Dave Ulliott

Dave Ulliott was born on April 1, 1954, in Kingston upon Hull, England. He left school at the age of 15 and was introduced to gambling early by his father, who took him to bookmakers and placed bets on horse racing. Ulliott soon became involved in organized crime, joining a safe-cracking team that targeted tobacconists, off-licenses, and garages. After losing over £5,000 at a bookmaker's, he stole a safe and transported it home in a pram, but was arrested and served nine months in prison, much of it in solitary confinement. Upon release, he was arrested again for an armed robbery at an off-license but released without charge. At age 28, after a fight outside a nightclub, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. During this time, he befriended a fellow inmate named John and planned a bank robbery, but John's arrest led Ulliott to abandon crime and go straight.

Ulliott learned poker from his parents and at 16 began playing three-card brag at Hull's Fifty-One Club casino. After his second marriage, he organized poker games in the back of his pawn shop. In late 1990, he met Gary Whitaker at Napoleon's Casino in Leeds; Whitaker became his driver and held a 10% stake in his action, often placing bets for Ulliott after he was banned from William Hill. Ulliott traveled to London to play tougher competition, which forced him to refine his game. In private games, he sometimes brought a gun to protect his winnings, once firing it into the air to scare off robbers. His first major tournament success came in the mid-1990s, leading to a breakout performance on the UK television show Late Night Poker, where he won the first season for £40,000 and captivated audiences with his fearless, aggressive style.

The nickname "Devilfish" originated during a private poker game in England. Ulliott was dominating the table, and a fellow player remarked that he was a "devil fish"—slang for the poisonous Japanese blowfish, tako fugu. Ulliott forgot about it until months later, on his first trip to Las Vegas. Playing in the Four Queens Poker Classic Omaha tournament, he reached heads-up against Men "The Master" Nguyen. As the crowd cheered for Nguyen, Ulliott's friend Gary Whitaker yelled "Go on the Devilfish!" Ulliott won the tournament, and a local newspaper headline read 'Devilfish Devours the Master'. The nickname stuck for the rest of his career.

Ulliott's biggest achievements include a WSOP bracelet in 1997, winning the $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em event. He came close to a second bracelet multiple times, finishing runner-up in WSOP events in 1998, 2000, and 2001. In 2003, he won a World Poker Tour title at the Jack Binion World Poker Open, taking $589,175 after defeating Phil Ivey heads-up. His largest single cash was $674,500 for a third-place finish in the 2007 WPT Doyle Brunson Classic at Bellagio. Other notable results include 3rd in the 2010 WSOP $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low event for $150,925, and cashes in the EPT London Main Event, WSOP Europe Main Event, and numerous WSOP and WPT events. Over his career, Ulliott accumulated 33 WSOP money finishes and 8 WPT cashes, with total live tournament earnings exceeding $6.2 million.

Ulliott was known for an ultra-aggressive, intimidating style of play. He often wore dark sunglasses and smoked a cigar at the table, projecting an image of fearlessness. He applied constant pressure with bets and raises, relying on his ability to read opponents and exploit weaknesses. This approach made him a formidable cash-game player as well as a tournament threat. His persona, built on his tough background and self-confidence, earned him the respect and attention of poker fans worldwide. He was one of the first poker players to become a genuine celebrity outside the poker world, helping to popularize the game in the UK and beyond.

In his later years, Ulliott continued to compete in major tournaments, although his results became less frequent. He made final tables in events like the 2010 WSOP, but his health began to decline. He was diagnosed with colon cancer and fought the disease for several years. Dave Ulliott died on April 6, 2015, at the age of 61, just five days after his birthday. His death was met with an outpouring of tributes from the poker community, honoring his contributions and his larger-than-life character.

Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott left an indelible mark on the game of poker. He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2017, recognizing his impact on the sport. His biography, Devilfish: The Life & Times of a Poker Legend, details his remarkable journey from a life of crime to poker stardom. Ulliott is remembered as one of the most colorful and influential figures in poker history, a player who brought excitement and personality to the felt. His nickname remains iconic, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of poker enthusiasts.