Paul Phua

Paul Phua (born 29 April 1964 in Miri, Malaysia) is a Malaysian entrepreneur and casino VIP junket operator. As a child, he had a passion for sports, playing badminton, football, basketball, softball, and table tennis. At age 15, he was sent to attend school in Singapore, where he 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 history of hosting high-stakes gambling. His net worth has been estimated at USD $10 billion by some sources, though exact figures are undisclosed.

Phua did not start playing Texas hold 'em until his 40s. In 2010, when Las Vegas high-stakes cash games moved to Macau, players such as Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Chau Giang, Patrik Antonius, and John Juanda began playing there. By 2011, other professionals had joined the games in Macau, and Phua learned from these elite players, quickly becoming a fixture in the nosebleed cash game scene. He is known by the alias "malACEsia" and often hosts private cash games with some of the biggest names in poker.

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. Phua added cashes at the WSOP Asia-Pacific and Asian Poker Tour in 2013, as well as the European Poker Tour in 2014.

In 2019, Phua enjoyed a standout year on the Triton circuit. He finished second to Jason Koon in a Triton Poker Super High Roller Short Deck event in Jeju for over $2 million (HK$15,900,000). Shortly after, he placed second to Rui Cao in a Short Deck event in Montenegro, earning another $2.1 million (HK$17,100,000). His best result came in London, where he finished second in the £100,000 Triton London Main Event for £2,558,305 ($3,113,429).

In 2022, Phua secured his first Triton title, winning a €30,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for €740,400 ($769,000). Later that year, he won his first WSOP bracelet in the €25,000 Platinum High Roller at King's Resort in Rozvadov for €482,000 ($481,509). He also finished second in the $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Europe for $2,080,000. As of 2025, his total live tournament earnings exceed $38.8 million, placing him among the top all-time money winners.

Phua is known for his aggressive, loose-aggressive style in cash games. In 2014, during a cash game at the Aussie Millions, he was involved in a AUD$991,000 pot against fellow Macau player Lo Shing Fung. Phua held (10♠ 10♣) on a board of 2♦ 9♥ 10♦ 6♣, but Fung (8♣ 7♣) hit a straight on the river (A♥) to win the pot. 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 regularly hosted high-stakes games in Macau with players like Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius.

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 (Six-Plus Hold'em). Phua regularly plays Triton events and has secured multiple final-table appearances. The series is known for generating high-quality content, and Phua himself has been a consistent participant.

In July 2014, Phua was arrested by the FBI on charges of handling nearly $400 million in illegal sports betting, allegedly operating a World Cup betting ring from his villa at Caesars Palace. The case was dismissed in June 2015 after U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon ruled that the FBI's raid of Phua's villa was unconstitutional due to a flawed search warrant. Despite this, the incident drew significant media attention and was covered extensively by ESPN and other outlets.

Phua has a son, Phua Wai Kit Darren, who also plays poker. In 2016, he launched his own poker strategy website, PaulPhuaPoker.com, featuring contributions from Phil Ivey, Timofey Kuznetsov, Dan Colman, Daniel Cates, Tom Dwan, Sam Trickett, Lauren Roberts, and others. The site also promotes Six-Plus Hold'em. Phua maintains a popular YouTube channel where he often interviews poker stars, with Tom Dwan being a particularly close friend. He is also active on Twitter as @paulphuapoker.

Despite his immense wealth and high-stakes play, Phua has described himself as an amateur poker player. He believes his success comes from playing and learning from the best in the world. His style is typically aggressive, and he is comfortable playing both No-Limit Hold'em and Short Deck formats. He is known for creating action in cash games and has become a legendary figure in the high-stakes poker community.

As of 2025, Paul Phua is ranked 26th on the all-time poker money list with over $38.8 million in live tournament earnings. He holds the top spot on the Malaysian all-time money list. His Global Poker Index (GPI) ranking places him at 129th worldwide. These rankings reflect his consistent success in high-stakes tournaments and cash games.

Phua's primary source of wealth is his role as a VIP junket operator in Macau, where he hosts high-stakes gambling for wealthy clients. He has been referred to as the "World's Biggest Bookmaker" due to his association with IBCBET, an online sports betting platform. His net worth has been estimated at approximately USD $10 billion, though exact figures are undisclosed. His business acumen and connections in the gambling industry have allowed him to amass one of the largest fortunes in the poker world.