Phil Hellmuth Enters WSOP Main Event Dressed as Gandalf

Image courtesy of PokerNews.com

Phil Hellmuth entered the Rio Convention Center in style, dressed as the Lord of the Rings character Gandalf. The “Poker Brat” arrived for Day 1f in the Main Event to stake his claim for a 17th WSOP bracelet, flanked by his friend Dan “Jungleman” Cates, who was also dressed up in fantasy gear. A troop of 16 models completed the roll call for the grand entrance.

Hellmuth teased his Twitter followers during the morning, asking for suggestions of which Lord of the Rings character Jungleman should dress up as if he joins the themed entrance.

If Jungle @junglemandan joins my @WSOP Main Event entrance Tuesday at 7 PM, what evil “Lord of the Rings” character should he dress up as? [We already have 16 models dressed in black, me as “Gandalf the White,” one elf and “Gimli” (a dwarf)]

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) November 9, 2021

He has arrived! @phil_hellmuth has made his way to the #WSOP Main Event! pic.twitter.com/Xgq4WiCLW3

— PokerNews (@PokerNews) November 10, 2021

The choice of Gandalf the White was apt for Hellmuth, with his oft repeated proclamations of White Magic helping him to defeat his opponents.

Here he is in what is probably the most remembered Main Event entrance: dressed as Caesar!

Unfortunately for Hellmuth, there was to be no visible magic on his opening day’s play. A dry run of cards so him bagging up with slightly less than what he started the tournament with.

After a great run during the early events of the WSOP 2021, Hellmuth was catapulted into contention for the Player of the Year. He currently sits in seventh place and is in need of a big result here to move back to the top of the leaderboard before the series wraps up in a couple of weeks.