After his football career ended, Cloutier started a food company, but it was not successful, so following the end of his first marriage, he moved to Texas to work on oil rigs. On his off days, he began to play poker, and quit his job after realizing that he was winning more money playing poker than working. He started playing poker when he was a caddy at a golf course and played poker after the rounds.[4]
In addition to poker, Cloutier is well known for his high-stakes craps sessions.[5]
Poker career
World Series of Poker
Cloutier specializes in playing tournament poker, especially no-limit and pot limithold'em. He is the only person in the history of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to have won events in three types of Omaha played at the World Series — Pot Limit High, Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low split. Cloutier has won a total of six WSOP bracelets in his career, in addition to many other titles in various kinds of poker games.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
He has placed four times in the top five in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, including two second-place finishes, in 1985, losing to Bill Smith, and 2000, losing to Chris Ferguson.[12][13] Cloutier also finished in fifth place in 1988, won by Johnny Chan, and in third place in 1998, won by Scotty Nguyen.[14][15]
In 2009, Cloutier was one of numerous players turned away from the Main Event, as registration was capped on that particular day. He did admit it was own fault for not signing up earlier and not looking for special treatment.[16][17]
As of 2024, his total live tournament winnings exceed $10,500,000.[25]
Poker writings
Cloutier is the co-author (with Tom McEvoy) of four books on poker:
Championship Tournament Practice Hands
Championship Holdem
Championship Omaha
Championship No-Limit and Pot Limit Hold'em.
He has also written How To Win The Championship: Hold'em Strategies For The Final Table, a book covering tournament strategy with an emphasis on the final few tables.[26]