As a member of online poker room UltimateBet’s team of pros, Adam Levy may have been taken aback when the site’s cardroom consultant, Phil Hellmuth, berated him for five minutes straight at the 2008 WSOP main event, but he didn’t let it show. Hellmuth accused him of being a donkey, of being lucky, of pretty much everything short of cheating him out of a win, but donkeys don’t win over $3.2 million at the tables in just over five years, mostly in smaller tournaments. Adam, who plays as “Roothlus” on multiple poker sites — from places like Casino Las Vegas to Casino Japan — has made a name for himself by being “that guy.”

 

 

Born in Flushing, New York, Adam’s first card game was Magic: The Gathering, and he’d regularly attend events with his friends that were centered around the card game. One day, someone brought up the idea that they should try poker and he went from collectible card games to something that can be played with a deck purchased at any corner store in America.

Levy’s a genuinely curious player, who feels like he should learn something new every day. His willingness to discuss his game and ask other pros about things has made him a valuable resource for a lot of online poker players. He regularly answers questions on the UltimateBet blog, a veritable poker school for people of all skill levels, and is very frank about how admiration about players both old and new to the game. “Patience really is crucial. Try to talk to as many different people about poker. Bankroll management is so important as well,” Levy said in an interview on the UltimateBet website. You’re never too good to appreciate and seek out poker tips to improve your game.

As an online poker pro, many people assume that Levy’s routine is to simply get out of bed and crawl to the computer, but that’s not the case at all. “I generally get up an hour or two before I start playing poker. I try to not roll out of bed and jump on the computer. It’s just a bad habit. If I don’t shower, have breakfast, etc. in the morning I just don’t feel totally at 100%.” He says. This routine also mirrors his real-world tournament experience, in which he tries to go to bed early, dress nicely, and go in with a positive attitude.

Levy realizes he’s lucky to be able to play poker as a professional, but even those that treat it as their job can still find some excitement at the tables. “There is nothing more exciting or gut wrenching than No Limit Holdem. You can be dead to rights in the hand and someone can hit a miracle card to stay alive.”

Follow Levy online at UltimateBet under the username “Roothlus,” or watch any poker tournament on TV. If you see Phil Hellmuth flipping out, there’s a chance that Adam could be getting it with both barrels again.