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Ellezer Castillo is a Filipino professional poker player known for his explosive recent performances in Manila-based majors, widely recognized as a rising star in the Philippine poker community.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
According to The Hendon Mob, Ellezer Castillo has total live earnings of $175,603, ranking him among the top 75 players in the Philippines. His career-best live cash of $84,066 was recorded in early 2025, marking a breakout year for his professional career.
Castillo’s recent triumphs have centered on major events at Okada Manila. He secured a massive runner-up finish in the Philippine Poker Millions (PPM) 2025 for a score of PHP 4,800,000 (~$84,900). He also demonstrated his consistency with deep runs at the APPT Manila 2025 , finishing 5th in the APPT Mini Warm-up for $1,200 and 19th in the Survivor Knockout event.
Biography & Poker Background
Originally from the Philippines, Ellezer Castillo has built his reputation through the high-volume daily tournaments and series held in Manila’s premier venues. While he has recorded cashes in international venues like Vietnam, his career trajectory has been defined by his success on home soil, specifically within the mid-to-high stakes circuit of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT).
Play Style & Strategy
Ellezer Castillo is characterized by a relentless and social table presence, typical of the modern aggressive Filipino style. He excels in large-field No Limit Hold’em tournaments, where his ability to apply pressure at final tables has resulted in significant career cashes. His proficiency in navigating massive fields is evidenced by his outlasting hundreds of opponents in the Philippine Poker Millions.
My relationship with cards started thanks to my father. I was still in elementary school when he first taught me how to play Rummy, and I still remember the long evenings spent playing cards with my family. During the poker boom, I was still underage, but the televised tournaments immediately captured my attention. I became fascinated with the game and started learning different poker formats whenever I had the chance. Later in life, as an adult, I was fortunate enough to spend four years playing poker professionally. During that time, I mainly focused on Heads-Up Sit and Go games, where I found the format that suited me best. Even though my professional career was relatively short, poker remains something I’m grateful to have experienced as a major part of my life. Today, I play mostly as a hobby, while writing has become my main focus. That said, my enthusiasm for writing about poker is just as strong as my passion for playing the game once was.
