Poker Giant Mike Sexton Has Prostate Cancer, In Hospice Care
Poker Hall of Famer and “The Ambassador of Poker” Mike Sexton has been receiving in-home hospice care for a month as he battles prostate cancer. [Image: Flickr.com]
Situation is dire
Poker legend Mike Sexton, known as “The Ambassador of Poker,” is gravely ill, currently receiving in-home hospice care for prostate cancer that has metastasized to other organs. Poker players, fans, and friends had been concerned recently that Sexton had not tweeted since August 22. Sexton was a fairly frequent poster, almost exclusively promoting the game on the social media network.
Fellow poker legend and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson confirmed the worst on Tuesday. Sexton himself permitted her to let the world know about his situation:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300946204688228352&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300946204688228352" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 269px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Outpouring of love
Since the news broke, poker players and fans have expressed nothing but love for Mike Sexton. Ali Nejad, one of the most familiar voices in televised poker commentary, wrote: “Never met anyone who had an unkind thing to say about @Mike_partypoker. A true gentleman w/ a big heart & smile to match; a better ambassador to poker than we deserved; & an inspiring example of a life lived fully. Please don’t go.”
Sexton was always extremely generous, known to help out friends financially whenever he could. Actress and poker player Jennifer Tilly reminded the poker Twitterverse of a story from Nolan Dalla’s book One of Kind in which Sexton gave the almost mythical Stu Ungar, who was broke and near the end of his life, a credit card to buy his daughter clothes for school. Sexton himself briefly recounted the tale in an interview with PokerListings three years ago:
<header class="entry-header mb-20" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 16px;">Poker Giant Mike Sexton Has Prostate Cancer, In Hospice Care
Dan Katz<time class="entry-date published" datetime="2020-09-03T22:01:17+02:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">September 3, 2020</time>
</header>
Poker Hall of Famer and “The Ambassador of Poker” Mike Sexton has been receiving in-home hospice care for a month as he battles prostate cancer. [Image: Flickr.com]
Situation is dire
Poker legend Mike Sexton, known as “The Ambassador of Poker,” is gravely ill, currently receiving in-home hospice care for prostate cancer that has metastasized to other organs. Poker players, fans, and friends had been concerned recently that Sexton had not tweeted since August 22. Sexton was a fairly frequent poster, almost exclusively promoting the game on the social media network.
Fellow poker legend and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson confirmed the worst on Tuesday. Sexton himself permitted her to let the world know about his situation:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300946204688228352&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300946204688228352" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 269px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Outpouring of love
Since the news broke, poker players and fans have expressed nothing but love for Mike Sexton. Ali Nejad, one of the most familiar voices in televised poker commentary, wrote: “Never met anyone who had an unkind thing to say about @Mike_partypoker. A true gentleman w/ a big heart & smile to match; a better ambassador to poker than we deserved; & an inspiring example of a life lived fully. Please don’t go.”
Sexton was always extremely generous, known to help out friends financially whenever he could. Actress and poker player Jennifer Tilly reminded the poker Twitterverse of a story from Nolan Dalla’s book One of Kind in which Sexton gave the almost mythical Stu Ungar, who was broke and near the end of his life, a credit card to buy his daughter clothes for school. Sexton himself briefly recounted the tale in an interview with PokerListings three years ago:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe title="Stu Ungar Untold Tales: Sexton's Most Important Loan to Ungar Ever" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iH0L7jwQk-Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%;"></iframe>
</figure>Todd Brunson said that Sexton is “the epitome of what and how a player should conduct himself both at and away from the poker table,” adding that he is the “consummate Gentleman.”
The tributes and praise go on and on as people send their well-wishes for Linda Johnson and his closest friends to pass along.
Sexton is poker’s king
Mike Sexton’s nickname, “The Ambassador of Poker,” is well-deserved. For many poker players and fans, his voice is the voice they associate with learning and loving the game. He, along with Vince Van Patten, was the on-air commentator for the World Poker Tour broadcasts from day one. He finally left in 2017 after 15 years in the booth.
Through the decades, especially the last two, Mike Sexton was the greatest promoter poker could ever have. He was relentlessly upbeat and to a person, everyone says he was always the most welcoming person they had ever met.
“Truth is,” Daniel Negreanu tweeted, “poker as it looks right now wouldn’t be the same without Mike’s influence.”
<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-1&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300965847427502081&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300965847427502081" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 517px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Sexton is, of course, an all-time great on the felt, as well, with over $6.7m in live tournament cashes, a World Series of Poker bracelet, and a WPT title.
In July, the World Poker Tour named the WPT Champions Cup after him, renaming it the “Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.”
- Linda Johnson said that Sexton has metastatic prostate cancer and is in hospice care
- Poker players and fans have been flooding Twitter with messages of love
- “The Ambassador of Poker” was the WPT’s lead announcer for 15 years
- Sexton was one of the original members of partypoker’s team
Poker Hall of Famer and “The Ambassador of Poker” Mike Sexton has been receiving in-home hospice care for a month as he battles prostate cancer. [Image: Flickr.com]
Situation is dire
Poker legend Mike Sexton, known as “The Ambassador of Poker,” is gravely ill, currently receiving in-home hospice care for prostate cancer that has metastasized to other organs. Poker players, fans, and friends had been concerned recently that Sexton had not tweeted since August 22. Sexton was a fairly frequent poster, almost exclusively promoting the game on the social media network.
one of the most universally liked humans in the gambling world”
The first public word of Sexton’s health struggles came from his friend, who posts under the handle “@dinkinc” on Twitter. On Monday, Sexton’s friend said that he was “very ill,” calling him “one of the most universally liked humans in the gambling world.”
Fellow poker legend and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson confirmed the worst on Tuesday. Sexton himself permitted her to let the world know about his situation:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300946204688228352&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300946204688228352" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 269px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Outpouring of love
Since the news broke, poker players and fans have expressed nothing but love for Mike Sexton. Ali Nejad, one of the most familiar voices in televised poker commentary, wrote: “Never met anyone who had an unkind thing to say about @Mike_partypoker. A true gentleman w/ a big heart & smile to match; a better ambassador to poker than we deserved; & an inspiring example of a life lived fully. Please don’t go.”
light to all who crossed paths with him”
Ebony Kenney called Sexton a “light to all who crossed paths with him.”
Sexton was always extremely generous, known to help out friends financially whenever he could. Actress and poker player Jennifer Tilly reminded the poker Twitterverse of a story from Nolan Dalla’s book One of Kind in which Sexton gave the almost mythical Stu Ungar, who was broke and near the end of his life, a credit card to buy his daughter clothes for school. Sexton himself briefly recounted the tale in an interview with PokerListings three years ago:
<header class="entry-header mb-20" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 16px;">Poker Giant Mike Sexton Has Prostate Cancer, In Hospice Care
- Linda Johnson said that Sexton has metastatic prostate cancer and is in hospice care
- Poker players and fans have been flooding Twitter with messages of love
- “The Ambassador of Poker” was the WPT’s lead announcer for 15 years
- Sexton was one of the original members of partypoker’s team
</header>
Situation is dire
Poker legend Mike Sexton, known as “The Ambassador of Poker,” is gravely ill, currently receiving in-home hospice care for prostate cancer that has metastasized to other organs. Poker players, fans, and friends had been concerned recently that Sexton had not tweeted since August 22. Sexton was a fairly frequent poster, almost exclusively promoting the game on the social media network.
one of the most universally liked humans in the gambling world”
The first public word of Sexton’s health struggles came from his friend, who posts under the handle “@dinkinc” on Twitter. On Monday, Sexton’s friend said that he was “very ill,” calling him “one of the most universally liked humans in the gambling world.”
Fellow poker legend and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson confirmed the worst on Tuesday. Sexton himself permitted her to let the world know about his situation:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300946204688228352&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300946204688228352" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 269px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Outpouring of love
Since the news broke, poker players and fans have expressed nothing but love for Mike Sexton. Ali Nejad, one of the most familiar voices in televised poker commentary, wrote: “Never met anyone who had an unkind thing to say about @Mike_partypoker. A true gentleman w/ a big heart & smile to match; a better ambassador to poker than we deserved; & an inspiring example of a life lived fully. Please don’t go.”
light to all who crossed paths with him”
Ebony Kenney called Sexton a “light to all who crossed paths with him.”
Sexton was always extremely generous, known to help out friends financially whenever he could. Actress and poker player Jennifer Tilly reminded the poker Twitterverse of a story from Nolan Dalla’s book One of Kind in which Sexton gave the almost mythical Stu Ungar, who was broke and near the end of his life, a credit card to buy his daughter clothes for school. Sexton himself briefly recounted the tale in an interview with PokerListings three years ago:
<figure class="wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe title="Stu Ungar Untold Tales: Sexton's Most Important Loan to Ungar Ever" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iH0L7jwQk-Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%;"></iframe>
</figure>Todd Brunson said that Sexton is “the epitome of what and how a player should conduct himself both at and away from the poker table,” adding that he is the “consummate Gentleman.”
The tributes and praise go on and on as people send their well-wishes for Linda Johnson and his closest friends to pass along.
Sexton is poker’s king
Mike Sexton’s nickname, “The Ambassador of Poker,” is well-deserved. For many poker players and fans, his voice is the voice they associate with learning and loving the game. He, along with Vince Van Patten, was the on-air commentator for the World Poker Tour broadcasts from day one. He finally left in 2017 after 15 years in the booth.
one of the few poker personalities to bridge the generations
Sexton was also a member of the partypoker team from the beginning, dating back to 2001. Not only was he the face of televised poker, he was the face of online poker, getting everyone excited to play during the poker boom. He was one of the few poker personalities to bridge the generations: he played with the old school crowd of Doyle Brunson, Billy Baldwin, and more, yet also embraced the online game and the young players that came up with it.
Through the decades, especially the last two, Mike Sexton was the greatest promoter poker could ever have. He was relentlessly upbeat and to a person, everyone says he was always the most welcoming person they had ever met.
“Truth is,” Daniel Negreanu tweeted, “poker as it looks right now wouldn’t be the same without Mike’s influence.”
<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 1em 0px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" class="" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-1&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1300965847427502081&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vegasslotsonline.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F09%2F03%2Fpoker-giant-mike-sexton-has-prostate-cancer-in-hospice-care%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=219d021%3A1598982042171&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1300965847427502081" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 100%; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 517px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe>
</figure>Sexton is, of course, an all-time great on the felt, as well, with over $6.7m in live tournament cashes, a World Series of Poker bracelet, and a WPT title.
In July, the World Poker Tour named the WPT Champions Cup after him, renaming it the “Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup.”
| [h=1]Poker Hall Of Famer, Longtime Voice Of WPT Mike Sexton Passes Away At Age 72[/h][h=2]Sexton Had Been Quietly Battling Prostate Cancer[/h] |
| by Card Player News Team | Published: Sep 06, 2020 |
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The announcement came from fellow Poker Hall of Fame member Linda Johnson, who had been among those by Sexton’s side as he entered hospice care following a battle with prostate cancer. Sexton passed away two weeks shy of his 73rd birthday.
Sexton is best known to poker fans as the longtime voice of the World Poker Tour, serving as a television commentator for 15 years. For many watching at home, Sexton was their first introduction to hold’em, explaining the rules of “the Cadillac of poker,” a game that took just “a minute to learn, and a lifetime to master.” He would end every episode with the sign off, “May all your cards be live, and may all your pots be monsters.”
The former Ohio State University gymnast volunteered for Vietnam as a U.S. Army paratrooper, and even taught ballroom dancing and contract bridge before becoming a professional poker player in 1977. Sexton had been taught the game from his childhood neighbor, stud great Danny Robison.
Although he will be remembered for his work as a poker ambassador and tireless promoter of the game, Sexton was also an accomplished player. He won a World Series of Poker bracelet in the 1989 stud split event, and in 2006, he won the Tournament of Champions for $1 million, giving half of the prize money to charity.
In 2016, after years of not being able to play in WPT events because of his commentating duties, he won the WPT Playground Poker Fall Classic for $317,896 and as a tour winner, had his name etched on the WPT Champions Cup Trophy. In July, the WPT renamed the trophy in his honor.
“I was most proud of being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame,” Sexton said. “I didn’t think anything could ever top that, but in my mind, this does.”The news of Sexton’s condition spread quickly online, sparking an outpouring of messages and stories on various social media platforms. On Thursday night, Sexton was able to watch a special webcast featuring many of his friends and colleagues who got the opportunity to say goodbye.
Sexton is survived by his wife Karen and son Ty.
The former Card Player columnist chronicled his life in his autobiography Life’s A Gamble. In 2017, he also shared many stories about his high-stakes gambling days on the Poker Stories podcast.
