Mike Sexton has passed away

The poker world mourns one of the most influential and well liked industry figures in the game.

Last week we brought you the news of the poker world paying tribute to Mike Sexton, today we are sad to inform you he passed away on Sunday. 

The 72-year-old icon of the game died of cancer, a battle he mostly kept to himself because he wanted to project a positive image at all times. 

Mike was a true pioneer or the poker industry and it is arguable he had the biggest single impact on the modern game of anyone. 

He was the anchor of the World Poker Tour TV show since it began in 2002. While most point to the World Series of Poker broadcast where Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event as the pivotal moment in the poker boom, the World Poker Tour was already showing that poker could be a spectator sport. The WPT show is probably where most people in the early days picked up the game, this writer included. 

He played a pivotal role at partypoker where he was the Chairman when they were the biggest site in the game. This was the site a lot of player played their first games on, again this writer included. 

He is a Poker Hall of Fame member and has a WSOP bracelet and a WPT title. That WPT title in Montreal in 2016 is very fondly remembered by the poker world as he finally won one of the events he typically would comment on. 

The career accolades go on, but what he clearly is most remembered for is his kindness and the example that he set that gave him his nickname 'the Ambassador of Poker'. Take a look at Twitter today and you will see everyone pay tribute to his paving the way for others in the industry, but mostly for the big heart he had.

May all your cards be live and may all your pots be monsters! - Mike Sexton