Paul Phua is a Malaysian businessman and high-stakes poker player. He currently sits atop the Malaysian all-time money list with over $31 million in live earnings. This includes a WSOP bracelet he won at King's Resort, Rozvadov in 2022. He took down the €25,000 Platinum High Roller for $481,509.
He is also a regular on the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series.
Paul Phua Background
Phua was born on April 29, 1964 in Miri, Malaysia. Phua attended school in Singapore and worked part-time as a construction worker to help fund his education. Having developed a passion for sports, especially the English Premier League, he relocated to Macau where he was heavily involved in sports betting.
Paul Phua Poker History
Paul Phua’s journey into poker began after years of observing wealthy gamblers at poker tables in Macau. Thanks to his close ties with the casino world, he had easy access to some of the biggest games, inspiring him to try his hand at the game. He started playing recreationally in the early 2010s, during a golden era when iconic players like Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, Chau Giang, Gus Hansen, and Patrik Antonius were drawn to Macau’s high-stakes poker scene.
Phua’s poker career took off with a major victory at the Aspers 100K High Rollers event in London, earning him $1.6 million after defeating Richard Yong heads-up. That impressive haul remained Phua's biggest-ever score for almost seven years as he continued to build his reputation. In 2016, Phua’s profile rose significantly after he won The Monte Carlo One Drop Extravaganza, claiming over $800,000 in prize money.
He finished second to Jason Koon in a Triton Poker Super High Roller Short Deck event in Jeju, South Korea, which earned him the equivalent of $2,025,607.
Phua has since reeled in a handful more seven-figure scores, including a career-best £2,558,305 ($3,113,429) in August 2019. That same year, Phua was honored with the GPA Industry Person of the Year Award
Is Paul Phua Good at Poker?
Phua didn't take up Texas Hold'em until he was in his 40s. He considers himself an amateur poker despite amassing eight-figure in live poker tournament winnings. He has improved his poker skills by playing with and against some of the best poker players in the world. For that reason, it's easier to say that Phua is definitely more skilled than the average poker player.
Paul Phua's Five Biggest Live Poker Results
| Date | Event | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2019 | £100,000 Triton London Main Event | 2/130 | £2,558,305 ($3,113,429) |
| May 2019 | HK$1,000,000 Triton Montenegro Short Deck | 2/98 | HK$17,100,000 ($2,178,871) |
| April 2022 | $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Europe | 2/32 | $2,080,000 |
| March 2019 | HK$1,000,000 Triton Jeju Short Deck | 2/81 | HK$15,900,000 |
| September 2012 | £100,000 High Roller | 1/20 | £1,000,000 ($1,621,297) |
What is Paul Phua's Net Worth?
Phua is widely acknowledged as one of the richest poker players in the world, due to his prominent position in the Macau casino junket industry and his history of playing in nosebleed cash games around the world.
Paul Phua Controversies
By 2014, Phua was well-known in the poker world. He was arrested as part of a raid at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for allegedly operating an illegal betting operation involving the 2014 FIFA World Cup with his son Darren Phua, fellow businessman Richard Yong, and five others.
Many involved in high-stakes poker games with Phua immediately came to his aid including Andrew Robl and Phil Ivey who posted his bail and Tom Dwan who was with Phua when he was arrested. A year later, the case was dismissed against Phua despite six others involved pleading guilty.
Founding the Triton Poker Series
Phua founded the Triton Poker Series in 2015, a series that features mostly Super High Roller touraments. its events attract the biggest names in poker. Despite playing in almost all of his tour's events, a Triton Poker Series victory eluded Phua for some time. However, he won a €30,000 buy-in seven-handed No-Limit Hold'em event at the Triton Poker Series Madrid in May 2022 to finally enjoy a win.
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