One of poker’s most recognizable personalities now represents the BetRivers brand.
BetRivers announced a partnership with Phil Hellmuth on Monday, with Hellmuth joining the team as a brand ambassador and content partner. The agreement brings one of poker’s biggest stars to BetRivers, which recently entered the regulated U.S. online poker market with the launch of BetRivers Poker Pennsylvania.
BetRivers’ parent company Rush Street Interactive (RSI) revealed the collaboration with Hellmuth in a Monday press release. Hellmuth presence will be integrated across all BetRivers verticals in the U.S., including BetRivers’ mobile sportsbook and casino apps, land-based casino events, and the BetRivers Poker platform.
The Poker Brat has a new hat in 2025. More Phil on TV
Also expect to see plenty of Hellmuth on episodes of Poker Night in America, which is owned and operated by RSI.
“Phil’s unmatched passion, dynamic personality, and flair for entertainment make him the perfect ambassador as we continue to expand our offerings and elevate player experiences across our platforms,” said Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz in the press release. “His expanded role in the BetRivers Network, including increased appearances on Poker Night in America, and his contributions to promoting our new online poker platform, will bring unparalleled excitement to our players.”
“Additionally, his involvement with our best-in-class mobile casino and sportsbook promotional games will create unforgettable moments for players and fans alike.”
Expanding the Hellmuth brand
As 2025 begins, Hellmuth persists as one of the most prolific poker personalities in the history of the game, both on and off the felt. The 17-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner has achieved a level of mainstream recognition that’s only rivaled by perhaps Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey.
The “Poker Brat” has spent plenty of time as an ambassador for various brands throughout the past two decades. Hellmuth appeared on the Athletes & Assets with Noah Lack podcast last week, and the nearly 50-minute episode went in-depth into Hellmuth’s business ventures, sponsorships, investments, and public persona.
The first part of the podcast episode discusses an upcoming series on Twitter/X titled “Kingmaker,” which Hellmuth describes as “American Idol meets Shark Tank.”
Hellmuth has a few projects in the hopper for 2025. The premise of Kingmaker involves Hellmuth hosting the show and visiting a different city in each episode. Around 20 startups per episode pitch their companies, and viewers can invest in the companies that appear on Kingmaker.
“During the show, you see a company you like, you want to put in $20, $100, press a button,” Hellmuth said on the podcast. “The audience can invest in the company while watching the show.”
Hellmuth said that viewers can expect two companies to move forward from the original lineup of 20 contenders in each episode, eventually playing down to a series finale that features a showdown between the final two companies standing.
Hellmuth backs BetRivers Poker
BetRivers Poker recently joined the U.S. regulated poker market as a collaboration between poker pro Phil Galfond and Rush Street Interactive.
The newly launched site is essentially a rebranded version of Galfond’s Run It Once Poker platform, an international poker platform that ceased operation in January 2022. RSI purchased Run It Once from Galfond for $5.8 million in March 2022.
BetRivers Poker PA went live in Pennsylvania in November 2024 and is expected to expand into New Jersey and Michigan soon.
“Partnering with Rush Street Interactive and BetRivers is an exciting new chapter for me,” Hellmuth said in the press release. “Ever since meeting the Rush Street Interactive executive team in 2012, I have been a fan. I have been impressed with RSI’s moxie, will, and determination to build a beautiful product—an online gaming experience that people love to use and play on.
“Today, I am proud to announce that we will elevate our collaboration to share my experience and love of poker, gambling, and entertainment with BetRivers players and fans, both online and in person.”
