▁his ▁live ▁tournament ▁w inn ings ▁exceed ▁$ 2 3 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁is ▁ranked ▁ 2 2 nd ▁on ▁the ▁all - time ▁money ▁list . ▁He ▁holds ▁the ▁records ▁for ▁most ▁W S OP ▁c ash es ▁( 1 0 8 ) ▁and ▁most ▁W S OP ▁final ▁tables ▁( 5 2 ), ▁over t aking ▁T . ▁J . ▁Cl out ier . ▁ ▁Hell m uth ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁usually ▁taking ▁his ▁seat ▁at ▁pok er ▁tournament s ▁long ▁after ▁they ▁begin . ▁ ▁World ▁Series ▁of ▁P oker ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁World ▁Series ▁of ▁P oker , ▁Hell m uth ▁had ▁his ▁first ▁in - the - m oney ▁finish ▁at ▁the ▁$ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁Seven ▁Card ▁Stud ▁Split , ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁event . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁W S OP , ▁he ▁came ▁in ▁ 3 3 rd ▁after ▁being ▁elimin ated ▁by ▁event ual ▁champion ▁Johnny ▁Chan . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁the ▁ 2 4 - year - old ▁Hell m uth ▁became ▁the ▁young est ▁player ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Main ▁Event ▁of ▁the ▁W S OP ▁by ▁defe ating ▁the ▁two - time ▁def ending ▁champion ▁Johnny ▁Chan ▁in ▁heads - up ▁play ; ▁Hell m uth ' s ▁record ▁was ▁broken ▁by ▁Peter ▁East gate ▁( 2 2 ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁▁ ▁As ▁of