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Dave Ulliott, famously known as “Devilfish,” was a legendary British professional poker player and one of the most recognizable faces in the game’s history. Originally from Hull, England, he was a true pioneer who helped take poker into the mainstream through his dominant performances on televised shows like Late Night Poker. With a career that included a World Series of Poker bracelet and a World Poker Tour title, Ulliott was a one-of-a-kind character known for his sharp suits, gold jewelry, and fearless attitude at the table.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings of over $6.2 million (according to The Hendon Mob), Ulliott was a giant of the European and international poker scenes. His biggest career payday came in 2007 at the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic in Las Vegas, where he finished in 3rd place for $674,500.
Proving his skill in all formats, Ulliott won his first and only WSOP Gold Bracelet in 1997 in a $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em event for $180,310. He followed this with a World Poker Tour (WPT) title in 2003, winning the Jack Binion World Poker Open for $589,175 after defeating Phil Ivey heads-up. His longevity was incredible, as he continued to rack up major cashes across three decades, including a 3rd-place finish in a 2010 WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha event for $150,925.
Biography & Poker Background
Dave Ulliott was born on April 1, 1954, in Kingston upon Hull. His path to poker stardom was far from traditional; he left school at 15 and spent his early years involved in the city’s organized crime scene, even serving time in prison before turning his life around through gambling. He earned his famous nickname “Devilfish” during a 1997 tournament in Las Vegas when a spectator shouted it out to counter an opponent’s supporters. The name, which refers to a poisonous blowfish, perfectly matched his dangerous reputation at the tables. In 2017, two years after his passing, his massive impact on the game was officially recognized when he was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Play Style & Strategy
Devilfish was widely feared for his aggressive and psychological approach to the game. He was a master of “speech play,” using constant chatter and quick wit to intimidate opponents and force them into mistakes. While he was a powerhouse in No Limit Hold’em, many experts considered him a specialist in Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), a game where his fearlessness and ability to read shifting board textures were unmatched. He famously wore orange-tinted sunglasses and custom gold rings that read “Devil” and “Fish,” using his “bad guy” image to keep his rivals off-balance. Despite his tough exterior, he had a deep mathematical understanding of the game that he honed during his early days playing high-stakes private games across England.
Social Media & Online Presence
Though the official activity on his pages stopped after 2015, you can still find archives of his career and tributes to his legacy here:
