Brad Booth, The Rise And Fall Of A Cash Pro

At one stage, Brad Booth was one of the most successful cash game players on the planet even able to buy-in for a “cool million” on GSN’s TV show High Stakes Poker.
Unfortunately, disaster struck the Canadian pro after falling prey to the Ultimate Bet cheating scandal in which he claims to have lost $2.5 million. The crippling bankroll problems caused by playing an ‘all-seeing’ opponent impacted badly on his game, and as he explained last year:
“If you look at the approximately $4.2 million I lost over the past three and a half years – it’s kind of a blur and I don’t remember the exact dates — 98 percent of that total came online.”
Earlier this year, Brad Booth’s frustration and desperation spilled out onto the TwoPlusTwo poker forum, in which he seemed to imply he had damaging information on former Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Phil Hellmuth, later threatening via twitter:
“I need to talk to you now Mr Hellmuth – it’s your last chance to reach out to me. I expect to hear from u within 24 hours.”
Unfortunately, the 35 year old has now become implicated in another scandal, this time in which he stands accused of  not paying back money loaned to him by fellow pros. As the story goes, after his disastrous experience at Ultimate Bet Brad Booth took to borrowing money which he then blew playing online and live poker, as well as on sports-betting. Allegedly, Booth still has around around $1 million in outstanding debts, with one creditor by the name of Douglas “WCGrider” Polk now stepping forward and outting him on TwoPlusTwo. As an extract from his post explains:
“At this point he asked for ~$30,000, which I sent him online…When we met up, he told me the unsettling news of many of his other debts, how little money he has, and the inside scoop on many additional things. I told him if he continues to work with me and stay in contact, and make some small payments at a time, that we can work things out. He agreed, and a week later made me a payment of $2,200. However since then, he has left the country, changed his phone number, and has started completely ignoring me.”
If the allegations are true, it is a sad reflection on the changing fortunes of the Canadian poker pro, who only last year stated:
“I’ve had a few days and few nights, when I’ve felt, not suicidal, but that I was at the end of the rope here. I want to say ‘thank you’ to all the people who have been patient with me, and all the friends and family who have supported me along the way. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. It has a lot to do with me being able to carry on.”