Bill Baxter: The Man Who Made the Difference

Bill Baxter was born on 1940 in Augusta, Georgia. He is an experienced poker player and was installed into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.

Bill Baxter, a husband and a father of three children for over 30 years started his gambling career in local pool halls when he was just 14. At 16, Bill had saved more than $5,000 from his hustling activities, and by 18 Bill was playing in bars, where he find his interest in poker.

In the succeeding years, he focused his attention to poker as well as sports betting. Bill was a partner and eventually became the owner of Paisley Club a neighborhood casino. Bill ran the establishment successfully until he got some pressure from the sheriff.

In 1975, Bill took home a $5,000 buy-in deuce to seven poker tournament. He won the deuce to seven with $10,000 buy-in tournament in 1978.

In 1975, Bill made it to Las Vegas after enjoying his honeymoon in Hawaii. Bill and his wife Julie settled for 9 months in a hotel room where he seriously took poker as a career. It was here that he met and befriended Puggy Pearson, Doyle Brunson and later on Stu Ungar.

At the World series of Poker in 1997, Bill paid for Stu Ungar's main event buy-in. Stu Ungar won the event a record 3 times and the $1,000,000 prize money. Baxter in return got $500,000 form Ungar's victory.

Bill owns 7 World Series of Poker gold bracelets. Currently, he ranks six behind Phil Hellmuth (11), Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan (10), Johnny moss (9) and Eric Seidel (8). All of his WSOP bracelets came from winning lowball games.

Bill Baxter as of 2008 has an overall live tournament winning of more $1,725,000.

Although Bill is best acknowledged for his poker accomplishments and his staking of Stu Ungar, it's his celebrated case against the IRS that fortifies his position as of poker's most influential figure of all-time. Bill court battle led to professional players to file their taxes as "professional".

Bill Baxter WSOP Bracelets:

Year Tournament Prize (US$) 1975 $1,000 Deuce to Seven Draw $35,000 1978 $10,000 Deuce to Seven Draw $90,000 1982 $10,000 Deuce to Seven Draw $95,000

1982 $2,500 Ace to Five Draw $48,750 1987 $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw $153,000 1993 $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw $130,500 2002 $1,500 Razz $64,860

In the last few years, Bill has been actively playing holdem events and Bill has been appearing in more playing more hold'em the past few years, and keep on cashing at major tournaments across the U.S. Among his notable wins were his 8th, 11th and 18th finishes at the World poker tour.