Jay B. Heimowitz

Jay B. Heimowitz was born December 26, 1937 and is from Bethel, New York. At the age of 9 he started playing poker for baseball cards. He went on to join the U.S. Army and Heimowitz had won approximately $10,000 playing against his fellow servicemen by the time he left the service at age 21. That $10k went towards the building of a beer and bottling company for which he worked for 80 hours a week until being granted a Budweiser distributorship just two years later.

Jay's first WSOP tournament in 1975 was also his first big victory. He had played at the $1,000 buy-in "Nonprofessional" No-Limit Hold’em tournament. Due to problems distinguishing between "professional" and "nonprofessional" players, this event was taken out of the WSOP agenda long ago.

Jay Heimowitz is one of the most skilled and respected poker players. Heimowitz, a true veteran of poker, has attended the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since 1975 and has six bracelets to his name.

Heimowitz has also played in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event since 1977, and ended with seven money finishes in ten years which makes him the one player with the most appearances in the Main Event, as well as one of the biggest money finishers. There are only a few other players could match the number of bracelets that Heimowitz has been able to harvest at the WSOP. Among them are Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Phill Hellmuth and Johnny Chan.

Mike Sexton of Card Player Magazine declares that Jay Heimowitz, as well as fellow amateur player Lyle Berman, represent the best of the poker world. Both at and away from the table, he says, Heimowitz exhibits greatness of spirit. Heimowitz's motto is "Take pride in your work - whatever it is."


Fun Facts:

• Was one of the original players that helped establish the Mayfair Club as a premier poker house.
• Heimowitz has a wife Carole, and has four sons - two of which play poker, and five grandchildren.
• Enjoys keeping fit and maintaining a healthy diet as he exercises everyday, goes skiing and fishing for recreation.