a friendly environment, which is not possible in serious cash games or tournaments. He nearly made it to the final table of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, but finished eleventh out of 6,358 players. During this game, he earned a total of $476,926.
Scotty displayed what many people perceived to be an obnoxious and rule-breaking attitude at the $50,000 WSOP H.O.R.S.E event in 2008. Nguyen was said to have consumed a large number of alcoholic beverages while scolding and cursing others at the final table, including the waiters and waitresses.
His actions drew widespread condemnation from fans and commentators. At the conclusion of the event, which he won, he apologized to his fans, claiming that the event had been edited to portray him unfairly.
He also attempted to justify his behavior by citing frustration and exhaustion caused by Michael DeMichele’s alleged reveling as well as the pressure to win the event. Of course, everyone saw through his phony excuse and went after him on social media.
He later formally apologized in an interview, saying that he knew he was responsible for his actions and that he couldn’t blame any other player for what he did, and that he had no excuse for his disgusting behavior at the H.O.R.S.E event in 2008.
Scotty Nguyen won the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E World Championship at the Commerce Casino’s annual LA Poker Classic Series in 2009. Scotty Nguyen netted a total of $339,743 at the event, significantly increasing his net worth and highlighting his reputation as one of the best masters of all fixed limit poker variations.
Scotty Nguyen’s net worth in terms of total live tournament winnings had surpassed $11,700,000 by 2015. The World Series of Poker was responsible for $5,100,999 of these winnings. Scotty has also appeared in several poker TV shows, including Ultimate Blackjack Tour, in which he played Elimination Blackjack.
In April 2004, he also appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Scotty was named team captain of the Expekt Poker Pro Team for the European Poker Tour (EPT) Deauville in 2012. This team also includes professional poker players Jack Salter, Julian Kabitzke, and Andre Klebanov, who finished third in the EPT London.
| Tournament | Year | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 Omaha 8 or Better | 1997 | $156,959 |
| $10,000 No Limit Hold’ Em World Championship | 1998 | $1,000,000 |
| $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha | 2001 | $178,480 |
| $5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo Split or Better | 2001 | $287,580 |
| $50,000 H.O.R.S.E World Championship | 2008 | $1,989,120 |
Highlights of Scotty Nguyen Career
Scotty began to paint the town red after winning $1 million in 1985, living high at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and beginning to pay in higher stakes cash games. During this time, he made a lot of money, but he blew it all away with his gambling and extravagant lifestyle.
He began using recreational drugs and alcohol, which had a significant impact on his poker performance as well as his ability to manage his bankroll. He went bankrupt again not long after that. After his losses, he regained his composure and decided to rebuild his bankroll.
Throughout the 1990s, he was a regular on the Las Vegas tournament circuit. He won two tournaments in September 1995, one for $1,000 Omaha/8 and one for $500 Limit Hold’ Em, for a total of $102,400. He won the five biggest cashes of his poker career about three years later.
1997 and 1998 World Series of Poker
Scotty won the $2,000 Limit Omaha/8 Event at the 1997 World Series of Poker, taking home a total of $156,950. This was the most money he had ever won in poker games since he began his career. Nguyen had gone bankrupt prior to the 1998 World Series of Poker, making it impossible for him to compete in the tournament’s Main Event at the start.
In fact, he was unable to afford the low-buy-in satellite event. Another professional poker player, Mike Matusow, paid one-third of Scotty’s buy-in. It was a great investment for Matusow and Nguyen because he won the satellite event as well as the Main Event and walked away with $1 million USD.
Matusow received $333,333 from him (one-third of his earning). Throughout the Main Event, Nguyen was friendly, drinking cold beer and chatting with other players at the table. The event was televised on ESPN, and poker fans were enthralled by his performances.
Scotty’s famous quote came during the game’s final hand, when he told his opponent, ‘You call, it’s going to be all over baby.’ The fans burst out laughing. His opponent made the call exactly as he had requested, playing full house on board, but with Nguyen’s Jd 9c for 9-full, he won the tournament event gallantly and walked away with a tidy sum.
This final table performance is credited with making him a favorite of many poker fans. Unfortunately, Scotty was unable to celebrate his victory because one of his brothers was killed in a car accident the next day. He chose not to wear his bracelet after this incident in order to honor his dear brother’s memory.
He went on to win his first World Poker Tour event in 2006, at the Gold Strike tournament during the fourth season. Scotty finished second in the World Series of Poker Seven Card Study Hi-Lo Split 8 or Better event in 2007, and he also finished eleventh in the Main Event. At the end of the event, he had earned a total of $480,000.
2008 World Series of Poker $50,000 Chip Reese Memorial
Poker fans and commentators panned Scotty’s performance at the 2008 Chip Reese Memorial $50,000 event. Nguyen was drinking, scolding, and swearing at the table the entire time.
At one point, he was berating his opponent, Michael DeMichelle, to the point where the other players were disgusted. He eventually won the game, but he did so at the expense of many poker fans’ respect.
He later apologized for his erratic behavior, claiming that he was frustrated and unsure of the game’s outcome, which pushed him over the edge and caused him to behave in such a way. Many people thought Scotty was being overly harsh and agitated about the game’s outcome because he was broke at the time.
Although this was a rumor, his desperate behavior during the game fueled it.
He also competed in several events during the 2018 World Series of Poker, finishing third in the $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller tournament event. At the end of the event, he had earned $592,875 in total. Nguyen has five World Series of Poker bracelets and forty-six money finishes in his poker career.
In addition, he won the World Poker Tour championship event and earned money at seven other WPT final poker tables. Scotty’s total live tournament earnings to date are estimated to be around $12.6 million USD. He is currently ranked 42nd on the All-Time Money List for Poker Players.
Scotty Nguyen Endorsement Deals and Other Interest
Scotty Nguyen’s net worth was derived from sources other than his live tournament earnings. He also made a lot of money through various investments and endorsement deals he took over the years.
He has worked for Activision, the World Poker Tour, the World Series of Poker, and the World Poker Tour Boot Camp. He has also been involved in the promotion of regional casinos as well as a few smaller organizations.
Scotty has also appeared in a Diet Pepsi commercial and as a guest on Conan O’Brien’s show. He appeared in the 1999 poker film The Big Blind. Scotty Nguyen has expressed an interest in writing as well.
In fact, he has written a couple of poker books, including ‘That’s Poker Baby! Volume 1’. This book went into detail about Nguyen’s playing strategy. He also discussed the mentality required to progress from a casual poker player to a champion and professional poker player.
Scotty Nguyen Net Worth
Scotty’s net worth has steadily increased since his official debut in the poker world. Despite coming from a low-income family, Scotty built his fortune from the ground up and rose to become one of the world’s best professional poker players.
Of course, he lost everything at some point, but with determination and grit, he has been able to recoup his lost bankroll. Scotty Nguyen’s net worth is currently estimated to be around $11 million USD.
He is regarded as one of the top players in the poker community, and his live tournament winnings are a good indicator of his skill level.
Scotty Nguyen Personal Life
Scotty is a friendly and outgoing individual. He’s a married man with children. He currently resides in Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, with his wife and children. The Nguyens’ exotic pets include a Savannah cat, a Serval, and a Kinkajou monkey.
Scotty has been out of the poker spotlight for a few years, and there have been rumors about his whereabouts. Many believe he no longer has the bankroll to play high stakes poker, and others believe he is simply done with poker.
Whatever the reason for his absence from the poker scene, one thing is certain: he is not bankrupt, and Scotty Nguyen net worth demonstrates this.
Conclusion
Scotty Nguyen is one of the most successful professional poker players of all time. He is also a well-known figure in the industry. Despite his humble beginnings, he rose to become a force to be reckoned with in the poker community. He began by playing for low stakes and progressed to high stakes.
Nguyen had won five WSOP bracelets and a large sum of money during his professional poker career. Scotty Nguyen’s net worth has increased steadily over the course of the year. Many people believed that even if he didn’t play poker for the rest of his life, he couldn’t go bankrupt. We can’t conclude that Nguyen is out of the poker world for good because he hasn’t officially said his goodbyes to the poker community. It’s not surprising that he’ll be back in the near future.