William E. Baxter, Jr., is a popular and highly admired expert poker player in America who has won several tournament titles. His achievements include cash earnings, titles, and the World Series of Poker (WSOP). In 2006, William Baxter was officially inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. He is also known as Billy Baxter.
Biography
William Edwin Baxter was born in Augusta, Georgia, on 21st September 1940. From his birth, he suffered from developmental disabilities and faced many challenges in life. However, William did not let these challenges hold him back and worked hard to overcome them. He focused on achieving success and inspiring others to do the same.
He faced a serious health issue in July 2016 when he suffered from a pulmonary embolism that almost cost him his life. Fortunately, he recovered; this close call made him realize how important his story and experiences were, and he thought of sharing his story with others.
This realization motivated William to write his first book, "W.E.B. Tales." He published it as an e-book in May 2018 and later as a paperback in July 2018. Through this book, he wished to keep his legacy alive and continue inspiring others with his life experiences.
Poker Career
William Baxter began playing poker at the age of 19. He is a renowned poker player who has won seven WSOP bracelets to his name. He won his first-ever WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw event for $35,000. William’s expertise is specifically in games like Deuce-to-seven, Razz, and California Lowball.
He ranks second worldwide for the most Non-Hold'em bracelets after Phil Ivey.
William won the 1981 Super Bowl of Poker Ace-to-Five Lowball event and the 1990 Super Bowl of Poker Deuce-to-Seven Lowball event.
William won two WPT tournaments in April 2008. He secured first in a $2,620 buy-in No Limit Hold’em WPT event held at the Bellagio for $149,755. One week apart, he won the $2,620 No Limit Hold’em Seniors event for $138,990.
Willam earned $246,921 and placed fifth in the $25,500 No Limit Hold’em tournament held in April 2010.
In February 2017, he earned $173,580, placing third in the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em event at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic.
He had earned $3,251,036 from live poker tournaments, including over $1,093,044 from his 35 cashes at the World Series of Poker.
Quick Facts about William Baxter
Date of Birth: September 21, 1940
Place of Birth: Augusta, Georgia
Nationality: American
Profession: Professional poker player and sports bettor
Net worth: $2.722 Million
Personal Life
Billy was born in the riverside town of Augusta, Georgia. In 1940, when Billy was born, it was common for children to visit pool halls and indulge in gambling. Not only did he start early by playing hustling pool games, but he had saved a good amount of money to start going to local pubs and saloons by the time he turned 18. Billy was introduced to poker at this time, and it soon became an integral part of his life.
Billy Baxter has a craze for gambling and is even known to have played roulette and blackjack without anyone knowing. He searched for proper poker games.
Interestingly, in 1975, William went on a honeymoon trip to exotic Hawaii but, on his way back, ended up in Las Vegas. It is more attention-grabbing to know that Baxter and his wife spent nine months in a hotel while he played poker for a living. In Las Vegas, he came in contact with legendary poker players such as Puggy Pearson, Stu Ungar, and Doyle Brunson.
He found Las Vegas his home and continued to play poker, giving his best.
World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
|
1975 |
$1,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |
$35,000 |
|
1978 |
$10,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |
$90,000 |
|
1982 |
$10,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |
$95,000 |
|
1982 |
$2,500 No Limit Ace to Five Draw |
$48,750 |
|
1987 |
$5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |
$153,000 |
|
1993 |
$5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw |
$130,500 |
|
2002 |
$1,500 Razz |
$64,860 |
Tournaments
Billy Baxter has an impressive poker career and is extensively known as one of the elite players in the history of the World Series of Poker. In 1975, William won seven gold bracelets, of which five have come in deuce-to-seven draw events. He has won one title in razz and ace-to-five draw.
Critics also rank him among prominent poker players such as Erick Seidel, Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, Johnny Moss, and Phil Hellmuth.
In 1997, Billy Baxter earned fame for his unique way of staking Stu Ungar, which ultimately resulted in Ungar's victory in the World Series of Poker. Because of his excellent skills and winnings, he is ranked alongside Men Nguyen.
In the late 1970s, Baxter's contribution to poker involved his efforts to emphasize that poker was his profession, requesting the government to consider it similar to other incomes. But the government insisted that poker winnings were ‘unearned’ incomes, which were subject to a higher tax rate. After some years, he decided to take legal action and applied for a tax refund, which the court accepted. The court declared the judgement in favour of William.
Many ardent admirers of Billy Baxter still say that his love for the game has not faded with time.
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