Mickey Appleman
Encyclopedia
Mickey L. Appleman is an American
professional poker
player, sports bettor
, and sports handicapper now living in Fort Lee
, New Jersey
. His poker accomplishments include winning four WSOP bracelets, all in different variations of poker and four top 25 finishes in the WSOP Main Event.
, where he was strong in both athletics and academics. He received his undergraduate degree
in Mathematics
from Ohio State University
where he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi
. He also earned an MBA in statistics
from Case Western University.
He later moved to Washington, D.C.
, working as a coordinator in a drug rehabilitation
clinic
. He also taught Math in public schools.
(WSOP) in 1975. He was a regular player at the Mayfair Club
in New York City where he played against some of the now very famous and successful poker players like Dan Harrington
, Howard Lederer
, and Erik Seidel
.
In his over 30-year career as a professional poker player, he has won four bracelets and has finished in the money of the $10,000 no limit
hold'em main event in 1987
(8th), 1989
(22nd), 1990
(20th), and 2000
(9th).
In 2008, Appleman appeared on NBC's Poker After Dark
show in the episode "Mayfair Club." The other players were the former owner of the club, Mike Shictman, and professional poker players Howard Lederer
, Dan Harrington
, Steve Zolotow
, and Jay Heimowitz
who won the tournament and the $120,000 cash prize. Appleman finished the tournament in third place.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,787,000. His 40 cashes at the WSOP account for $1,156,292 of those winnings.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player, sports bettor
Sports betting
Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the outcome.-United States of America:Aside from simple wagers such as betting a friend that one's favorite baseball team will win its division or buying a football "square" for the Super Bowl, sports betting is...
, and sports handicapper now living in Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. His poker accomplishments include winning four WSOP bracelets, all in different variations of poker and four top 25 finishes in the WSOP Main Event.
Early Life and Career
Appleman grew up in Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, where he was strong in both athletics and academics. He received his undergraduate degree
Undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree taken by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. It is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a university...
in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
where he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
. He also earned an MBA in statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
from Case Western University.
He later moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, working as a coordinator in a drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
. He also taught Math in public schools.
Poker
Appleman used money he had made from sports betting to fund his early poker career, and he began playing at the World Series of PokerWorld Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
(WSOP) in 1975. He was a regular player at the Mayfair Club
Mayfair Club
The Mayfair Club was a cardroom in New York. Originally starting as a bridge and backgammon club, it eventually became "the most touted card club in New York" until its abrupt closing by authorities in 2000." Unlike the other gamehalls in the city, The Mayfair Club kept a low profile in a basement...
in New York City where he played against some of the now very famous and successful poker players like Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington is a professional poker player, best known for winning the main event world championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. He has earned one World Poker Tour title, two WSOP bracelets, and over six million dollars in tournament cashes in his poker career...
, Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, and Erik Seidel
Erik Seidel
Erik Seidel is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada who has won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title.In 2010, he was inducted as a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
.
In his over 30-year career as a professional poker player, he has won four bracelets and has finished in the money of the $10,000 no limit
Betting (poker)
In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing...
hold'em main event in 1987
1987 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 152 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament.-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry....
(8th), 1989
1989 World Series of Poker
The 1989 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe. The 1989 Main Event was won by 24-year-old Phil Hellmuth, defeating defending champion Johnny Chan, and also breaking the record for the youngest player to win the WSOP Main Event . Had Johnny Chan won, he would have tied Johnny...
(22nd), 1990
1990 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 194 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament.-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry....
(20th), and 2000
2000 World Series of Poker
-Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 512 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament.Ferguson had a 10 to 1 chip lead when starting his heads-up vs Cloutier. After a see-saw battle, Ferguson decided to call Cloutier's AQ all-in with his own A9...
(9th).
In 2008, Appleman appeared on NBC's Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark was an hour-long poker television program on NBC. The show made its debut on January 1, 2007, and was cancelled as another victim of the "Black Friday" criminal case due to the show's sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker, one of that case's defendants. on September 23, 2011 For its first...
show in the episode "Mayfair Club." The other players were the former owner of the club, Mike Shictman, and professional poker players Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington is a professional poker player, best known for winning the main event world championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. He has earned one World Poker Tour title, two WSOP bracelets, and over six million dollars in tournament cashes in his poker career...
, Steve Zolotow
Steve Zolotow
Steve Zolotow is an American businessman and professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada. He has won two bracelets at the World Series of Poker. He was one of the regulars at the famed Mayfair Club while he lived in New York City.-New York Years:...
, and Jay Heimowitz
Jay Heimowitz
Jay B. Heimowitz is an American poker player from Bethel, New York. Heimowitz was one of the original players to help establish the Mayfair Club as a premier poker house....
who won the tournament and the $120,000 cash prize. Appleman finished the tournament in third place.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,787,000. His 40 cashes at the WSOP account for $1,156,292 of those winnings.
World Series of Poker Bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 1980 World Series of Poker -Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 73 entrants to the main event, with each paying an entry fee of $10,000. This would be Ungar's first of three wins.-Final table:... |
$1,000 Seven Card Stud Split Seven-card stud Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant in home games across the United States, and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. Two to eight players is common, though eight may... |
$30,800 |
| 1992 1992 World Series of Poker The 1992 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe. Among notable participants was actor Telly Savalas of Kojak fame.-Preliminary events:-Main Event:... |
$5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw Draw (poker) A poker player is drawing if they have a hand that is incomplete and needs further cards to become valuable. The hand itself is called a draw or drawing hand. For example, in seven-card stud, if four of a player's first five cards are all spades, but the hand is otherwise weak, they are drawing to... |
$119,250 |
| 1995 1995 World Series of Poker -Preliminary events:-Final table:-Other High Finishes:NB: This list is restricted to top 30 finishers with an existing Wikipedia entry.-External Links:*... |
$5,000 Limit Betting (poker) In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing... Hold'em Texas hold 'em Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with... |
$234,000 |
| 2003 2003 World Series of Poker -Preliminary events:-Main Event:There were 839 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter what was the largest poker tournament ever played in a brick and mortar casino at the time... |
$2,000 Pot Limit Betting (poker) In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing... Hold'em |
$147,280 |