Nationality
Bill Boyd was an American poker player with United States citizenship, originally from Arkansas.
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Born (date and place of birth)
Bill Boyd was born on January 27, 1906, in McNeil, Arkansas, USA.
Residence (current location)
During his life, Bill Boyd resided primarily in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he managed the Golden Nugget card room for decades.
Education (institution, specialization)
Specific verified information on Bill Boyd’s formal education background and institutions attended is not publicly documented. Generally, professional poker players may have diverse educational backgrounds, sometimes unrelated to poker, and often develop poker skills through experience and study rather than formal education.
Children (number, ages)
There is no public record or verified information about Bill Boyd having children or details regarding their number or ages.
Year started playing poker
Bill Boyd started playing poker seriously and professionally by at least the 1940s, with key management roles in card rooms by 1946.
Age when started playing
He began serious poker involvement likely in his late teens or early 20s while traveling the country, evidenced by early poker successes around age 20-24.
Year turned professional
Bill Boyd was active as a professional poker player and card room manager by 1946, when he managed the Golden Nugget card room.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
His first major tournament victory recorded was in 1971, winning the $1,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for $10,000.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
Specific verified data on a particular mentor or person who introduced Bill Boyd to poker is not available. In the era he played, many players learned poker through travel, direct experience, and informal mentoring by peers.
First important tournament
Bill Boyd’s first documented major tournament participation was the 1971 WSOP Five-Card Stud event, which he won.
Main motivation for turning pro
Verified sources do not specify Boyd’s personal motivation, but generally, professional players transition to poker careers motivated by passion for the game, earning potential, and lifestyle flexibility.
Initial bankroll
There is no public information specifying Bill Boyd’s exact starting bankroll or financial backing; early poker professionals typically built their bankrolls through live cash games and small stakes tournaments.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Formal poker education for Boyd’s era was uncommon; most skills were acquired through practical experience and informal study rather than structured coaching or courses.
First sponsor/backing
No verified information exists regarding Bill Boyd having a poker sponsorship deal; sponsorships were rare or nonexistent in his time.
Total live tournament winnings
Bill Boyd’s public tournament winnings are documented around $80,000, primarily from his WSOP bracelet wins in the early 1970s.
Number of tournament wins
He won four WSOP bracelets consecutively from 1971 to 1974, all in No-Limit Five-Card Stud.
Number of final tables
He made at least four WSOP final tables, corresponding to his four bracelet victories, as his tournament play was mainly focused on Five-Card Stud events.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
His largest tournament win was $40,000 at the 1974 WSOP $5,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud event.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Bill Boyd won four WSOP bracelets, in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974, all in No-Limit Five-Card Stud.
WSOP cashes (number)
He recorded four WSOP cash finishes, corresponding to each bracelet win.
WSOP final tables
He reached four WSOP final tables, all of which resulted in wins.
Best WSOP Main Event result
Bill Boyd did not have any documented cash or notable finish in the WSOP Main Event.
Super high roller results ($100K+)
No known super high roller ($100K+ buy-in) event results; such events did not exist during his career.
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No high roller results documented; Boyd’s tournament winnings were from classic WSOP events with lower buy-ins by modern standards.
Online tournament winnings
No records of online poker winnings; online poker was not available in Boyd’s era.
Major online titles
No online tournament titles are associated with Bill Boyd.
Poker team
No affiliations with modern poker teams or stables; such organizations were not prominent during his time.
Main cash game limits
Specific cash game stakes Boyd played are not publicly documented; however, as a legendary five-card stud player and card room manager, he played high-limit cash games in Las Vegas.
Highest stakes played
Boyd was known for playing high-stakes five-card stud games, including reportedly winning $100,000 pots in no-limit five-card stud cash games.
Notable high stakes sessions
Among notable sessions, Boyd won a $100,000 pot against Jimmy Casella in a no-limit five-card stud game.
"Big Game" participation
He was a prominent figure in the Las Vegas poker scene during the rise of "Big Game" style cash games, though specific documented participations are limited.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Publicly known cash game profit figures are not available, but Boyd was highly respected and successful in high-stakes cash play.
Country ranking
No formal ranking available; Boyd is considered one of the top American five-card stud players historically.
All Time Money List position
Not included in modern All-Time Money lists, as they focus on more recent players and larger field events.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Exact tournament ROI cannot be calculated due to limited publicly available buy-in and cash data from Boyd’s era.
Average tournament win
Average tournament cash amounts reflect the WSOP event prizes of the early 1970s, ranging roughly $10,000 to $40,000.
ITM percentage
With four known cashes—all wins—in WSOP, his ITM rate for those events is 100%, though based on limited data.
Final table percentage from cashes
Boyd’s final table percentage in WSOP events he played was 100%, as he made final tables in all four events he cashed.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Detailed year-by-year stats are limited; his most active and successful years were 1971 to 1974 at WSOP events.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Five-card stud was Boyd’s primary and signature poker discipline.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Boyd specialized in live tournament play and very high-stakes live cash games, particularly in five-card stud.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Typically favored full ring table sizes (standard for five-card stud events and cash games of his era).
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Specialized in No-Limit Five-Card Stud; also known for spreading Omaha hold 'em (originally called Nugget hold 'em).
Specialization limits
Played at high stakes in five-card stud cash games; tournament buy-ins ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 in WSOP events.
Online rooms where plays
Not applicable; online poker did not exist during Boyd’s era.
Favorite casinos/locations
Golden Nugget in Las Vegas was his primary venue; also connected historically to the Mirage for ceremonial first hand deal.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Boyd was known as a courtly, calculated, and highly skilled player in five-card stud, respected for his knowledge and demeanor.
Known for bluffs/traps
While respected as a strong player, there is little specific public information on Boyd’s bluffing or trapping tendencies; reputed as a gentleman player.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Boyd’s approach combined deep experience, skill, and careful calculation rather than purely mathematical or modern GTO concepts.
Style adaptability
Known for his ability to maintain dominance in five-card stud; adaptability details to different opponents are not extensively documented.
Playing strengths
Exceptional expertise in five-card stud, card room management, integrity in game operations, and poker innovation such as popularizing Omaha.
GTO strategy usage
No documented use of modern Game Theory Optimal methods; such approaches were developed long after his time.
Poker software usage
Poker software was not available during Boyd’s career; training based on live play and observation.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
No known television appearances; televised poker became popular after his era.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
High Stakes Poker show did not exist during Boyd’s lifetime; no participation.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
No appearances on Poker After Dark; show started after Boyd’s era.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
No known documentaries focused solely on Boyd, though he is mentioned in books and historical poker retrospectives.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Limited interviews or published direct quotes; known primarily through historical accounts and obituaries.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
No known podcast appearances; podcasts postdate Boyd’s era.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
Not applicable; no known podcast or video channel.
Facebook (account link)
Not applicable; Facebook did not exist during his lifetime.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
Not applicable; no known personal or dedicated channel.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
Not applicable; Twitch was launched decades after Boyd’s death.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
Not applicable; TikTok postdates his era.
LinkedIn profile (link)
Not applicable; LinkedIn was launched after Boyd’s time.
Posting frequency in social media
Not applicable; Boyd had no social media presence.
Type of content in social media
Not applicable; no public content shared by Boyd online.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No known sponsorship deals. Sponsorships were uncommon or non-existent in Boyd’s playing period.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
No historical sponsorship contracts are recorded.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
No documented poker site ambassador roles.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Managed the Golden Nugget cardroom from its opening in 1946 until 1988, leasing and running the poker operations.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No public record of specific poker-related investments.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
No known coaching service or training offerings.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable; no public data on coaching pricing.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
No known authored poker books or formal educational materials published by Boyd.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
No information or records of affiliate program partnerships.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No known personal merchandise line.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
Boyd was referenced in poker literature but did not author any known books himself.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
No participation in poker training series due to era of activity.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
No known masterclass presentations or seminars.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
No documented coaching engagements.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No known public record of notable coaching students.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
No known educational YouTube content.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Mentioned in poker history articles and retrospectives, including Card Player and similar poker media.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
No known regular poker magazine columns authored.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
No known poker conference speaking engagements.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
No involvement in poker scandals reported.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations documented; Boyd was known for integrity in game management.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No public casino or card room conflicts reported; Boyd upheld strong game integrity standards.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No known legal proceedings or issues related to Boyd.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
No public disputes with fellow players documented.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No record of tournament rule violations; respected for fair play.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
No public information on tax-related issues.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
No notable poker community criticism recorded.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Not applicable due to lack of public criticism.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1981 in recognition of his contributions and achievements.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1981.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Respected by peers as one of the finest five-card stud players and a fair, honest card room manager.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
No known poker publication awards beyond Hall of Fame induction.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Four consecutive WSOP bracelets in five-card stud; credited for popularizing Omaha poker; dealt the first poker hand at both Golden Nugget and Mirage.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
One of three players to win WSOP bracelets in four consecutive years; possibly only player to win a WSOP bracelet event with a single entry.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Widely credited for spreading Omaha hold ’em (originally called Nugget hold ’em) and innovating card room operations and integrity practices.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
No notable charity tournament participation records.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Remembered as a towering figure in five-card stud poker, cardroom management innovator, and Poker Hall of Fame inductee with lasting influence on poker integrity and Omaha’s spread.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Major influences include pioneering cardroom management practices, integrity enforcement, and popularizing Omaha poker; highly respected by the poker community for decades.
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
1974 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $5,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud | 5000 | 1st | $40,000 | 8 | |||| 1973 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $10,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud | 10000 | 1st | $10,000 | 1 | |||| 1972 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $10,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud | 10000 | 1st | $20,000 | 2 | |||| 1971 | USA | World Series of Poker | Las Vegas | $1,000 No-Limit Five-Card Stud | 1000 | 1st | $10,000 | 10 |
No TV tournament commentary work documented; live poker shows commenced after Boyd’s career.