Commentator, Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton dies at age 72 – ESPN

Mike Sexton, one amongst essentially the most recognizable and influential personalities in the stylish poker world, died Sunday of prostate most cancers. He was once 72.

Sexton, a 2009 inductee into the Poker Corridor of Fame, served as one-half of of a commentary team for the World Poker Tour alongside Vince Van Patten from the tour’s first TV broadcast in March 2003 thru 2017, when Sexton retired to turn into the chairman of online poker platform partypoker.

Sexton had been influential at some point soon of partypoker’s open in 2001. As both a promoter of the platform and in his characteristic as a commentator and participant, Sexton was once one amongst the most indispensable figures in driving the worldwide poker enhance in the early 2000s — an era that seen event prize swimming pools balloon by hundreds and hundreds of bucks and online poker cash games develop.

“Mike Sexton, one amongst my great gambling chums and one amongst my easiest chums without waste — correct a stand-up, dazzling particular person — has gone,” Van Patten acknowledged in a video launched by the WPT. “However he’s no longer, for the explanation that total poker world knows and loves him.”

A message from WPT CEO Adam Pliska (@pliska007) and @VinceVanP_WPT on the passing of Mike Sexton. #ThankYouMike pic.twitter.com/R3Wh0ZEd2r

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) September 7, 2020

As a poker participant, Sexton had more than $6.7 million in live event outcomes collectively with a 1989 WSOP bracelet accumulate in seven-card stud hi there-lo and a 2016 WPT title obtained in Montreal. As effectively as to a pair remaining tables beneath the WPT banner, Sexton made 23 WSOP remaining tables over the direction of his enjoying occupation, collectively with a ninth-build aside of residing waste in the inaugural $1 million accumulate-in “Substantial One for One Fall” event in 2012.

Sexton additionally obtained $1 million in the 2006 WSOP Match of Champions invitational on ESPN, defeating Daniel Negreanu heads-up to loyal the title.