Nationality
T.J. Cloutier is an American professional poker player holding U.S. nationality and citizenship, originating from California and currently residing in Texas.
- Direct message
- Leave a review
- Bookmark
- Share
- Report
- prev
- next
Born (date and place of birth)
Thomas James "T.J." Cloutier was born on October 13, 1939, in Albany, California, United States.
Residence (current location)
He currently resides in Richardson, Texas. Details about his specific living arrangements are not publicly documented.
Education (institution, specialization)
He attended the University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship for football and baseball but dropped out due to family financial hardship.
Children (number, ages)
There is no verified public information available regarding T.J. Cloutier's children.
Year started playing poker
Cloutier started playing poker seriously in the 1970s, turning fully professional after moving to Texas and realizing he could earn more from poker than other jobs.
Age when started playing
He began seriously playing poker around the age of 30, initially after his football career ended and while working on oil rigs.
Year turned professional
He transitioned to professional poker status in the mid-1970s, after leaving his oil rig job to focus full time on poker.
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
His first major tournament victory was his first WSOP bracelet in 1987, winning the $1,000 Limit Omaha Hi event and earning $72,000.
Who introduced to poker / first mentor
Specific information about a poker mentor or who introduced him to poker is not publicly documented, though he began playing poker as a caddy at a golf course and further during his army service.
First important tournament
Exact details of his first important tournament participation are not well documented, but he rose to prominence by the 1980s, notably in WSOP events.
Main motivation for turning pro
Cloutier's primary motivation to turn professional was realizing he was winning more money playing poker than in jobs like oil rig work, combined with the end of his football career due to injury.
Initial bankroll
There are no publicly verified details about his starting bankroll or early financial backing in poker.
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Formal poker education is not specifically recorded; Cloutier is largely self-taught, learning through experience at high-stakes games and tournaments over decades.
First sponsor/backing
There is no verified record of a first sponsorship deal early in his career; his sponsorship history is not prominently documented.
Total live tournament winnings
T.J. Cloutier's total live tournament earnings exceed $10.5 million as of recent records.
Number of tournament wins
He has won over 50 total poker tournament titles, including six World Series of Poker bracelets.
Number of final tables
He has appeared in approximately 39 final tables across major tournaments in his career.
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
His largest single tournament cash was $896,000 as runner-up in the 2000 WSOP Main Event.
WSOP bracelets (number)
Cloutier has won six WSOP bracelets in various poker variants: 1987, 1994 (two bracelets), 1998, 2004, and 2005.
WSOP cashes (number)
He has 69 recorded money finishes at the WSOP.
WSOP final tables
He reached multiple WSOP final tables, totaling around 39.
Best WSOP Main Event result
His best WSOP Main Event results include two second-place finishes (1985 and 2000), a third place (1998), and fifth place (1988).
Super high roller results ($100K+)
There is no verified record of participation or major results in super high roller tournaments ($100K+ buy-in).
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
No documented high roller tournament victories in the $25K–$100K buy-in range.
Online tournament winnings
Verified detailed online tournament winnings data is not publicly available for Cloutier.
Major online titles
No major online tournament titles are publicly recorded.
Poker team
There is no current known official poker team affiliation or stable membership.
Main cash game limits
Specific information on primary cash game limits played is unavailable; historically, he has played various stakes including high stakes.
Highest stakes played
Highest stakes cash games played and maximum limits reached are not publicly documented.
Notable high stakes sessions
There are no publicly detailed accounts of notable high stakes cash game sessions.
"Big Game" participation
Participation in famous "Big Game" high stakes cash games is not recorded.
Estimated cash game profits (if known)
Estimated cash game profits are not publicly known.
Country ranking
Specific national ranking within the U.S. poker scene is not publicly listed; considered a top all-time American player.
All Time Money List position
T.J. Cloutier ranks among the top players on the All Time Money List, with live tournament earnings over $10 million.
Tournament ROI (if known)
Public data is insufficient to calculate precise tournament ROI.
Average tournament win
Average tournament cash amounts vary; many of his WSOP cashes range in five- and six-figure prizes.
ITM percentage
His in-the-money percentage across his tournament career is consistent with professional high-volume players but exact figure is unlisted.
Final table percentage from cashes
Final table percentage estimated high relative to cashes, reflecting skillful deeper runs, but exact percent unknown.
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Year-by-year detailed statistics are not comprehensively available though notable years include 1985, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2005.
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
Primarily specializes in No-Limit Hold'em and Omaha variants.
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily focused on live tournament poker, especially WSOP events.
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Predominantly plays full ring tournaments; has also competed in 6-max and mixed format events.
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
Known for No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, and Seven Card Razz.
Specialization limits
Specializes in tournament stakes appropriate to WSOP and major circuit buy-ins, typically ranging from $1,000 to $10,000+.
Online rooms where plays
No regular known online poker room activity documented.
Favorite casinos/locations
Frequently played at Las Vegas venues including the WSOP-hosting Rio and other major casinos.
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Known as aggressive yet well-rounded tournament player with deep strategic insight.
Known for bluffs/traps
Recognized for calculated bluffing and strategic trapping, with strong tournament poker instincts.
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Combines mathematical strategy and intuition, refined through decades of experience.
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable to various opponents and evolving game conditions.
Playing strengths
Expertise in multi-format tournament play, deep understanding of Omaha variants, and endurance in long events.
GTO strategy usage
Used contemporary poker theory with some application of Game Theory Optimal plays, especially in later career.
Poker software usage
No public information on specific poker software usage.
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Appeared in Poker Superstars Invitational, National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Poker Royale, and others.
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
Participated in High Stakes Poker TV shows but not as a primary regular.
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
Multiple appearances on Poker After Dark.
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Featured in poker documentaries and retrospectives about poker legends.
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Interviewed by Card Player, PokerNews, and other major poker publications several times.
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Guest on various poker podcasts focusing on tournament strategy and poker history.
Own podcast/channel (name, platform, subscriber count, link)
No record of an independently hosted poker podcast.
Facebook (account link)
No verified public Facebook page or profile maintained.
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
No personal branded YouTube channel documented.
Twitch channel (name, follower count, link)
No known Twitch streaming channel.
TikTok presence (account link, follower count)
No documented TikTok presence.
LinkedIn profile (link)
No publicly accessible LinkedIn professional profile information.
Posting frequency in social media
No official activity or social media posting frequency documented.
Type of content in social media
No regular content sharing on social media.
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No current major sponsorship deals publicly reported.
Sponsorship contract history (previous sponsors, dates)
Historical sponsorships are not publicly detailed.
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
No known active poker site ambassador roles.
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Early attempt at food company before poker career; no known current business ventures widely publicized.
Poker project investments (project names, involvement details)
No public records of poker industry investments.
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
No publicly offered coaching services documented.
Coaching rates (if public)
Not applicable due to no public coaching availability.
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
No known authored poker books or educational video series.
Affiliate programs (program names, partnerships)
No public affiliate program partnerships documented.
Merchandise (product types, where sold, links)
No personal merchandise publicly available.
Written poker books (titles, publication years, ISBN, publisher)
No poker books authored by T.J. Cloutier are publicly documented.
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
No participation in commercial poker training series detailed.
Masterclasses and seminars (event names, dates, locations)
No masterclass or seminar presentations specifically documented.
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
No documented professional coaching engagements.
Notable students (names if public, their achievements)
No publicly known notable coaching students.
YouTube educational content (video titles, view counts, links)
No educational YouTube content by him.
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Featured in poker articles but no regular column contributions documented.
Magazine columns (magazine names, column titles, frequency)
No regular poker magazine column known.
Conference speaking (conference names, dates, topics, video links)
No known conference speaking engagements listed.
Poker scandal involvement (scandal names, details, outcomes)
No record of involvement in poker scandals.
Accusations of unfair play (specific incidents, resolutions)
No cheating accusations recorded.
Casino/room conflicts (venue names, incident details)
No known conflicts or disputes with casinos publicly documented.
Legal proceedings (case details, outcomes, court documents)
No public legal proceedings or issues reported.
Public disputes with colleagues (names involved, details)
No public disputes with fellow players reported.
Tournament rule violations (tournament names, violations, penalties)
No tournament rule violations publicly recorded.
Tax issues (if public, details, resolutions)
No public tax-related issues documented.
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
No widespread poker community criticism publicly known.
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Not applicable due to no recorded criticism.
Poker industry awards (award names, years, organizations)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006; named Card Player Magazine Player of the Year in 1998 and 2002.
Hall of Fame inclusion (hall names, induction years)
Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Widely recognized by peers as one of the all-time great tournament specialists.
Poker publication awards (publication names, award types, years)
Received prestigious awards including Card Player Player of the Year twice.
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Only player to have won WSOP bracelets in all three types of Omaha events; four top-five Main Event finishes including two runner-ups.
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Holds the unique record of winning WSOP bracelets in all three Omaha variants.
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Pioneer in tournament Omaha variants, highly respected strategist, helped popularize tournament poker.
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
No specific charity tournament participation publicly documented.
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Renowned for longevity, versatility, and high-level performance in tournament poker; Hall of Fame legacy.
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Influential in shaping tournament strategies, especially Omaha games, and enhancing poker’s competitive prestige.
No regular tournament commentary work publicly recorded.