David “Devilfish” Ulliott: WSOP Bracelet Winner, WPT Champion and Poker Hall of Famer
POKER HALL OF FAME
Inducted 2017
David “Devilfish” Ulliott was one of the most recognizable British poker players of his generation, combining major tournament success with a distinctive table presence that made him a prominent figure during poker’s early television era.
Ulliott won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 1997, captured a World Poker Tour title in 2003 and later became a posthumous member of the Poker Hall of Fame. As of September 2026, The Hendon Mob lists him with $6,235,084 in live tournament earnings and a career-best live cash of $674,500.
His influence extended beyond those results. Ulliott’s appearances on British television, especially his victory in the first season of Late Night Poker, helped make him one of the best-known poker personalities in the United Kingdom at a time when televised poker was still developing its audience.
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Who Was David “Devilfish” Ulliott?
David Ulliott, commonly known as Dave Ulliott, was an English poker player from Kingston upon Hull. Born in 1954, he built his reputation first in British card games and cash-game circles before becoming an internationally recognized tournament professional.
His recorded live tournament career stretches back to at least 1993 in The Hendon Mob database. By the late 1990s, Ulliott had established himself on the international stage through success in Las Vegas and appearances in a new generation of televised poker programs.
The “Devilfish” nickname became inseparable from his public identity. PokerNews traces the name to a Las Vegas confrontation with Men “The Master” Nguyen, after which a supporter on Ulliott’s rail began calling him the Devilfish. The nickname followed him throughout the rest of his career.
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Ulliott’s Breakthrough at the World Series of Poker
Ulliott’s defining early tournament achievement came at the 1997 World Series of Poker (WSOP), where he won the $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em event.
The victory gave Ulliott his only WSOP bracelet, but his record at the series extended well beyond that championship. He later finished runner-up in bracelet events at the 1998, 2000 and 2001 WSOP and continued recording WSOP results into the 2010s.
As of September 2026, the World Series of Poker player database credits Ulliott with:
1 WSOP bracelet
11 WSOP final tables
33 WSOP cashes
$1,716,532 in WSOP earnings
0 WSOP Circuit rings
His WSOP record reflects both longevity and versatility. Ulliott competed successfully in hold’em and Omaha formats and remained a presence at the series well after his initial breakthrough.
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World Poker Tour Championship
Ulliott added another major title in January 2003 when he won the Jack Binion World Poker Open, an event on the inaugural season of the World Poker Tour (WPT).
He defeated Phil Ivey heads-up to win the championship and $589,175. The victory gave Ulliott a WPT title to go with his WSOP bracelet and strengthened his international tournament résumé during the period when televised poker was rapidly expanding.
Ulliott later produced his largest recorded tournament score at another WPT event. In December 2007, he finished third in the $15,400 Doyle Brunson Classic at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic in Las Vegas for $674,500.
That remains his largest individual live tournament cash in The Hendon Mob database.
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Late Night Poker and Television Fame
Tournament titles account for only part of Ulliott’s importance to poker.
He became closely associated with Late Night Poker, the British television program that helped introduce viewers to hole-card camera technology and brought professional poker personalities into homes before the global poker boom.
Ulliott won the first season of Late Night Poker, earning £40,000. His success, confidence and distinctive personality made him particularly well suited to the new television format.
At a time when poker players were only beginning to become recognizable public figures, Ulliott emerged as one of the game’s most visible British personalities. His television appearances helped broaden awareness of poker in the United Kingdom and connected an earlier generation of live professionals with the audience that would later embrace televised and online poker.
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Career Earnings and Major Tournament Record
Ulliott assembled more than $6.2 million in recorded live tournament earnings during a career that spanned more than two decades.
As of September 2026, The Hendon Mob lists:
$6,235,084 in total live tournament earnings
$674,500 as his largest live cash
Recorded tournament results beginning in 1993
A peak position of 18th on the all-time live tournament money list
Those totals are particularly notable because much of Ulliott’s career occurred before the enormous fields, high-roller circuits and multimillion-dollar payouts that became increasingly common in later eras of tournament poker.
His major accomplishments include a WSOP bracelet, a WPT championship, numerous deep WSOP finishes and sustained results in tournaments across the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.
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What Was Devilfish’s Playing Style?
Ulliott developed a reputation as an aggressive and confrontational live player who was comfortable applying pressure and engaging opponents at the table.
His tournament results also demonstrate that he was more than a television personality. Success in pot-limit hold’em, Omaha and major no-limit hold’em championships showed an ability to compete across different formats and against internationally accomplished fields.
Ulliott’s table image became part of his competitive identity. His distinctive clothing, tinted glasses, jewelry, conversation and confidence made him immediately recognizable, but the longevity of his results gave substance to the personality surrounding him.
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Poker Hall of Fame Induction
Ulliott died on April 6, 2015, at age 61 after battling cancer.
Two years later, the World Series of Poker announced that Ulliott and Phil Ivey had been elected to the Poker Hall of Fame as the Class of 2017.
The WSOP Poker Hall of Fame announcement highlighted Ulliott’s WSOP bracelet, WPT championship, more than $6.2 million in lifetime tournament earnings and his importance as one of Britain’s most famous poker personalities.
His induction formally recognized an impact that extended beyond tournament statistics. Ulliott had become part of the development of televised poker in Europe and one of the British players most closely identified with the game before and during its transition into mainstream entertainment.
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David Ulliott’s Legacy in Poker
Ulliott’s tournament record is complete, but his place in poker history continues through the combination of championship results and cultural influence he left behind.
He belonged to a generation that built professional reputations in live cardrooms before online poker, hole-card broadcasts and global tournament circuits transformed the industry. Ulliott then successfully crossed into that newer era, becoming a recognizable television figure while continuing to compete at the WSOP, WPT and other major events.
The WSOP bracelet and WPT title establish his credentials as a major tournament winner. His Late Night Poker victory and larger-than-life table presence explain why his influence cannot be measured by prize money alone.
His 2017 Poker Hall of Fame induction remains the clearest institutional recognition of that broader legacy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was David Ulliott’s nickname?
David Ulliott was known throughout poker as “Devilfish.” The nickname became a central part of his public identity and he was commonly introduced as Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott.
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How many WSOP bracelets did Devilfish win?
David Ulliott won one World Series of Poker bracelet. He captured the $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em event at the 1997 WSOP.
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Did David Ulliott win a World Poker Tour title?
Yes. Ulliott won the 2003 Jack Binion World Poker Open during the inaugural season of the World Poker Tour, defeating Phil Ivey heads-up and earning $589,175.
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How much did Dave Ulliott earn playing live poker tournaments?
As of September 2026, The Hendon Mob lists Dave Ulliott with $6,235,084 in recorded live tournament earnings.
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What was Devilfish’s biggest live tournament cash?
The Hendon Mob lists Ulliott’s largest live tournament cash as $674,500. He earned that prize for finishing third in the 2007 Doyle Brunson Classic at the Five Diamond World Poker Classic.
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Did Dave Ulliott win Late Night Poker?
Yes. Ulliott won the first season of Late Night Poker and collected the £40,000 first prize. The program helped make him one of Britain’s most recognizable poker personalities.
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Is David Ulliott in the Poker Hall of Fame?
Yes. David “Devilfish” Ulliott was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2017 alongside Phil Ivey.
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When did David “Devilfish” Ulliott die?
Ulliott died on April 6, 2015, at age 61 after battling cancer. His tournament career and influence on British and televised poker were later recognized through his Poker Hall of Fame induction.