Wikimedia Commons Mike Sexton
Mike Sexton, the television commentator for World Poker Tour events and a member of the Poker Hall of Fame, is dead at the age of 72, according to another member of the Poker Hall of Fame and the World Poker Tour.
“Mike Sexton passed away peacefully at home earlier today surrounded by family members. He appreciated all the wonderful comments and farewells from poker players all over the world. Service details are forthcoming. For now, please keep his family in your thoughts as they grieve,” Linda Johnson wrote on Twitter on September. Yahoo Entertainment reported that she was authorized to speak on Sexton’s behalf, so, sadly, the news of his death is true.
Mike Sexton passed away peacefully at home earlier today surrounded by family members. He appreciated all the wonderful comments and farewells from poker players all over the world. Service details are forthcoming. For now, please keep his family in your thoughts as they grieve.
The World Poker Tour also confirmed the news, writing, that “its longtime commentator and namesake of the WPT® Champions Cup, Mike Sexton, passed away.”
Although they didn’t disclose the official cause of death, Sexton had been declining in health for some time.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Sexton Was Recently Moved to Hospice Care for Prostate Cancer
Mike was a great dancer. Here we are dancing the cha-cha at my 60th birthday party.
On September 1, Johnson gave fans an update about Sexton’s health on Twitter, and it didn’t look good. She wrote, “Mike Sexton is poker’s greatest ambassadors. He authorized this tweet. He has only wanted to deliver positive messages so he kept his health problems private. Mike has been battling prostate cancer that has recently spread to other organs. He began in-home hospice a month ago.”
She recalled that he was a great dancer and shared the above video.
ESPN’s Andrew Feldman responded, “This is so sad. Please tell Mike to keep fighting and thank him for everything that he’s done for the sport. He was my first interview in poker and I can’t thank him enough for giving me the time and opportunity at that moment.”
2. Johnson Wrote That Sexton Wanted ‘Happy Stories,’ Not Tears; He Leaves Behind a Young Son
Mike didn’t want tears. He wanted happy stories so I’m going to post some videos and pictures and welcome you to do the same. This one was taken at the introductory party for WPT. That’s Steve Lipscomb, Mike and me.
Johnson posted a series of tributes to Sexton. “Mike didn’t want tears. He wanted happy stories so I’m going to post some videos and pictures and welcome you to do the same. This one was taken at the introductory party for WPT. That’s Steve Lipscomb, Mike and me,” she wrote, sharing the above photo.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Johnson helped “popularize the game” as the WPT’s television commentator from 2003 to 2017, bringing the game of poker to a new legion of fans.
Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour, said, according to the statement from the Tour: “It is with great sorrow that I announce the passing of my friend and the greatest ambassador in poker, Mike Sexton. Mike served as a WPT commentator for 15 seasons and spent a lifetime growing the game of poker around the globe. His glowing presence resonated with players and fans of poker alike, who will all miss him onscreen and at the table. Mike’s legacy will forever be a part of poker’s history. The WPT Family joins the entire poker community in sending our thoughts and deepest condolences to the Sexton family, including his young son Ty.”
3. Sexton’s Career Earnings Exceeded $6.7 Million
Mike Sexton was a very successful poker player, pulling in more than $6.7 million in career earnings during his lifetime, according to The Hendon Mob.
That site puts his best live cash at more than $1.1 million. He’s ranked 171st on the all-time money list. The site says he lived in Las Vegas, Nevada and was born in Shelby, Indiana.
A fan wrote, “So sad to hear of the passing of Mike Sexton. Such a wonderful voice for the poker community, especially the recreational base. What he did for poker on TV had a massive influence on a lot of people, not just poker players. Thanks Mike.”
4. Sexton Was Known as the ‘Ambassador of Poker’
According to the World Poker Tour, Sexton’s legacy is a lasting one. Sexton “raised the profile of the game of poker for many years both before and after joining the World Poker Tour, leading him to be called the ‘ambassador of poker,'” the tour says.
“The Poker Hall of Fame called Sexton’s name in 2008 as their 39th inductee for both his accomplishments on the felt and his lifetime of stewardship of the game.”
In 2017, the tour says, Sexton “was named a recipient of the WPT Honors, the WPT’s highest distinction awarded to the most vibrant and vital members of the poker industry, in celebration and appreciation of his exceptional contributions to the World Poker Tour and the poker community as a whole.”
5. Fans & Colleagues Offered Tributes to Sexton on Social Media
The world lost a positive soul. Was an honor to meet you multiple times. RIP @Mike_partypoker
The actor James Woods joined in the tributes, writing on Twitter, “Thank you, Linda. The tribute yesterday for Mike Sexton was so moving. He was one of the most gentle and warm-hearted people I ever met. I speak for every poker player I know when I say he will be missed. #RIPMikeSexton.”
Matt Savage, the executive tour director of WPT, wrote, “People deal with grief in different ways and admit I haven’t dealt with the illness and passing of Mike Sexton as well as I should have. There comes a time in everyone’s life when more people we love pass away but this one really hurts. I loved him like a brother. #ThankYouMike.”
A fan wrote: “Genuinely saddened by the passing of Mike Sexton. Always seemed like a genuine guy and I enjoyed watching and listening to him on TV. Rest in peace, Mike.”
Another added, “The #poker world lost an icon today. Didn’t matter where Mike Sexton was, he was always a class act.”
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