T. J. Cloutier | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | T. J. |
Residence | Richardson, Texas |
Born | Thomas James Cloutier October 13, 1939 Albany, California |
World Series of Poker | |
Bracelet(s) | 6 |
Money finish(es) | 69 |
Highest ITM Main Event finish |
2nd, 2000 |
World Poker Tour | |
Title(s) | None |
Final table(s) | 2 |
Money finish(es) | 9 |
European Poker Tour | |
Title(s) | None |
Final table(s) | None |
Money finish(es) | 1 |
Thomas James "T. J." Cloutier (born October 13, 1939) is a professional poker player from Richardson, Texas. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2006.
Cloutier was born in Albany, California, and attended the University of California, Berkeley on an athletic scholarship for American football and baseball and played in the 1959 Rose Bowl. However, he later dropped out of college because of family financial hardship.
Cloutier was drafted into the United States Army. After the Army, he played football in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes, but an injury cut his career short.
After his football career ended, Cloutier started a food company, but it was not successful, so following the end of his first marriage, he moved to Texas to work on oil rigs. On his off days, he began to play poker, and quit his job after realizing that he was winning more money playing poker than working. He started playing poker when he was a caddy at a golf course and played poker after the rounds.
In addition to poker, Cloutier is well known for his high-stakes craps sessions.
Cloutier specializes in playing tournament poker, especially no-limit and pot limit hold'em. He is the only person in the history of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to have won events in three types of Omaha played at the World Series — Pot Limit High, Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low split. Cloutier has won a total of six WSOP bracelets in his career, in addition to many other titles in various kinds of poker games.