Paul Phua

Paul Phua (born 29 April 1964 in Miri, Malaysia) is a Malaysian entrepreneur and casino VIP junket operator. He was sent to school in Singapore at age 15 and later became involved in the Macau casino junket business. In 2006, he worked with Steve Wynn to expand Wynn Macau's operations. Phua is widely regarded as one of the richest poker players due to his prominence in the junket industry and his involvement in high-stakes gambling.

Phua did not start playing Texas hold 'em until his 40s. In 2010, when Las Vegas high-stakes cash games moved to Macau, Phua learned from players like Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Chau Giang, Patrik Antonius, and John Juanda. He quickly became a fixture in Macau's nosebleed cash games.

Phua entered the 2012 WSOP $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop. Later that year, he won the Aspers £100K High Roller in London for $1,621,297, defeating Richard Yong heads-up. In 2016, he won the One Drop Extravaganza €100,000 Super High Roller in Monte Carlo for $827,722, beating Mikita Badziakouski heads-up.

In 2019, Phua finished second in the Triton Series £100,000 Main Event in London for £2,558,305 ($3,113,429). He also placed second in Triton Short Deck events in Jeju and Montenegro, earning over $2 million each. In 2022, he won his first WSOP bracelet in the €25,000 Platinum High Roller at King's Resort for €482,000 ($481,509). As of 2024, his total live tournament earnings exceed $38.8 million.

In 2016, Phua co-founded the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series with Richard Yong. The circuit quickly became one of the most prestigious high-stakes tournament series in the world, attracting top players and featuring innovative formats like Short Deck. Phua regularly plays Triton events and secured his first Triton title in 2022, winning a €30,000 event for €740,400.

Phua is known for his aggressive, loose-aggressive style in cash games. In 2014, he was involved in a AUD$991,000 pot at the Aussie Millions against Lo Shing Fung, losing when his opponent hit a straight on the river. In September 2018, Phua won a $2.35 million pot against Tom Dwan, one of the largest televised cash game pots at the time. He also hosted high-stakes games in Macau with players like Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius.

In July 2014, Phua was arrested by the FBI on charges of handling nearly $400 million in illegal sports betting. The case was dismissed in June 2015 after U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon ruled that the FBI's raid of Phua's villa at Caesars Palace was unconstitutional.

Phua has a son, Phua Wai Kit Darren, who also plays poker. He launched a poker strategy website, Paul Phua Poker, in 2016, featuring contributions from Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Daniel Cates, and others. Phua is also known for his YouTube channel and close friendship with Tom Dwan.